Freelance Strategy Director for gaming launch at Toaster

We’re relaunching a game into the US market across console and PC.

The game creates a virtual music environment designed to bring gamers closer to the artists they love and share that experience with friends.

We’re looking for a lead strategist to shape the launch strategy and guide our creative team toward ideas that generate disproportionate buzz at launch.

Background & Objective:

The game already has relationships with well-known music artists, and the launch strategy should leverage that. The goal is to create outsized PR noise that captures the attention of both gaming and music communities, drives trial, and earns reviews from gaming KOLs and influencers. The activation will likely blend physical and digital experiences. Prior research is limited, so the strategist should be comfortable building from a relatively blank slate.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Proven experience working with gaming and music brands
• Has led a gaming launch before
• Experience leading strategy for big ideas that span experiential, digital, and PR
• Confident storyteller: able to bring C-suite clients along on the strategic journey
• Comfortable challenging and sharpening creative ideas, not just signing off on them
• Strong collaborator, used to working closely with creative and production partners
• US-based, willing to travel for key meetings
• Versed in media planning (i.e. can specify OOH/Experiential/Digital Ad placements to reach our unique audience)
• Bonus: genuine personal interest in music and/or gaming

Team & Collaboration:

The appointed lead strategist will work closely with our dedicated creative team, ECD, production lead and client lead throughout the sprint.

Scope of Work:

• Define and refine the brief
• Articulate the core target audience
• Audit competitor campaigns to surface learnings
• Develop strategic territories/spaces for creative to build from and present to clients
• Critique and pressure-test creative concepts
• Establish clear, measurable KPIs for the launch Map the campaign user journey with media recommendations to achieve targets

What’s the day rate, budget or seniority for the project?

Up to $1,250/day, 4-week engagement (20 days maximum)

When do you need someone, and for roughly how long?

4 weeks starting w/c 6th July

Where do you need them to be based?

Preferably US based (GMT-6); fully remote or hybrid depending on location. Willing to fly domestically for key meetings

How should they apply or get in touch?

Please provide day rate, CV and details of any relevant experience