Jon Nelson Interview
Jon Nelson most recently was the Director of Online Marketing and Strategy at Disney Interactive Studios and held similar positions at J2 Global Communications, Princess Cruise Lines and Atari, Inc. Prior to his four years at Atari, he managed various global brands at many Los Angeles based interactive agencies including Direct Partners, Rare Medium and Magnet Interactive. In addition to his online experience, he also brings with him nine years of traditional agency experience from DMB&B Advertising where he was the Senior Producer on such major brands as General Motors, Budweiser, Baskin Robbins and Blue Cross. A rare California native, Jon earned his BA in Liberal Arts/Computer Science at California State University, Northridge.
VP of Executive Recruiting and Client Services Norma Crippen caught up with Nelson to discuss his career breakthroughs, current projects and navigating the online market.
Norma: How did you get your break in the video game industry?
Jon: I was fortunate enough to be working at a company that was laying employees off and one of those employees was an Account Director that asked me to come over to a French-based company known as Infogrames as they just purchased the rights to a small video game brand known as Atari.
Norma: Web 2.0 is all the craze, how have you been successful integrating social networking into marketing?
Jon: Successful could be seen in two ways. Yes, I was successful in integrating social networking into marketing by building Facebook, MySpace, YouTube pages etc. Yes, these pages attracted a lot of traffic, but were they successful? It still remains to be seen.
Norma: How successful has the use of viral marketing been for you?
Jon: The few instances that I have implemented viral campaigns, I was always working a on a shoestring budget, they were simple, and they tended to do ok. I have always wanted to see what would have transpired if I had enough budget to do it right.
Norma: What strategies or methods did you use to make it successful?
Jon: Making sure that I was targeting the right demographic, making it impactful and delivering at the right time.
Norma: At Disney, what do you feel were the biggest challenges you faced in an already crowded online market?
Jon: The biggest challenge was more internal than external. There were so many online marketers within so many verticals within the company, that you were never sure if your campaign was cannibalizing or being cannibalized by another division.
Norma: Why do you think Disney shifted from using publishers to bringing a lot of titles in-house?
Jon: I do not know if I am the best to speak to this as I can only guess. Disney historically has been known to license out its content, but at DIS, there was a decision to bring more in-house. I am sure it had to do with finances.
Norma: Do you feel that Disney Interactive had to work extra hard to prove themselves in the video game market, especially the online gaming market due to the perception of Disney being more mainstream or “family friendly”?
Jon: DIS will never be able to prove themselves as a mainstream video game developer due to the fact that they will never be allowed to break free from the “family friendly” brand umbrella of The Walt Disney Company. In my mind, that is ok. Disney has some tremendous brands that can be extended in video games and as long as DIS makes high quality games that are entertaining, fun and get purchased, that is all that really matters.
Norma: What was it like working for a cruise line? Were there any perks, like free cruises????
Jon: Working for a cruise line was interesting as it was my first job working in the hospitality sector. It was a bit too corporate, but I learned a lot. The only perk I received was a reduced rate cruises once per year, practically free, which was nice.
Norma: What are people most surprised to learn about you?
Jon: That I am a California native and don’t particularly enjoy the beach. I had too many bad sunburn experiences as a kid.
Norma: Who has been your biggest influence or mentor in the industry?
Jon: I do not have one and perhaps I need to find one.
Norma: What is next for Jon Nelson?
Jon: I enjoy learning new things all of the time. I am creative and technical by nature, which seems to bend me in two directions continuously. Moving forward, I would like to know that I am making a difference for the better in the world as I watch my two children grow up. If I can find a position in which I can contribute and influence positive change, that would suffice. I am still seeking this position out.
Norma: Drum roll……If you were a zombie who is the first person you would eat?
Jon: George W. Bush with a Dick Cheney appetizer. What a couple of tools!
