In this episode, we sit down with Yuriy Yarovoy - Senior Vice President of Revenue of Medal - to explore how short-form, community-driven content is changing the way games, sports, films, consumer brands and more are discovered and grown. As attention fragments and traditional marketing struggles to cut through the noise, we unpack how trusted, friend-shared moments are becoming one of the most powerful levers for brands to plug into to drive retention and build a community. From the psychology of belonging, to the mechanics behind social proof, this conversation is a deep dive into how brands and IP owners can grow by designing their marketing for connection, not just for conversion.
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00:00 – Welcome & the rise of the clipping economy
Why the way people discover and engage with games is fundamentally shifting - from exposure to advertising to shared moments between friends.
03:00 – Attention is earned, not bought
How modern audiences filter out traditional marketing - and what it means for user acquisition when youth audiences are now ad-blind by default.
06:40 – Belonging as a growth strategy
Why players who discover a game, sport or film through a friend arrive with higher trust, better retention, and a stronger sense of community from day one.
10:20 – From funnel to leapfrog
How socially shared content can short-circuit traditional acquisition steps and land users straight into a community.
13:45 – The psychology of shared moments
The rationale behind why small, authentic clips are outperforming polished promos - and how identity is formed through participation, not consumption.
17:20 – Designing for trust-based discovery
What it takes to build products and campaigns that facilitate organic sharing without feeling engineered or extractive.
21:00 – Community building in low-friction environments
How simplicity and familiarity create more shareable behaviours - and why intentional friction often kills valuable momentum for brands.
24:15 – The Three R's to measure growth beyond views and clicks
How to think about retention, resonance, and relationship-building as core metrics in community-led growth.
28:00 – Designing campaigns that create culture
The content formats and activations that encourage players to contribute over consume - and how successful brands and game developers are rethinking growth loops.
32:30 – Rethinking brand presence in gaming
Why younger audiences reject interruptive formats, and how brands can show up in ways that align with player behaviour and context.
36:00 – Lessons for anyone building community-led platforms
Insights into what scales trust, and why growing slowly (but meaningfully) often wins long-term.
40:20 – Final reflections
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