Rebecca brings her best friend and ESPN Host, Arda Ocal to join her on this week’s episode of the Future of Marketing in Esports podcast. In this episode, they discuss Arda’s road to becoming a host of a top network, and why just doing everything he could to learn got him on a path he never dreamed was possible.

They also talk about branding, and when he realized he was a brand, and what today’s athletes, both traditional and in gaming, should understand when it comes to working with partnerships. Not all money is good money, and it’s important to understand what they align with best.

Plus, there’s lots of talk about Clubhouse, a platform that is truly all about the Future of Marketing!

To connect with Arda, visit:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arda

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arda-ocal-34a97a12a/

To connect with Rebecca, visit: https://www.happywarrior.us/

And follow her on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/RLongawa

For more information on all of our shows, visit: https://esportsfpn.com/

Full Episode Breakdown:

1:27 – Arda shares his history of what intrigued him about broadcasting and how he knew this was the perfect industry for him.

3:47 – When did Arda realize the he could actually make a career out of broadcasting, and how his hard work volunteering and learning truly paid off.

7:04 – The ‘secret’ to get into the world of esports. 

8:12 – Why understanding your motives of getting into the esports space is important before jumping in.

9:30 – Why even if you don’t know a ton about gaming, it’s still okay to come into the space. However, one of the most important things that 

12:56 – What the Minnesota Rokkr has done really well in cultivating their fan base.

14:24 – Arda discusses the traditional sports world that he started in.

16:38 – At what did stage did Arda realize it was so much more than just calling events, and he could actually build a brand and the story when everything really changed for him.

19:34 – Rebecca shares her secret of working for Jesse Ventura back in the day.

23:29 – When building a personal brand, what’s important to understand when it comes to knowing where to spend. (Plus the inside scoop on Clubhouse!)

28:32 – Why Clubhouse is truly a treasure trove, and how brands can transfer this to personal brands.

31:28 – Why it’s so important to know your lane, stay in that lane, and do things that fit that lane.

35:02 – How brands need to approach the advice of finding what they’re passionate about, and how to align it with those brand partnerships.

37:31 – What athletes and influencers should understand before ever working with a brand.

38:55 -What Arcade1Up did right in a influencer campaign.

42:00 – Arda gives an update on what he’s up to know, and what’s been keeping him busy.