Jonathan Murnane
Event director, Activision, Santa Monica, California, 37
Launchpad: Murnane started with the video game company in 1999, helping with E3. In between, he managed other events for the brand that grew in size and scale over the years.
Claim to fame: Activision’s Call of Duty XP launch event over Labor Day weekend 2011. The massive event took over a 12-acre compound in Playa Vista, drawing more than 10,000 gamers for the debut of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer mode—more than a month before the game’s official launch. “Nothing I had ever done could have prepared me for such a huge undertaking.”
Career highlight: The overwhelmingly positive response to Call of Duty XP. “I spent the day after the event lying in bed and reading comments on Twitter and Facebook. I couldn’t stop smiling.”
Work philosophy: “Every project I’ve ever been involved with has been a fast-moving train. My job is to keep the train on the tracks. The key is to have the most talented people working on what they do best and to know when to push them and when to get out of their way.”
Quick tip: “Stay true to the core of your product. That, and if you really believe in something, be prepared to fight for it.”
Launchpad: Murnane started with the video game company in 1999, helping with E3. In between, he managed other events for the brand that grew in size and scale over the years.
Claim to fame: Activision’s Call of Duty XP launch event over Labor Day weekend 2011. The massive event took over a 12-acre compound in Playa Vista, drawing more than 10,000 gamers for the debut of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer mode—more than a month before the game’s official launch. “Nothing I had ever done could have prepared me for such a huge undertaking.”
Career highlight: The overwhelmingly positive response to Call of Duty XP. “I spent the day after the event lying in bed and reading comments on Twitter and Facebook. I couldn’t stop smiling.”
Work philosophy: “Every project I’ve ever been involved with has been a fast-moving train. My job is to keep the train on the tracks. The key is to have the most talented people working on what they do best and to know when to push them and when to get out of their way.”
Quick tip: “Stay true to the core of your product. That, and if you really believe in something, be prepared to fight for it.”
Photo: Dan Hallman for BizBash
