Player Media, the gaming media business within Mana Group, has appointed Lance Traore as country head of Australia, as the company expands its presence across the Australian market.
Traore will lead Player Media’s Australian business, working with media agencies, creative agencies and brands to help them engage gaming audiences through player-centric media, in-game advertising, esports sponsorships, creator partnerships, branded content and playable brand experiences.
Traore brings more than 20 years of experience across media and advertising technology. He previously led AdColony’s ANZ business, helping build it into one of the region’s leading gaming advertising platforms. During his tenure, he played a key role in driving the adoption of gaming as a mainstream advertising channel, helping brands and agencies recognise gaming’s ability to deliver both audience reach and advertising performance.
He joins Player Media to help brands unlock the full potential of gaming, not only as a media channel, but as a cultural environment where they can participate, engage and build deeper connections with consumers.
As country head, Traore will focus on building Player Media’s agency and brand relationships across Australia, developing local commercial partnerships, and helping advertisers translate gaming interest into clear media, sponsorship and activation opportunities.
“Throughout my career, I’ve seen gaming evolve from a niche media channel into a mainstream way for brands to reach consumers at scale,” said Traore. “For the first time, women now make up the majority of Australia’s gaming audience, accounting for 51 per cent of all gamers. While many brands now use gaming as part of their media strategy, we believe the bigger opportunity lies in helping them participate more meaningfully through creators, partnerships, content and experiences.”
Gaming is no longer a niche interest. More than 80 per cent of Australians play games and the average gamer is 35 years old, making gaming one of the country’s largest and most diverse forms of entertainment. For brands, gaming is increasingly serving two roles: a mainstream media environment where audiences can be reached at scale, and a cultural environment where creators, partnerships, content and experiences can help build deeper engagement. Player Media helps brands navigate both.
The appointment also strengthens Mana Group’s broader proposition in Australia. Mana Group helps brands move from interruption to cultural participation across gaming, sport, music, entertainment and emerging culture. The group combines cultural intelligence, strategic planning, creative development and activation expertise to help brands identify where they have a credible role to play, then turn that role into media, partnerships, content and experiences that can be executed at speed.
Player Media will operate as Mana Group’s specialist gaming media arm, bringing together media access, gaming expertise and cultural strategy for brands looking to show up more credibly in play spaces.
“Gaming has become one of the most influential cultural environments for modern consumers. The opportunity for brands now extends far beyond audience reach and into meaningful participation within that culture,” said Matthew Zatto, Mana Group’s co-founder and chief commercial officer. “Recent research suggests culturally relevant brands can grow multiples faster than their peers, reinforcing the commercial case for brands to move from interruption to participation. That is why we believe gaming matters so much.”
Player Media’s Australian expansion comes as gaming commands an increasing share of consumer attention and brands seek more effective ways to combine reach, attention and cultural relevance within a single environment.
“Gaming gives brands a chance to participate, not just advertise,” added Zatto. “That is the larger shift we are building around at Mana Group. The brands that win in culture are the ones that understand where attention is moving, define a role that feels authentic, and then execute with the speed and quality the moment demands. That is where Player Media and Mana Group come together.”
