Creative Advertising in Mobile Games | Matt Sharpe

In this episode of the **Pixel Retentive Podcast**, Carl sits down with **Matt Sharpe**, Creative Director of Advertising at **Zynga**, to explore what it really takes to build creative campaigns that don't just look great—but actually perform. With more than 20 years in advertising and technology, Matt has helped shape campaigns across Zynga's portfolio of over 150 mobile games while working with global brands including NBC, Fox, Progressive, and Hasbro. Together they dive into the intersection of creativity, business, and data, discussing why commercial artists must focus on outcomes over ego, how performance marketing has changed creative decision-making, what AI means for creative professionals, and why accountability is one of the most valuable traits in any career. Whether you're a marketer, creative director, game developer, entrepreneur, or designer, this conversation is packed with practical insights on making better creative decisions and building work that delivers measurable results. * * * ## Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn: - How creative advertising has evolved through performance marketing - Why data should guide creative decisions—not ego - The surprising campaign that proved simple creative can outperform complex ideas - What it really means to be a commercial artist - Why creativity must always support business objectives - Building successful brand partnerships inside mobile games - How Zynga approaches advertising across more than 150 game titles - The importance of defining success before a campaign begins - Why every campaign needs a clear North Star - Matt's three-question framework for post-mortems after projects fail - Why "average" is becoming the most dangerous place for creatives to operate - Opportunity and accountability as the foundation of great creative organizations - The differences between startup life and large corporate creative teams - How AI is changing advertising, design, and creative production - Why AI should help shorten the distance between an idea and reality - Authenticity, storytelling, and human connection in an AI-driven world - The value of continuous learning and reading as a creative leader - Why *The Alchemist* remains one of Matt's favorite books ## Guest Links 🌐 Website https://thatmattsharpe.com 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/thatmattsharpe/ ## Special Thanks A huge thank you to **Matt Sharpe** for sharing such an honest look at the realities of commercial creativity, leadership, accountability, and building campaigns that actually work. His perspective on balancing creativity with measurable business outcomes offers valuable lessons for anyone working in marketing, games, design, or creative leadership. * * * ## Connect with Epic Made For more conversations about creativity, storytelling, animation, game development, branding, marketing, entrepreneurship, design, AI, and the business behind great creative work, visit: 🌐 https://www.epicmade.net/resources/category/Podcast If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a creative director, marketer, game developer, advertising professional, brand strategist, entrepreneur, or anyone passionate about where business and creativity collide. Until next time, ✌️ – Carl #Zynga #MobileGames #Advertising #CreativeLeadership #PerformanceMarketing #BrandPartnerships #MarketingStrategy #CreativeStrategy #GameMarketing #CommercialArt #ArtificialIntelligence #Leadership #CreativeCareers #PixelRetentivePodcast #EpicMade