Hello, Alistair! Can you tell us a little about your career journey so far?
Hello! This is a story all about how my life took a trip from north to south. I’d like to take a minute – no this isn’t a joke – I’ll tell you how I got into marketing at Peek & Poke…
Originally from a small town in Scotland, I’ve now been in the wonderful city of Sheffield for over a decade. I suppose my ‘career’ (whatever that means) really began with a love of foreign languages at high school, which in turn led to a degree and my first full-time job working as a German translator here in the Steel City.
A few years ago, I side-stepped from translation into the world of B2B marketing at a large software company. I also started a food blog in my spare time, which became a huge creative outlet and allowed me to discover a passion for SEO and digital content – something I continue to apply to this day in my role at Peek & Poke.
What is your job title at Peek & Poke and what does it mean?
As Content Manager at Peek & Poke, I’m responsible for shaping the overall content marketing strategy and delivering this across all of our digital channels.
From publishing and managing resources, blog posts, case studies, landing pages, social media posts, and email newsletters, to implementing creative campaigns and staying up to date with all things SEO and digital marketing, it’s my job to help solve problems for marketers by communicating how games can work for them and their brand.
Tell us about you – what keeps you busy when you’re not marketing?
I have a young daughter, so helping to raise her occupies a fair amount of my time outside of work. I’ve also been running a vegan food blog since 2019, which is something I’ve learned a lot from and really enjoy.
When I’m not engaging in philosophical debates with a toddler or blogging about plants, you’re likely to find me cooking, reading, running, climbing, walking, strumming the guitar, or hitting up a few of the finest pubs in the surrounding area.
What is your current / all-time favourite game? Digital or physical, there are no rules!
I LOVE BOGGLE AND I DON’T CARE WHO KNOWS IT. Sounds a bit geeky, but I’ve been obsessed with word games ever since I was a child. Come to think of it, that might explain why I’m so interested in languages, content creation, blogging, and song writing…
Video games are also a very nostalgic thing for me. I’m a big fan of the old-school Nintendo stuff, with my roots in Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda, and Star Fox. Other favourites of mine include Tetris, RollerCoaster Tycoon, and good ol’ FIFA.
Last but not least, and what we all really want to know is, in the event of a zombie apocalypse, what’s the plan?
I reckon I’d escape with friends and loved ones to the nearby Climbing Works, carrying as many canned items as possible – food and otherwise. I’d then lock us in, play The Cranberries on repeat through the speakers, and use the time to regain some of those pre-lockdown fitness levels. If the undead do manage to break in, it’ll at least be entertaining to watch them try and chase us up and down the walls.
Failing that, I’ll do my best to get back up north on the other side of the tartan curtain. Just as the Romans couldn’t be arsed to deal with the savage Scots, I reckon the zombies would also leave us alone as a desperate last resort.
