Unboxed: A Board Game Industry Discussion

S2E6: Content Collabs with Danielle Standring

Partnering with content creators is a core part of most marketing strategies, whether you're launching a new product or support a catalog classic. Creators serve a vital function: meeting customers where they are at, and navigating the ever-changing tide of social media platforms. How do we get the most out of these partnerships?
Danielle Standring joins Unboxed to talk about a vital part of these relationships - collaboration. Hear from a creator whose voice gets through the algorithm noise and serves a huge variety of brands, in addition to her audience.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Danielle Standring
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.

Bonus Round with Ross Connell

For Ross Connell, photography isn't just a passion—it's a medium that expresses the impact of a game has on the lives of new and existing fans. Ross shares the constraints he puts on his own work to make sure he's maximizing all the important details a photo should communicate to the viewer, especially as we live in a world of limited attention.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Ross Connell
NorthStar Game Studio
More Games Please Website
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.

S2E5: Get Ye More Hobbies!

This must be scientifically proven by now: Hobbies clearly make us better at our jobs. A giggly pair of Danni and Jen share some of their personal experiences with hobbies (mainly Woobles) and reflect on how those joys impact their work.
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

Bonus Round with Zac Dixon

When marketing is in your DNA, you can't help but inject it into every creative project. Zac Dixon from IV Studio shares how thinking about marketing and community building from a product's inception has helped them land hit after hit on crowdfunding and your tables.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Zac Dixon
IV Studio
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
Graphic Design by Seth Nickerson.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S2:E4 The Cosmere with Johnny O'Neal

Running the largest-grossing tabletop gaming Kickstarter campaign of all time can be a daunting feat, but Johnny O'Neal and the team at Brotherwise Games are a passionate, dedicated group. He reflects on their 12-year journey from launching the Boss Monster board game, and how they find themselves as a leader in licensed gaming.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Johnny O'Neal
Brotherwise Games
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

Bonus Round with Banana Chan

It doesn't matter if you're a creative nut or like having ten spreadsheets open at a time, planning is a crucial step of any project. But don't take our word for it! We brought in an expert. Banana Chan is not only an award-winning game designer, they are a sought-after collaborator due, in part, to the efforts they put into project planning. They share some of the tools they use to unlock the time for creative freedom in game design.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Banana Chan
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
Graphic Design by Seth Nickerson.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S2:E3 Toyetic Games

The ultimate crossover - when tabletop games are made with toy-like components. Danni and Jen turn the nostalgia dial up to 1,000 on this episode, remembering the toys of their childhood and reflecting on how games are turning the best memories into the catchiest gameplay.
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

Bonus Round with Sen-Foong Lim

There's no understating it. Co-designed board games are making for some of the best new products to hit the market. We asked co-design wizard Sen-Foong Lim to share why he enjoys the co-design process and how that's helped him and his co-designers maximize their efforts.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Sen-Foong Lim
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S2:E2 Cozy Games with Lysa Penrose

Is there a cozy game bubble? And if so, is it about to pop? We sure hope not! Jen and Danni are joined by Lysa Penrose, Head of New Games Marketing at Ravensburger, to dive into these questions.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Lysa Penrose
Ravensburger
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

Bonus Round with Ray Billings

Asking yourself the age-old question of how to balance information and entertainment in short form video content? Us too! So we asked social video content guru Ray Billings, Digital Content Coordinator at The Op, to share how her approach to maximizing the seconds on TikToks and Reels to support their growing audience on both platforms.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Ray Billings
The Op
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
Beats by Lukas Michas.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!