Rahman, but insists that it is particularly acute in the B2B games technology niche that Raptor occupies. The reason: It’s “perceived as more difficult, and less sexy”, which is why he settled on a brand identity more aligned with games. “I looked at the established players, great companies like Bastion and Indigo Pearl, whose reputation precedes them, but I had to create and operate a brand in an IRL vacuum.” Rahman says that B2B accounts will continue to provide the bulk
mass, Rahman’s advice for web3 game developers is simple: “Be very cautious. Make sure your game is kick-ass, you have the assets and so forth, and make sure there’s credibility behind the people making the game.” The issue of credibility comes up later in our conversation, on which Rahman is blunt: “It’s about looking at a company and saying ‘Let’s cut away the crap. Cut away the bullshit messaging.’ We cannot support messaging which cannot be backed up. If you call yourself the leader of XYZ and you can’t back that up, then you’re essentially beginning a release with a lie. Why should a journalist believe anything after that? That’s why we’re really keen on high quality, authentic storytelling for clients. That’s important for us.”
“I want to work on stuff I really love, but at the same time hold onto the thing I have a lot of experience in, which is helping
B2B brands stand out.” Rana Rahman,
Raptor PR founder and CEO
of Raptor’s income. However, as a lifelong gamer, Rahman hopes one day to have a few games in the portfolio, whether indie, AA or AAA. “I’m looking to hire a connected B2C games PR veteran to help me push Raptor into that field. I don’t think we’re going to go massive there, but we’d like a few games to work on, to keep me happy and the team happier. I want to work on stuff I really love, but at the same time hold on to the thing which I have a lot of experience in, which is helping B2B brands stand out.”
NO “I” IN RAPTOR It’s clear that Rana Rahman and Raptor PR are synonymous, it being impossible to imagine one without the other. However, Raptor’s founder recognises that as the agency
IN REAL LIFE The biggest challenge facing Raptor isn’t finding clients or the right messaging, but one that all games organisations seem to be facing at the moment - discovering the right talent. There’s a shortage across the comms industry, says
48 | MCV/DEVELOP December 2022
becomes more established, the two identities need to be decoupled. It comes down to the fact that despite Raptor being the vehicle that has brought him closer to the industry he’s admired and adored since childhood, the overriding highlight of the last few years has been less about his own newfound success and rather more that of building a team to share it with. “Raptor runs as an antithesis to some shitty workplace
experiences I had as an employee,” he says. I’ve worked for so many people and worked in so many agencies that lacked diversity and ruled by fear. Not all of them, but some of them were unpleasant environments ... Managing by fear isn’t the best motivator to get people to do better. Everyone needs to have their own unique way of engaging to get the best out of them. It’s absolute common sense. It kind of goes back to my childhood. I’ve never played sports, never watched rugby or football. It’s always video games. I feel really, really chuffed to work in the industry and meet fellow nerds and sometimes do business with them. It’s really humbling.”
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