MICHAEL ARTHUR PUCCINI

10741 Camarillo St., #306 · Toluca Lake, CA 91602

818.505.1458 (home office) · 818.568.3082 (cell)

michael.puccini@sbcglobal.net

 

OBJECTIVE:

A position as a professional writer in the field of public relations or journalism.

 

 

EDUCATION:

BA in Communications, Chapman University, Orange, CA, May 1988.

 

 

EXPERIENCE:

FREELANCE JOURNALIST/PUBLICIST

Los Angeles, CA

May 2007 – Present.

INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Pacific Media Partners, Los Angeles, CA

November 2006 – April 2007.

Responsibilities:  Wrote press materials, pitched media outlets and conducted follow-up for video game clientele. · Wrote agency white paper/tutorial – PR 2.0 101: Understanding New Media in the 21^st Century. · Created and pitched story ideas to media. · Updated and managed media contact database. · Attended and helped with media relations efforts for client (VoodooPC) at 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Clients:  VoodooPC, S2 Games, Phantom EFX.

FREELANCE JOURNALIST/PUBLICIST

Los Angeles, CA

March 2001 – November 2006.

 

GAME ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE STAFF WRITER/COPY EDITOR

Millennium Publications (Gamers’ Republic Magazine - now defunct), Westlake Village, CA

June 1999 - March 2001.

Responsibilities:  Wrote hard news and investigative stories, product reviews and previews, interviews and feature stories for electronic entertainment magazine. · Edited final pages for print. · Represented publication at trade shows, conducting journalistic interviews and searching for industry news angles. · Photographed all industry events.

 

(Part-time Professional Comedian, January 1999 – October 2007)

 

GLOBAL PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT SPECIALIST

Golin/Harris Communications, Los Angeles, CA

July 1994 - January 1999.

Responsibilities:  (Dedicated solely to the Nintendo of America account) Created all product press materials for product mailings, product launch press kits and E3 press kits. · Analyzed and created reports on new video game hardware and software releases from Nintendo and its competitors. · Created, pitched and successfully implemented new product publicity campaign plans, including budget development and management. · Managed project team members. · Organized and conducted agency-wide brainstorms. · Researched, evaluated and recommended new target markets. · Established relationships with all game-enthusiast magazines. · Designed, created and submitted monthly Game Enthusiast Activity Report, detailing all proactive and reactive activities and placements with game-enthusiast magazines. · Acted as liaison between Nintendo’s Corporate Communications department and the third-party software publishers/developers. · Managed the distribution of media mailings. · Created/managed Nintendo Product Loaner Agreement program for media requests. · Helped create the Nintendo Gamer Summit - a bi-annual, key gaming media product preview event held at Nintendo of America. · Scheduled and attended trade show meetings between gaming media and client. · Provided product information, competitive analyses and creative input at brainstorms.

 

INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY ADVERTISING AGENCY PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER

Viveros & Associates, Redwood City, CA

July - December 1993.

Responsibilities:  Helped establish advertising agency’s public relations practice. · Managed media relations efforts for video game clientele. · Developed and implemented strategic product publicity plans. · Wrote product publicity materials. · Created and pitched story ideas to media. · Created agency’s media contact database. · Produced, directed (location-based, Bozeman, Montana) and successfully placed video news release about Ocean of America’s Jurassic Park video game.

Clients:  THQ, Ocean of America, Extreme Entertainment, NovaLogic.

 

Neale-May & Partners,

Palo Alto, CA

March 1992 - July 1993.

 

ACCOUNT COORDINATOR

Peak PR, Cupertino, CA

October 1991 - March 1992.

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST

Tall Tree Systems, Palo Alto, CA

January - June 1989.
 

 

SKILLS:

Professional writing and editing. · Excellent interpersonal communications. · Media relations. · Analytic and creative thinker, constantly thinking “outside-the-box.” · Ability to pay attention to details. · Budget creation and management. · Client relations specialist. · Internet and computer literate, including web-design capabilities. · Team leader. · Show business savvy. · Great personality, work ethic and corporate dedication. · All-around nice guy.

 

 

REFERENCES:

Rob Wheat, Principal, Rob Wheat Media Relations, 913.642.5767

Scott Smith (former Supervisor), President, Westbound Communications, 714.663.8188.

Dan “Shoe” Hsu, Editorial Director, Electronic Gaming Monthly, 415.547.8721.

 

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