Kieran Holmes-Darby is named Business Director by creative agency Ear to the Ground
Tommy Holmes-Darby, ex-EXCEL ESPORTS co-founder, takes on the role of Business Director at Ear to the Ground, bringing expertise to elevate gaming and esports campaigns.
Ear to the Ground, which was founded in 2003, develops advertising campaigns that highlight the significance of fans. The agency has worked with brands like New Balance apparel, PlayStation, and Sony’s INZONE gaming division. It collaborated with professional football player Cristiano Ronaldo as well as wellness technology manufacturer Therabody.
An announcement states that Holmes-Darby will help new businesses into the gaming and esports industry by creating fan-focused promotional campaigns, as well as “drive impact for brands within gaming and esports.”
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Got a new gig! Joined the fantastic team at @eartotheground, excited to help companies make entries into the gaming space in ways that truly add value to the community 👊🏼 #newjob pic.twitter.com/iDVY8CbSkL
— Kieran Holmes-Darby (@KieranHDarby) February 2, 2024
Along with his brother Joel, Holmes-Darby formed the UK esports organization EXCEL ESPORTS in 2014. The group participated in competitions for several games, such as Call of Duty, VALORANT, and League of Legends’ LEC competition. In January 2022, he departed from the company to take a position as Gaming Director for Formula E, an all-electric racing championship. Giants Gaming, a Spanish esports organization, and EXCEL ESPORTS merged in 2023.
“Everyone who knows me knows I have a real passion for gaming and I am very excited about helping companies make entries into the space in ways that truly add value to the community,” said Holmes-Darby, the recently appointed Business Director of Ear to the Ground, in a statement on the announcement.
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The trend of specialized esports agencies establishing up shows no signs of slowing down, in addition to non-endemic agencies strengthening their esports divisions. The Bright Up Agency was co-founded in January 2024 by Dominic Müller and Marco Niemann with the goal of bringing together endemic and non-endemic businesses with gaming and esports stakeholders.
