In this edition of Marketer of the Week, Ignite Visibility spotlights Sean Pate, Brand Marketing & Communications Officer at Zenni Optical.
Ignite Visibility applauds Sean Pate for spearheading the biggest esports sponsorship in Zenni Optical’s history.
Sean Pate
Sean Pate is an accomplished public speaker and a passionate strategist focused on driving positive corporate brand visibility.
His marketing skills fall under project and program management, media relations, newsletters, and press releases. The icing on the cake that makes Pate stand out from his peers is his dedication to public speaking, crisis management and consumer relations.
As a senior marketing and communications connoisseur, Pate has spent more than a decade leading strategies for high-profile consumer tech brands.
In the early days of his career, Pate focused on honing his skill set in both agency and corporate roles at companies like Oracle, Robert Half International, and the Pac-12 Conference.
Now he spearheads the marketing department at Zenni Optical, leading them through major partnerships in his few years of tenure.
Zenni Optical
Founded in San Francisco in 2003, Zenni Optical is one of the first online-only eyeglass retailers of prescription glasses and sunglasses to hit the market.
With over 33 million frames sold worldwide, a pair of Zenni Optical sunglasses is now in every country across the globe.
Zenni Optical is also proud to be the Official Eyewear Partner of the Call of Duty League, a venture that resulted in record sales for Zenni Optical’s blue light blocking lens, Blokz.
Zenni sponsors multiple major tournaments by providing Blokz to the players to help support eye health while simultaneously creating custom content throughout the deal, all thanks to Pate’s leadership.
Additionally, Sean Pate is responsible for Zenni Optical’s recently announced esports expansion with a series of partnerships with Golden Guardians, Houston Outlaws, and Pittsburgh Knights and Brooklyn Nets GC franchises.
He successfully renewed deals with Zenni in the past few weeks to keep their Official Eyewear designation.
Zenni Optical conquers the traditional sports space via deals with the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bulls, which have given this brand exponentially more visibility and record sales for the Blokz blue light blocking lens product in 2020.
According to Sean Pate, “We’ve been extremely pleased with our initial foray into esports and are looking forward to collaborating more with the community to educate and reinforce the importance of eye protection when gaming. We believe our Blokz lens technology has an endemic place within the esports world, and we’re eager to share its value with a larger audience in 2020. Whether you’re a pro player or casual gamer, Zenni Blokz protect your eyes from blue light and help reduce eye strain to improve performance.”
Not only is Zenni Optical a retail brand, but they focus on giving back to communities and changing lives one person at a time.
Partnering with the Chicago Bulls, Zenni Optical hosted their Framing the Future community program, which benefits the youth of the Chicago Park District.
After a long year of challenges posed by Covid-19, the team was able to unveil a renovated basketball court with a Blokz Party and an eye-catching mural.
The community celebrated the court opening by participating in a Beat the Bulls media shot challenge to raise over $10,000 for Prevent Blindness.
Sean Pate’s Career Timeline
StubHub: Sean Pate’s Introduction to B2C Brands
StubHub is the world’s largest ticket marketplace with tickets for millions of sporting, theatre, and music events available in more than 40 countries.
It was here that the gates to working with global B2C brands began for Pate at StubHub.
Between 2005 and 2009, Sean Pate served as Stubhub’s Head of Corporate Communications. During his 4-year tenure, he helped catapult StubHub from a struggling startup into a household name, pioneering a data-driven PR strategy the industry continues to leverage today.
Not only did Sean Pate manage a $750K annual budget, but he oversaw StubHub through its hyper-growth period and acquisition by eBay.
Plus, he was the company’s primary spokesperson, appearing regularly on local and national media such as Good Morning America, CNN, and CNBC.
Ancestry.com
In 2010, Sean Pate joined the Ancestry.com team as the organization’s Director of U.S. Public Relations.
Among his many duties, Sean Pate was responsible for developing high-profile media relations and PR strategies to cement the company’s reputation as the leading online family history resource in the U.S.
He even helped create walk-thru family history narratives for VIPs, celebrities, and influencers to garner mass consumer attention.
Famous personalities that have used the service include Jimmy Kimmel, Mario Lopez, Reno Wilson, and John Krasinski.
Art.com
Following his stint at Ancestry.com, Sean Pate worked as the Director of Global Public Relations for Art.com., managing all U.S. and international PR and social media strategies for the brand.
He’s even credited with producing the highest single-day conversion rate on AllPosters.com through Good Morning America’s “Deals and Steals” segment.
Each deal on accessories, jewelry, and beauty products is available the same day until midnight PST only while supplies last.
Gametime United
Fast-forward to 2015 and Sean Pate is the Head of Communications for Gametime United, a mobile ticket marketplace app based in San Francisco that has quickly become one of the most reliable ticket sellers in North America.
In addition to being the company’s primary media spokesperson, Sean Pate facilitated the announcement for the Series B round of funding totaling $20 million in 2016, which was featured in TechCrunch, The Wall Street Journal, and SI.com.
Wrapping It Up
Sean Pate’s years of public relations and corporate communications experience paved the way for his current role at Zenni Optical, making him a well-rounded asset to any marketing team.
I’m looking forward to seeing where Sean Pate’s skills and business prowess take him in the future.
