San Francisco Agenda
- Day 2Wednesday 23 October
- Day 1Tuesday 22 October
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Select a Theme
- Ad Monetization Track
- Alternate Growth Track
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Brian Truman, Principal & Founder, Truman XP AdvisorsBrian TrumanPrincipal & FounderTruman XP Advisors
John Welch, Founder & CEO, Making FunJohn WelchFounder & CEOMaking Fun
Kelly Kang, Senior Director of Ad Monetization & Partnerships, Pixel UnitedKelly KangSenior Director of Ad Monetization & PartnershipsPixel United
CK Wang, CEO, KooappsCK WangCEOKooapps09.00
Gamesforum Unfiltered: Monetization
Kickstart day-two of Gamesforum San Francisco with Gamesforum Unfiltered: Monetization, the chance to break down the state of mobile games monetization in 2024. This session is off-the-record, with panellists tackling the greatest challenges and offering innovative solutions. Come armed with a coffee and your questions for our uncensored first panel of the day.
CK Wang, CEO, KooappsCK WangCEOKooapps10.30
F2P Indie Acquisition, Retention, Monetization Tactics (ARM)
From industry consolidation to privacy changes, surviving in the mobile F2P space seems impossible as an indie studio. In this talk, CK will share acquisition, retention, and monetization (ARM) tactics that enabled games like Snake.io to grow from 0 to 400 million+ players. Topics covered include increasing organic traffic, retaining via push notifications and playtests, and monetize via ads and live events.
11.00 - Morning Break11.30
Fireside Chat: IAA x IAP with EA
Check back for more information!
11.55
Tanner Hanson, President, RevUTanner HansonPresidentRevUTanner Hanson is the President of RevU, where he is responsible for the business’ growth, product, and account management. He joined RevU in 2022 to transform the business into a multi-platform solution for publishers and advertisers.
Prior to RevU, Tanner led US account management across advertisers and publishers at ironSource (now part of Unity Technologies), overseeing both ad network and offerwall clients. He started his mobile career after a post-college stint in retail on the agency side, running app campaigns for clients including Square, Eventbrite, and Meta. Tanner is Bay Area born and raised, currently based in San Francisco.Sponsored by
RevU operates the industry's most advanced offerwall for games of all sizes and genres! Our secure SDK-less offerwall platform allows for quick and flexible integrations, and our unique lineup of direct demand generates the highest eCPMs in the industry on all mobile platforms. With a reach of millions of unique users, RevU also is a powerhouse for studios looking to acquire large amounts of new gamers while exceeding KPIs!
11.55
Off the Wall
If you still think offerwalls require SDKs and exclusivity, you’re not making as much money as you should be. Learn the why's and how's of monetizing with offerwall from RevU, a company revolutionizing the format, led by executives from ironSource and Tapjoy.
Charlie Castell, Founder, PubRev+Charlie CastellFounderPubRev+Charlie Castell is the CEO and co-founder of PubRev+, a publisher, monetization consultancy and CTV demand partner. PubRev+ has a strong record of increasing publishers’ revenue, through adops, business development and technical services. Their first app, Rebuild Ukraine, built in Cherkasy, Ukraine, raises money for World Kitchen and Save the Children, by gamifying charitable giving. Charlie has consulted for a number of political campaigns, including Adam Schiff, been shortlisted for a student academy award, and previously led the ads business at Warner Bros TV, Scopely and TextNow.
Ammar Banatwala, Senior Manager, Revenue Analytics, AdsAmmar BanatwalaSenior Manager, Revenue Analytics, AdsI've worked in the Ad Mon industry for over 5 years now and in that time, we've all witnessed unprecedented change with widespread consolidation through M&A and evolution of the ad stack towards bidding. Having worked on some of the top grossing F2P mobile games, there's always the expectation of growth despite external circumstances. With my background in Economics and Statistics, it has led me to a highly data driven approach to Ad Mon with a huge emphasis placed on things like Segmentation to maximize the value of every single cohort within our games.
Dan McAdams, Head of Sales, Ads, UnityDan McAdamsHead of Sales, AdsUnity12.20
Gamesforum Ad Monetization Panel
The bread and butter of what Gamesforum is, join The Ad Monetization panel as they break down the day-to-day in mobile IAA. From working on mediation in 2024 and waterfall automation in the era of bidding to effective user segmentation and breaking ground on new ways to maximise revenue.
13.00 - Networking Lunch
Mariam Ahmad, Head of Content, GamesforumMariam AhmadHead of ContentGamesforumMariam recently joined Gamesforum as Head of Content, having previously worked at Exchangewire as editorial lead. With a keen interest in ad tech, Mariam’s area of interest also includes ad monetisation, UA, curation, and more. Previously, she also hosted the Madtech Podcast, which featured a range of industry leaders and visionaries, ranging from Paramount to Uber and Microsoft.
Charlie Castell, Founder, PubRev+Charlie CastellFounderPubRev+Charlie Castell is the CEO and co-founder of PubRev+, a publisher, monetization consultancy and CTV demand partner. PubRev+ has a strong record of increasing publishers’ revenue, through adops, business development and technical services. Their first app, Rebuild Ukraine, built in Cherkasy, Ukraine, raises money for World Kitchen and Save the Children, by gamifying charitable giving. Charlie has consulted for a number of political campaigns, including Adam Schiff, been shortlisted for a student academy award, and previously led the ads business at Warner Bros TV, Scopely and TextNow.
14.00
Fireside Chat: Ad Quality in Mobile
56% of mobile gamers report experiencing ads that blatantly misrepresent the gameplay. So, Ad quality has been brought to the centre stage, with the light shining on UA teams to attest to why bad ads, be it problematic or poorly designed, are still being utilised in 2024.
But how can we work to change the narrative? Join Mariam and Charlie and guests as they discuss firefighting bad ads via ad ops, tech to identify poor quality and the need to build a publisher coalition.
Sponsored by
Founded by ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’ awardees Christian Facey and Wilfrid Obeng, Audiomob is a leading global adtech solution provider for the mobile gaming market. Backed by some of the largest investors in adtech, such as Google, LightSpeed Ventures, and Makers Fund, Audiomob has raised over $16 million in funding and is valued at over $110 million.
Audiomob's patented technology allows game developers to seamlessly insert audio adverts into their games. By focusing on audio-only adverts, developers can monetize their games without disrupting the player’s gaming experience. This creates a better ad ecosystem for developers, advertisers, and players. One that gives players more control over when and how they experience in-game ads, encouraging them to Play OnTM uninterrupted for longer.
Audiomob's industry-leading ad solutions earned it the StartUp of the Year award in 2022. In the same year, Audiomob received a nomination for the renowned Drum Awards, in collaboration with Proctor & Gamble.14.30
Silver Sponsor Presentation with Audiomob
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Indy Khabra, Co-Founder, LivewireIndy KhabraCo-FounderLivewire15.00
Brand Advertising in Mobile Gaming
The opportunities for brands in mobile gaming advertising is limitless. Billions of players remain untapped. Join Indy as he leads the discussion exploring how publishers can be at the forefront of immersive advertising experiences.
15.30 - Afternoon Break16.00
Publisher Ad Monetization Presentation Available
Contact [email protected] for more information!
16.30
Silver Ad Monetization Sponsor Presentation Available
Contact [email protected] for more information!
Phil Suh, VP, Ad Monetization, ZyngaPhil SuhVP, Ad MonetizationZyngaPhil Suh Vice President of Ad Monetization, ZyngaPhilSuhis the Vice President of Ad Monetization at Zynga, a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. In his role, Suh leadsteams that manage the company’s Ads business and provide platform products and services to its portfolio of game studios and advertisers. He previously was a Lead Product manager for Zynga’s studio developing Farmville mobile games.
With 10 years of experience in Ad Tech, Gaming, and Financial Products, Suh combines analytical rigor with a customer-focused mindset to drive innovation and growth across Ad Tech, Product, User Experience, and Monetization.
Suh holds a Masters’ degree from MIT and Harvard, and as a West Point graduate, also served as a US Army Signal officer in Germany and Iraq.
John Martin, Associate Vice President, Publisher Growth, PubMaticJohn MartinAssociate Vice President, Publisher GrowthPubMaticJohn Martin is Associate Vice President, Publisher Growth Solutions at PubMatic. John oversees various products at PubMatic, including OpenWrap for Mobile App and Access Membership. In his role, John is responsible for commercial strategy and "Go to Market", globally, for his respective areas of the business. This includes brand expansion, product development and the management of regional sales teams. Prior to joining the team at PubMatic, John spent 7 years with Playwire working closely with the Gaming Publisher and App Developer community to better monetize their content. Before falling into AdTech, John began his career in Enterprise Software with SAP where he worked on sustainable supply chain solutions. John is originally from the UK and moved to the States 8 years ago- he now lives in Brooklyn, NY.
17.00
Innovation in Ad Monetization
Closing out our ad monetization track our Future of IAA panel. Designed to provide novel areas of opportunity panellists are exploring to help maximise ad revenue opportunities. From offerwalls and skipits to brand advertising and immersive ad experiences, gain insights you can take back to the office as soon as tomorrow.
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10.00
Gold Alt Growth Sponsor Presentation Available
Contact [email protected] for more information!
Kelly Trask, Director, Slot Performance & Strategy, SciPlayKelly TraskDirector, Slot Performance & StrategySciPlayKelly brings nearly a decade’s experience in land-based slots management to social gaming in her role as SciPlay’s strategic slot portfolio and content growth lead.
10.30
How Real-World Slots Made Social Slots Better
In 2023, SciPlay, the leading social game developer behind Jackpot Party Casino Slots and Quick Hit Slots was acquired by Light & Wonder, the leading cross-platform global game company. Discover what these companies gained from each other’s approach, and how that cross-pollination helped both deliver better experiences for their players.
11.00 - Morning Break
Anthony Lai, CEO, TapBlazeAnthony LaiCEOTapBlaze
Alex Kozachenko, CEO, HyperBeardAlex KozachenkoCEOHyperBeardAlex Kozachenko is the CEO of HyperBeard, the largest mobile game developer and publisher in Mexico with over 210M downloads on Apple AppStore and Google Play Store with great games like Campfire Cat Cafe, Adorable Home & Pocket Love! HyperBeard specializes in cute, casual, idle-games targeting an adult-female demographic. Alex specializes in business, product & marketing strategy.
11.30
Organic Growth in 2024 & Beyond
AppStores continue to crowd, UA costs are rising and apps like Temu are using large budgets to flood inventory. So how can growth teams strive to top the charts and feature on AppStores?
Join our panellists as they divulge their ASO best practices, organics on alternate stores and utilizing CPP.
11.55
Silver Alt Growth Sponsor Presentation Available
Contact [email protected] for more information!
12.20
Mike Gallagher, Founder, Untitled LabsMike GallagherFounderUntitled Labs12.20
Growth Through Community
Check back for more information...
13.00 - Networking Lunch
Drew Hambke, Director of Marketing, KongregateDrew HambkeDirector of MarketingKongregate
Gavin Leung, VP of Marketing, WorldWinnerGavin LeungVP of MarketingWorldWinnerGavin Leung, VP of Growth Marketing, is an experienced marketer, specialized in working with entertainment and technology companies to find and grow their audience.
Alexandra Ivacheff, Head of Business Development, AdikteevAlexandra IvacheffHead of Business DevelopmentAdikteev14.00
Retain & Reengage: The Importance of a Positive Game Experience
CPIs are increasing, privacy is restricting access to user data. Mobile game marketing is becoming significantly more difficult. Successfully identifying, segmenting and retaining high LTV players is more important than ever.
Join our panel as they break down the importance of a core audience, from targeted content and deals to a positive gameplay experience, our panel will explore the available technology and game design for a positive high LTV player base.
14.40
Silver Alt Growth Sponsor Presentation Available
Contact [email protected] for more information!
Elin Jonsson, CBO, East Side GamesElin JonssonCBOEast Side GamesAs a producer, Elin worked on Trailer Park Boys: Greasy Money, where she launched over 200 live events. Aside from the day to day, she was able to successfully integrate several big-name guest stars to help boost and improve all live-ops games goals. The last few years, Elin has lead the production team on The Office: Somehow We Manage, where she launched over 100 live events. Currently, Elin is excited to be managing all of ESG's external IP relationships.
15.05
Publisher Presentation with East Side Games
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15.30 - Afternoon Break
Dobrinka Kostadinova, Founder & Principal Advisor, Ad AstraDobrinka KostadinovaFounder & Principal AdvisorAd AstraExpertise in aligning mobile-centric data analytics, technology, and process management to execute strategic initiatives seamlessly.
Offering extensive experience in App Store Optimization and Go-To-Market planning, bolstered by top tier industry KPIs like revenue, downloads, betas, geos, and genres.
16.00
Publisher Presentation with Ad Astra Advisors
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16.30
Silver Alt Growth Sponsor Presentation Available
Contact [email protected] for more information!
Josh Burns, Senior Director of Business Development, FunPlusJosh BurnsSenior Director of Business DevelopmentFunPlusJosh is the Senior Director Business Development for global gaming company FunPlus, a top 25 mobile publisher by IAP revenue globally. He supports teams in the East & West around platform, marketing, tech and other partnerships as well as managing licensed IP partners in Hollywood and beyond for soon to be announced mobile games in addition to in-game integrations across the FunPlus portfolio such as with The Walking Dead & The Joker.
Josh previously founded & operated DigitalDevConnect for nearly a decade as a consultant/freelancer, working with both emerging & leading companies in the mobile and/or gaming space across business development, partnerships, sales, marketing, product and other areas. Prior to DigitalDevConnect, Josh led the US product team at social & mobile game publisher 6waves as well as holding multiple business roles at EA's Pogo.com casual gaming division.17.00
Exploring Alternate App Stores
Look beyond the duopoly of Apple and Google as we explore the potential of alternative app stores. Diving into the opportunities, restrictions and what needs to be done to make this appealing leap to third party stores a reality.
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Select a Theme
- User Acquisition Track
- Product Monetization Track
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Alex Kozachenko, CEO, HyperBeardAlex KozachenkoCEOHyperBeard
Alex Kozachenko is the CEO of HyperBeard, the largest mobile game developer and publisher in Mexico with over 210M downloads on Apple AppStore and Google Play Store with great games like Campfire Cat Cafe, Adorable Home & Pocket Love! HyperBeard specializes in cute, casual, idle-games targeting an adult-female demographic. Alex specializes in business, product & marketing strategy.
Mike Aaronson, SVP, Commercial Strategy & Growth, Hyper Hippo EntertainmentMike AaronsonSVP, Commercial Strategy & GrowthHyper Hippo EntertainmentAs SVP Commercial Strategy & Growth, Mike is responsible for establishing & executing the growth strategy for the business of Hyper Hippo’s live games and maximizing the profitability of the business. Prior to Hyper Hippo, Mike spent 20 years scaling new digital businesses in the entertainment industry at Comcast and NBCUniversal.
Tanner Hanson, President, RevUTanner HansonPresidentRevUTanner Hanson is the President of RevU, where he is responsible for the business’ growth, product, and account management. He joined RevU in 2022 to transform the business into a multi-platform solution for publishers and advertisers.
Prior to RevU, Tanner led US account management across advertisers and publishers at ironSource (now part of Unity Technologies), overseeing both ad network and offerwall clients. He started his mobile career after a post-college stint in retail on the agency side, running app campaigns for clients including Square, Eventbrite, and Meta. Tanner is Bay Area born and raised, currently based in San Francisco.
Josh Chandley, COO, WildCard StudioJosh ChandleyCOOWildCard Studio09.00
Gamesforum Unfiltered: Growth
A 4am bar chat at 9am in the morning, the only way to kick-off Gamesforum San Francisco! Join our Unfiltered panel as they go off the record on the state of mobile games marketing. This session is not-recorded, you must be in the room to hear our growth leaders break down rising CPI’s, the impact of app giants buying up marketing space, the role of AI, the state of privacy and prediction for UA in 2025…
11.00 - Morning Break
William Hughes, Head of Creative Services, KabamWilliam HughesHead of Creative ServicesKabam11.30
Creativity and AI in Mobile Game Marketing
Mobile marketing evolves rapidly, demanding swift adaptation. Integrating AI into your creative pipeline boosts efficiency and output. AI streamlines content creation and minimizes repetitive tasks, freeing up artists for more creative work. It enables real-time trend adaptation and empowers artists with actionable insights, enhancing asset creation and driving improved performance.
Athar Zia, CEO & Co-Founder, BLKBOX.aiAthar ZiaCEO & Co-FounderBLKBOX.aiSponsored by
Imagine instantly identifying the top 5% of creatives that resonate with your audience and effortlessly scaling those winners across paid social channels. BLKBOX.ai makes this possible with our AI-powered, omnichannel ad production and testing platform. Our no-code, plug-and-play solution pinpoints the exact ads that deeply engage your audience. Whether for geo-expansion or high-performing localized content, we highlight the best ads every time. At BLKBOX.ai, we don't leave success to chance.
12.00
Silver Sponsor Presentation: BLKBOX.ai
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Mariam Ahmad, Head of Content, GamesforumMariam AhmadHead of ContentGamesforumMariam recently joined Gamesforum as Head of Content, having previously worked at Exchangewire as editorial lead. With a keen interest in ad tech, Mariam’s area of interest also includes ad monetisation, UA, curation, and more. Previously, she also hosted the Madtech Podcast, which featured a range of industry leaders and visionaries, ranging from Paramount to Uber and Microsoft.
Tina Shaw, Creative Director, Activision Blizzard MediaTina ShawCreative DirectorActivision Blizzard MediaA multiple award-winning creative, Tina is Creative Director for ACTIVISION, leading a diverse team in innovative content across UA paid & organic platforms for players around the world of Call of Duty: Mobile, Crash Team Rumble, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and the upcoming Warzone: Mobile.
Prior, she was Creative Director driving creative & strategic campaigns across digital, experiential, interactive & AR/VR for entertainment brands NBCUniversal, Netflix, HBOmax, Hulu, TNT & Showtime for shows, such as Law & Order: SVU, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Tommy & Pam, Good Girls & This Is Us, amongst others.
Michael Lee, Senior Manager, Creative Product Marketing, Jam CityMichael LeeSenior Manager, Creative Product MarketingJam City12.30
Creative Advertising Panel
With CPIs rising and privacy restricting data, what can creative teams do to maximise ad impacts? Our panel will explore the work being done to maximise user engagement, the importance of data in informing creatives, working with product teams, the evolution of AI and what makes an effective creative marketing team in 2024.
13.00 - Networking Lunch
Brad Shapiro, EVP of Revenue, KashKickBrad ShapiroEVP of RevenueKashKick14.50
Utilizing Rewarded UA Channels
One of the hottest UA networks in 2024 is rewarded, but how do you assess the impact of rewarded platforms and what is being done to weed out fraudulent traffic? Our panel will share their work tightening up the rewarded UA space, identifying and removing fraudulent users and making the most of newly acquired high LTV users in product and monetization strategy.
15.30 - Afternoon BreakBrian Truman, Principal & Founder, Truman XP AdvisorsBrian TrumanPrincipal & FounderTruman XP Advisors17.00
Data & Measurement in 2024: The Future of Mobile UA
Drawing our UA content to a close, the data segmentation panel. Join panellists as they take to the stage to talk about making the most of your data in 2024, use cases for segmenting your audience and best practices in retaining and reengaging your most valuable users.
18.00 - Networking Drinks -
10.00
Gold Product Sponsor Presentation Available
Anastasia Zaiceva, CCO, ZiMADAnastasia ZaicevaCCOZiMAD
Liza Savenkova, Head of Business Development, ZiMADLiza SavenkovaHead of Business DevelopmentZiMAD10.30
Publisher Presentation: ZiMAD
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16.25 - Morning BreakSponsored by
CleverTap Gaming, powered by Leanplum, is the industry’s only all-in-one platform that unlocks
Player Experience Management, enabling game studios and publishers to own the full player
lifecycle from early onboarding to ritualized play, through LiveOps, CRM, and Game
Configuration, built on a foundation of advanced player analytics and industry-leading data
management. The company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Mumbai, Sofia,
Amsterdam, and Singapore.11.55
Silver Sponsor Presentation: CleverTap
Check back for more information...
Nancy MacIntyre, CEO, WorldWinnerNancy MacIntyreCEOWorldWinnerNancy MacIntyre, CEO of WorldWinner, is a well-respected games industry executive, with a proven track record of successfully growing audiences worldwide for mass-market digital products.
12.20
Product Roadmaps: Planning to Market & Monetize
The market space is becoming increasingly crowded and successful, means-tested market penetration is more important than ever.
Join us as our panel share their best practices on planning a strong marketing and monetization strategy in a products GTM strategy.
13.00 - Networking Lunch14.00
Dafna Ben Onn, Director of Monetization, SciPlayDafna Ben OnnDirector of MonetizationSciPlayDafna Ben Onn serves as the Director of Monetization at SciPlay, leveraging a rich decade-long experience within the gaming industry. Her expertise spans diverse domains, transitioning her roots in marketing to excel in monetization, LiveOps, social media and CRM. Notably, Dafna has masterfully led the establishment of thriving LiveOps teams across three of SciPlay’s flagship games: Jackpot Party Social Casino, Gold Fish Casino and 88 Fortunes. Prior to SciPlay, Dafna held the role of Marketing Lead at Playtika. Dafna attended Shenkar College of Engineering in Tel Aviv where she studied industrial engineering and management. She currently resides in Austin, TX with her husband and two children.
14.00
Personalize Your LiveOps
Jackpot Party Casino Slots has been live for more than a decade, yet still feels fresh for even its earliest players thanks to the developer’s LiveOps approach specifically tailoring activities and events to individual player preferences. SciPlay’s LiveOps mastermind shares tips and strategies that can benefit every game.
Tiffany Keller, Startup Advisor DirectorTiffany KellerStartup Advisor DirectorMike Gallagher, Founder, Untitled LabsMike GallagherFounderUntitled LabsDafna Ben Onn, Director of Monetization, SciPlayDafna Ben OnnDirector of MonetizationSciPlayDafna Ben Onn serves as the Director of Monetization at SciPlay, leveraging a rich decade-long experience within the gaming industry. Her expertise spans diverse domains, transitioning her roots in marketing to excel in monetization, LiveOps, social media and CRM. Notably, Dafna has masterfully led the establishment of thriving LiveOps teams across three of SciPlay’s flagship games: Jackpot Party Social Casino, Gold Fish Casino and 88 Fortunes. Prior to SciPlay, Dafna held the role of Marketing Lead at Playtika. Dafna attended Shenkar College of Engineering in Tel Aviv where she studied industrial engineering and management. She currently resides in Austin, TX with her husband and two children.
14.50
LiveOps: Driving Monetization with Content
LiveOps continues to prove a determining success in successful acquisition, monetization and retention, but getting it right requires a lot of testing. Hear from our mobile F2P LiveOps experts as they share insights on their successful LiveOps, lessons from mistakes and best practices for kicking off our maximising return on your LiveOps strategy.
15.30 - Afternoon BreakAlex Kozachenko, CEO, HyperBeardAlex KozachenkoCEOHyperBeardAlex Kozachenko is the CEO of HyperBeard, the largest mobile game developer and publisher in Mexico with over 210M downloads on Apple AppStore and Google Play Store with great games like Campfire Cat Cafe, Adorable Home & Pocket Love! HyperBeard specializes in cute, casual, idle-games targeting an adult-female demographic. Alex specializes in business, product & marketing strategy.
17.00
Diversifying Revenue in 2024
Today’s mobile game product manager must also be a tight rope walker, finding the perfect balance for a sustainable economy. Whether it is weighting rewarded ads, fine tuning IAPs, mapping out time loops, adding battle passes or exploring subscription models, our panellists will share their experience in constructing and maintaining a healthy game economy.
06.00 - Networking Drinks
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