Jobs in games: Trailmix’s Anissa Nehls on the power of video games marketing

• Anissa Nehls started her journey in games at Wooga and has since moved on to work at Trailmix
• “There are definitely a lot of exciting things on the horizon from Trailmix – and maybe not just from Love & Pies”

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Behind every great game is a team of creative developers making it happen. In our developer stories series, we highlight some of the individuals working in the games industry, whether they are veteran developers with big hits under their belts or entirely new to the industry working on their very first title.

In this interview we speak with Trailmix’s product marketing lead, Anissa Nehls, who shares how she got her start in games at Wooga and what led her to work at Trailmix.

We touch on the importance of a marketing role in the mobile games industry, tips for those pursuing a similar career, and what’s coming next for Love & Pies. 

PocketGamer.biz: First can you tell us a little about yourself and how you initially got into the games industry? 

Anissa Nehls: I’ve always been a fan of all kinds of games, from board games to PC and, of course, mobile.

While studying international marketing in Berlin, a friend invited me to a pub quiz night at Wooga. I was so inspired by the people, their creativity and passion for games that I applied the next day.

A month later, I started as a working student and even wrote my master’s thesis on the impact of culturalised marketing campaigns at Wooga. From that point on, I was all in – I’ve had the chance to work at two amazing studios and build some amazing connections; I can’t imagine ever leaving the gaming industry. 

You spent many years at Wooga before joining Trailmix; what did your experiences teach you, and how did the opportunity at Trailmix present itself? 

At Wooga, I gained a deep understanding of product marketing across all stages of a game’s lifecycle. One of the most valuable insights I gained was the importance of truly understanding our audience – who they are, what motivates them, and how to create meaningful connections.

Through thoughtful campaigns across brand touchpoints, I learned how to bring the game’s world to life beyond the app. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing that vision come to life and the joy it brings to our players.That really ingrained a player-first mentality in me. 

I was already a huge fan of Love & Pies – it’s one of the most beautiful and engaging merge games I’ve ever seen, with such a rich and diverse narrative. When Trailmix reached out, the chance to work on Love & Pies felt like a perfect fit. I was genuinely excited by the prospect of contributing to a game I already loved.

After speaking with Carolin, Tristan, and the team, I was even more inspired by their vision and the potential to help shape something truly special. Joining Trailmix as their first product marketing hire was an opportunity to not only bring my experience from Wooga but also embrace the challenge of working in a startup environment.

It was a chance to set a high standard for marketing and help build on the amazing foundation they’d already created. Now, two years in, I’m still just as passionate about Love & Pies and excited about what’s to come!

You’ve been at Trailmix for over two years, from senior marketing manager toproduct marketing lead; how do you reflect on your journey so far?

My journey at Trailmix has been incredibly rewarding, filled with new challenges and opportunities to innovate. When I joined the marketing team, the focus was heavily on traditional UA, and I was excited to bring fresh perspectives that leaned towards product and brand marketing initiatives.

I’m fortunate to be part of a team that was open to experimenting and diversifying our approach, which allowed us to explore new brand awareness initiatives and partnership opportunities and create engaging 360 campaigns for key seasonal moments.

Proving the value of expanding beyond classical UA was a major highlight, and it led to growing the team with an additional product marketer to help drive even more initiatives. It’s been amazing to watch the evolution, and I can’t wait for what’s next – there’s so much exciting work on the horizon.

The Trailmix team just celebrated its third anniversary! How did you celebrate, what does such a milestone mean to the team, and how do you reflect on the journey that has been Love & Pies? 

Three years – it’s hard to believe! We’re incredibly proud of the entire team and all the hard work that’s gone into Love & Pies. Most importantly, we’re grateful for the amazing community that has embraced the game and shares our vision of an inclusive and wholesome space where everyone can feel seen.

Internally, we celebrated with a fun character parade, an anniversary breakfast, and a Love & Pies-themed costume contest – Amelias were everywhere! We also extended the celebration to our players with a special anniversary gift in-game and a social media campaign featuring a three-year look back, birthday recipes, and a fun quiz to find their Love & Pies bestie.

While we kept the celebrations a bit more contained this year, it’s fun to look back at our 2nd Anniversary’s Ultimate Birthday BakeOut Bash Video Series. We had three Trailmix teams compete to bake cakes from the game without a recipe – it’s one of my favourite Love & Pies memories!

I’m ready to relaunch a second season next year – and who knows, maybe I’ll get in front of the camera this time!

Reflecting on the journey, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come. We’ve just launched game day 146 – just wait until day 150 it’ll be a royal adventure.

The game has grown with new features, events, and rich content that keep our players engaged – and we’re not slowing down. Some exciting developments are just around the corner that will continue to bring moments of discovery and joy to our players!

And to go back to your role specifically, what is a typical day like, and how do you manage working with partners and getting involved in games initiatives?

As a Product Marketing Lead, no two days are the same, and that’s what I love about it.

My role is all about creating and executing marketing strategies that support the entire player lifecycle. I work closely with our teams to ensure marketing efforts align with business goals, helping to position new events, features, and campaigns that excite our players. Additionally, I manage audience insights, explore influencer collaborations, and look for innovative ways to grow our reach, whether through partnerships, strategic initiatives, or new channels.

A key part of my role involves continuously exploring new opportunities and partnerships that align with the values of Love & Pies and help us engage players in meaningful ways.  One initiative close to my heart is the Green Game Jam, which perfectly aligns with our Trailmix values.

This is actually our second year participating after receiving super positive player feedback and winning the Google Play’s Choice Award for our activation last year.

Inspired by that success, we wanted to take things to the next level this year. The event focused on inspiring players to take meaningful action in their local communities.

Over three weeks, players could unlock our action toolkit and activist interviews, complete community goals to build an in-game community garden and share their own action stories. More than 12.5K players shared their personal stories, while real-world actions were featured on our social platforms, making the in-game experience even more impactful.

How would you describe the importance of a marketing role in today’s mobile games industry, where there’s so much competition? How do you ensure that you’re capturing audiences and keeping them engaged? 

Marketing plays a critical role in today’s mobile games market, especially with so much competition. It’s not just about getting players through the door – it’s about creating meaningful connections with them.

For us, understanding who our players are, what drives them, and how they engage with our game is at the heart of everything we do. It’s not just about promoting a game; it’s about expanding the world beyond the app, creating a space where players feel cosy, safe, and seen.

We grow with our audience, always listening to their feedback and evolving based on what they love.

Our goal is to create spaces where players feel valued and part of a community, all while delivering experiences that spark moments of joy and discovery.

Do you have any advice for those who may be looking to pursue a career in games, particularly within a marketing role?

For anyone looking to break into the games industry, especially in marketing, my advice is to stay curious and open. The gaming world is dynamic and exciting, with so much to learn. Play a variety of games to understand different audiences and trends.

The gaming community is incredibly welcoming, so attend industry meetups and events – it’s a great way to make connections. People are always happy to share their experiences, and it’s a close-knit space that’s open to new faces.

Ultimately, it’s all about staying curious, constantly learning, and thinking outside the box. Marketing in games is about crafting experiences that resonate with players, so always keep the joy and excitement of gaming at the heart of everything you do. 

And likewise, do you have any advice for women pursuing a career in games? Or general thoughts on how we as an industry can ensure that we are as inclusive as possible?

I think it’s so important to believe in your unique perspective and the value you bring – It took me a while to understand this as well. The industry needs diverse voices, and your experience and different backgrounds are needed to create authentic and relatable experiences for our players.

At Trailmix, I’m so proud of our open and inclusive environment – 70% of our ten-person marketing team are women! 

We also have an internal Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group, where any Trailmixer can volunteer to advise on how we approach representation and highlight important causes in-game, such as Pride, Black History Month, and World Mental Health Day.

Inclusivity isn’t just a value for us; it’s woven into everything we do.

Has there been any particular big highlights or something you’re most proud of so far in your career?

I find the most fulfillment in trying new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone.

For every big brand campaign we run, I make it a point to do something we’ve never done before as a team. Those experiments – whether it was creating the Ultimate BakeOut Bash for Love & Pies’ 2nd anniversary with a fun baking show on YouTube, flying influencers to NYC for our Ultimate Valentine’s Couples Challenge, or jumping in front of the camera for the Mystery Lounge campaign at Wooga – are the moments that stand out.

But what I’m most proud of is the growth of the Love & Pies marketing team over the past two years.

It has been incredibly rewarding to explore new initiatives, help shape the department, and challenge us to evolve continuously. I also love being in a leadership role and seeing others thrive and grow in our industry – helping my small product marketing team develop their potential has been a true highlight.

Is there anything you’re working on now that you can tell us about?

Absolutely! We’re always looking for new growth and partnership opportunities to bring meaningful experiences to our players. One exciting partnership we recently launched is with PlanetPlay, a not-for-profit platform that empowers gamers to take environmental action through gameplay.

In September, we kicked off our first-ever Green Tuesday Offer as part of their #MakeGreenTuesdayMove initiative. Players could purchase a special in-game bundle with part of the proceeds supporting verified green projects.

We’ve also taken things up a notch for October, with none other than Joe Jonas fronting the PlanetPlay partnership! This has been an amazing opportunity for us to validate celebrity integrations and experiment with new types of partnerships that align with our values. While I can’t reveal too much just yet, let’s just say that there may be more exciting collaborations like this on the horizon!

On top of that, we’re hard at work on some extremely cool new in-game events and updates that will roll out soon.

Finally, is there anything we should be on the lookout for from Trailmix, or are there any final thoughts you would like to share on working in games? 

There are definitely a lot of exciting things on the horizon from Trailmix – and maybe not just from Love & Pies. We just celebrated the 1st anniversary of our Berlin Studio, so who knows what surprises might be coming from that talented crew!

As for Love & Pies, we’re working on some big core changes and have plenty of exciting updates and events in the works that we can’t wait to share with our players. I hear Joe’s been busy in the kitchen testing out a bunch of new recipes, so keep an eye out for what’s next!