Why entertainment agency Dare.Win is using Fortnite to gun for like-minded interns

Dare.Win wants to ensure potential staff members fit with its culture and engage with the entertainment industry. This will prove to be vital experience if they are to develop work for clients like Spotify, PlayStation, Bacardi and YouTube.

So its solution is to meet those interested in the role (and their cartoonish avatars) in the multiplayer, battle royale game Fortnite. If you need a refresher on Fortnite The Drum has a handy guide here.

The title has taken the world by storm and boasted 125 million players worldwide as of June 2018. It is available across many platforms including PC, mobile, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The agency is booting up its interview on the PS4.

Fortnite is rolling out on Android starting today! Samsung Galaxy devices are the first to be invited. Visit the Android Beta blog for more info: https://t.co/8tHugR4icI #FortniteAndroid pic.twitter.com/bAwZ0LZZMh

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 9, 2018

This is fresh-thinking from an entertainment agency company founded in 2011. Now, seven years later and the industry has changed. Agencies must have relevance in spades, cultural knowledge and the ability to stand out in an environment where so many creators are vying for attention.

Damien Foui, creative director at Dare.Win told The Drum: “At Dare.Win, our passion is entertainment but also to entertain people. We always think that a good experience is the best memory [for a brand or for a user]. We always recruit our talents through uncommon ways. It makes the challenge more exciting and so much more funny for both sides, compared to a basic job interview."

Foui said that the real goal is to meet new people and “discover their universe in a fun way”. A few rounds of Fortnite are likely a greater salve to stress than the formal interview. Here the interviewees and candidates will be on the same team building fortifications, scavenging for weapons and aid, and gunning down strangers who get in their way. It may be the modern equivalent of the corporate round of golf – without the obligation to let the boss win.

He added: “The way someone plays can say a lot about their personality, especially about decision-making and how they deal with problems.”

It has the potential to be a better display of a candidate’s composure under pressure but there are other benefits. While job interviews are often localized to the headquarters or interviewees, by conducting initial hook ups through the game, Dare.Win has been able to scope out new talent in Turkey, Sweden and Mexico.

“We are looking for people that are cool enough to join us in an untraditional way, but also people from all over the world," said Foui.

Ultimately by engaging in one of the world’s most enjoyed pieces of media, the agency believes it will ensnare candidates who are creative, passionate, enjoy work and play, and have the nerve to promote themselves and their skills during a high-octane video game.

Fortnite is more than just a game – its many features and tropes have become ingrained in the culture. Its free-to-play nature brought in the large volume of players, and the quality of its gameplay kept them coming back for more. Its dance celebrations have been adopted by some of the world’s top athletes. Musician Drake is a big fan too.