Welcome to our latest chat with the folks behind the scenes that help make the magic happen here at Loot Crate!
So, our Community Team is kind of a big deal. Anybody that’s been around Loot Crate for even a hot second knows that this team is incredible, and is so good at taking care of our Looters each and every day – and many of them even dabble in authoring some of the awesome content featured here on the Daily Crate! One such Community Team member is Amanda Vinson, who was kind enough to take some time out of her very busy schedule to chat with me about her experience here at Loot Crate:
Thank you so much for taking time to chat, Amanda! First off, for the folks at home that may not know who you are, why don’t you tell us your title and what you do here at Loot Crate?
I am a Senior Community Manager! For the past two years, I’ve been behind the scenes creating fun, engaging and interactive social content for our fans across our social platforms! Besides creating the content our Looters “like,” one of the best parts of my job is getting to interact 1:1 with our fans and subscribers every day!
How long have you been with Loot Crate, and what were you doing before you joined the company?
I have been a part of the Loot Crate family since November 2015! (Woot woot, two year anniversary!) Before LC, I was working at a few different advertising agencies working as the sole Social Media Community Manager. I have also dabbled in blog writing, email marketing and event planning!
Anyone that’s a regular here on The Daily Crate should recognize your name – what’s your favorite part about writing for TDC?
First, shout out to anyone who actually reads my articles. Here’s looking at you… mom. In all seriousness, I LOVE getting to write for The Daily Crate. Although my schedule is crazy, getting to set aside time just for writing is irreplaceable. I absolutely cherish our Looters and love looking through their pictures for my Looter Love column. I must say though, my favorite Daily Crate articles have to be my recipes/ DIY projects. I am an avid baker, so getting to share my recipes with our fans, is a dream come true!
I’m not sure there are many people at Loot Crate that feel the Looter Love more than you do – how fun is it for you to write up those Looter Love stories and connect even more with our Looters?
As I mentioned above, my Looter Love column holds a special place in my heart. I spend a good chunk of my day each week, sifting through #lootcrate on Instagram and Twitter finding pictures of our Looters and their awesome loot! It’s great to be able to showcase their comments and reactions to getting their crates each month. I also love being able to cover a wide variety of fans and their fandoms. I mostly work on the original Loot Crate, Loot Crate DX and the Wizarding World crates. Looter Love articles allow me a chance to spend a little more time on our other amazing crate lines that I don’t normally work with in my day to day.
Arts and Crafts FTW!
I know that you’re into DIY, and you’re pretty dang good at it – what drew you to the craftier side of things?
My grandmother actually got me into crafting back when I was a wee little child. She had this AMAZING basement turned craft studio when we lived in Pennsylvania. Thanks to her, and the hours spent in that studio, I’ve never stopped crafting! From baking, to cross stitching, scrapbooking to writing, I always find myself working on a few side projects!
I gotta say, you have some of the best interactions with folks on our social media channels. What made you want to get involved with community engagement, and what do you love most about what you do?
Originally, I went to college for Mass Communications specializing in Advertising. I have always been fascinated with copywriting and how words play such an impactful role in the world of Marketing. As I finished up my B.A. at the University of South Florida, I worked for an ad-agency that specialized in social media for big brands. In 2013, social media was thriving for personal users, but hadn’t really branched out for brands. From that internship, I saw a whole new side of marketing and advertising that I just had to get in on. I was already an avid social media user personally, so why not take my marketing skills and creativity to help brands grow a social presence at the same time? I absolutely love getting to talk to our fans in real time. Whether that be assisting with customer questions, or getting in a serious debate about Harry Potter with our fans. 😉 I am known as the GIF Queen. (Okay, so I may have given that name to myself.)
Movie night at Amanda’s!
Sometimes it takes one to know one, and you are clearly pretty connected with what our Looters are all about – so what kind of things do you geek out on the most?
I really REALLY geek out on movies. My boyfriend and I have a serious collection of DVDs, Blu-rays and Steelbooks. (Yes, they are alphabetized by genre.) I am OBSESSED (to put it lightly) with all things Disney (MCU and Star Wars included!) I also collect anything to do with Alice in Wonderland. I fell in love with the story and am always looking for new adaptations! I LOVE collecting geeky art and have a pretty snazzy wall in my office with some of my favorite pieces.
What would you say are the most rewarding parts of what you do at Loot Crate? The most challenging?
Let’s start with the most challenging. Working with a large brand like Loot Crate, you never know what curve balls are going to be thrown your way on a daily basis. Because of this, I’ve learned to accommodate and “go with the flow” when it comes to last minute asks from various teams. The most rewarding part is definitely reading our Looter testimonials. We get some of the most touching stories about how our crates have changed lives and brought families closer together. *wipes tear.*
Do you have a favorite memory or project that you’ve been a part of since you joined Loot Crate?
The launch of the J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World crate was a HUGE moment for me. While I can speak to most of our franchises as a fan, my love of Harry Potter is off the charts. I get SO excited to open that crate every other month (even if I already know what’s inside.) I’ve also loved getting to work with our Production team on DIY videos! (Because who DOESN’T want to make D-20 chocolate pops and Hellboy Cat Pancakes?)
Last question, and one of my favorite questions to ask… If you could make your very own crate, what would it be and what would be in it?
DISNEY. With a side of DISNEY and bonus DISNEY. I’d cry if we added a Disney themed Loot Crate. Our fans deserve magical exclusive loot every month! (I’d even settle for every other month.)
