4. SOME UNPUBLISHED WRITING, PART ONE (OF MAYBE TWO BUT DEFINITELY NOT THREE)
Over the past couple of months, I've written responses to three separate writing/commentary briefs. One is definitely being published (next week, and I'll yell about it here), two is currently in the ether (it might get used, it might not), and three... well about 10% of the Q&A got used.
I liked that other 90%, so I thought I'd reproduce the whole thing here because why not.
The topic: Esports + Brands
Why is gaming set to be the new vanguard of sports sponsorship and brand experience?
There are two main drivers. First, and most obviously, there’s the explosion of eSports as a multi-million-dollar industry – globally. With an audience of over 300m players/viewers worldwide, and projected revenue for 2018 expected to hit close to a billion dollars – it is inarguable that eSports has arrived.
The second and probably the most important part of the equation is that game developers are now opening themselves to brand partnerships. It’s been a long time coming, first with in-game advertising in racing games for example, and now – with the advent of micro-transactions – in-game purchases are another way for companies to get their brands in front of the avid gamers of today.
What benefits are there of combining the gaming sector with live events / as well as virtual event experiences?
For the gaming sector, live events, virtual or otherwise, are its lifeblood. League of Legends tournaments sell out STADIUMS of attendees. With an online audience that grows well above seven figures, if gamers are a brand’s target, then looking to see how to get involved with these kinds of events would be an obvious choice.
How about in-game advertising and influencer marketing, what does this bring to brand experiences?
From an influence standpoint, professional players are where you can make an impact. Broadcasting their gameplay via Twitch or YouTube Gaming (and soon – Facebook), these ‘streamers’ have an attentive avid audience and fanbase stretching into the hundreds of thousands. If you can make the partnership fit – and by that I mean not come across as a clunky, ham-fisted money spunk, then the dividends you reap could be well worth the investment. From an in-game advertising perspective, I’d probably look past that and see if there was any way to brand any in-game items that could be unlocked or purchased using microtransactions. That could be something like Rockstar Energy drinks giving away free in-game items with every ring pull for Destiny 2 or even Mercedes popping up as an unlockable vehicle in Mario Kart.
Is football the obvious sport at the moment and why and what other sports could seize this gaming opportunity?
As a huge gamer myself, I have to say Football is far too obvious – and easy. I’d look further. The traditional ‘sports’ that we all know – they exist for gamers, yes. But DOTA, SFII, Super Smash Bros., Fortnite, League of Legends, PUBG… these are the games that people tune in to watch. Not FIFA.
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Tune in next week for more: STUFF THAT DIDN'T GET USED.
(apart from the first one, that definitely is, and it's a huge deal, and I'm super excited - you know which one, Iain)
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