WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IN THE FIELD OF BRANDING ESPORTS

WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IN THE FIELD OF BRANDING ESPORTS

Esports is gaining popularity amongst youngsters’ as a favorite spectator sport. Before brands look to capitalize on this new global sport, they will have to learn its complex rules.

NOT ALL ESPORTSARE CREATED EQUAL

No two eSports are the same. Although similar elements may exist, every game is prone to have unique differences that can mean something to your brand. While some esports titles are global, some titles rank higher, others cater to different ages.

It is an exciting opportunity for brands because a variety of clubs, teams, stories, and storylines provide a range of opportunities. To know where to start, first of all, you need to understand the audience of each game, how they are activated, and which platforms do they prefer.

Understanding customer needs, communicating on the relevant platforms, and adding value back to the community will generate brand loyalty.

It can be a challenge to navigate the professional eSports ecosystem. The First hurdle that brands face is considering the investing space and identifying what the e-sport itself stands for. Fans are attracted to the competitions that are built around the e-sport appropriate titles. A brand can get involved with game publishers through sponsorship and promotional partnerships.

Media value is one aspect of sponsorship performance calculation. Brands are turning to partnerships to improve relationships with fans and to increase their attraction to their brands – and, if possible, to purchase them.

CHANGE THE GAME: TRADITIONAL AS ESPORTS

eSports is a growing segment in the sporting landscape. It can host competitions that are built to exist alongside traditional sports leagues. eSports events are expanding their global scope. In eSports, individuals compete rather than teams and players associated with an endemic sports team or league.

Brands looking to invest in sports should consider esports titles to be a more familiar place. eSports titles can often be a convenient entry point for brands that are unfamiliar with the broader sporting landscape

Comprehension of the 3 relevant principles in esports marketing – The eSports industry is still the Wild West, with millions of dollars untouched in advertising and advertising opportunities that are termed as the most difficult to enter in the custom category. Getting a good understanding of the space before they dive in head-first is crucial for marketers.

Here are our top 3 concepts in esports for marketers to understand:

Not all content on Gaming Video Content (GVC) is Esports – Considering eSports and Gaming Video Content (GVC) as same is the main misconception even within the larger gaming industry. Though esports fall into Gaming Video Content’s pit, not all Gaming Video Content is esports

Sponsorship of Esports Vs. Influencer Marketing – Activation in eSports is like any traditional sports sponsorship. You have franchised leagues, you have organized tournaments, and you have teams. The advantage of activating a league setting via traditional esports is the ability to build a long-lasting partnership and to integrate the entire fan experience. From showing up at the stadium, to content each minute. Brands should strengthen their marketing message.

Identifying KPIs in-game streaming and identification – The biggest challenge in the industry is that game streaming platforms provide metrics that do not suit traditional KPIs on other networks such as TV or social media. Yet, it is not impossible to find a few similarities

Brands must analyze and track from 3rd parties for Esport investments, like in other media channels. This assures the availability of neutral, fact-based data to inform ROI determinations. Brands & agencies need to understand the ecosystem activation & evaluation of best practices in esports. If the brands understand the initial hurdle, then compared to any other sports or marketing campaign, eSports is not all too different.

Brands can shorten their learning curve in this field by engaging with experts, and 3rd party measuring firms to ensure the selected KPIs connect the objectives and the audience. However, the data used to inform ROI assessments must be accurate.

eSports offers competitive video gaming. It is not a synonym for gaming and does not apply to game influencers streaming on Twitch or playing multiplayer games in a casual environment.

BENEFITS

The esports audience is:

• Young: In the US, 75% are between 18 and 34 years of age, with an average age of 25 – (Source: Nielsen Esports Fan Insights)
• Diverse: 16% of women, 15% of Hispanic people, and 9% of African Americans. – (Source: Interpret’s New Media Measure Survey, Q2 2015 to Q2 2017)
• Affluent: 43% of esports fans have an average household income of $75,000 a year or more. (Source: Mindshare, Esports Fans: What Marketers Should Know, June 2016)
• Passionate: 49% of esports fans spend much of their free time on games. (Source: Mindshare, Esports Fans: What Marketers Should Know, June 2016)

CHALLENGES

• Adblocking: There is a high prevalence of ad blocking among esports audiences. 63% of fans report using ad blockers. The server-side ad insertion is one solution for this.
• Measurement: There is no standard measurement of an audience for esports.
• Brand safety: Marketers can determine which type of content they want; brand security can be a concern.

The study of eSports experience has begun. The rise of eSports megatrend is a clear representation of a new wave of consumer tastes. This shift is changing how marketers build brands. Brand success in eSports requires new ways to identify and appreciate its fans. All this includes new ways to communicate with customers that focus on community and collaboration, over a transactional exchange.

It is now undeniable that esports has the power to reach millennials as well as Gen Z members, particularly males 12- to 35 yrs. Valuations of the esport teams and leagues reflect the increased trust of investors that marketing budgets will grow.

If the esports industry can help tap sales, marketing capabilities, standard metrics of title, and streaming aggregations – That trust should be rewarded.

We hope our findings will help your journey through eSports and we encourage you to contact us.

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