Gaming experts predict this year will be the year brands venture into more niche areas of gaming culture.
After The Game Awards reached 103 million viewers in December, how untapped the 3 billion global gaming audience really is, even for brands that aren’t unique to gaming. I started noticing.
These gamers flock to dozens of live events throughout the year, including The Game Awards, E3, PAX, multi-title esports competitions and Games Done Quick. charity.
These events draw thousands, if not millions, of people. For example, the 2022 League of Legends World Championship peaked at his over 5 million viewers, while the relatively niche Games Done Quick recently raised over $2.6 million for charity, peaking at At times he has amassed over 90,000 viewers. In-person events have dwindled in the post-pandemic period, but at PAX East in Boston, Massachusetts, they still draw tens of thousands of attendees.
However, despite their enormous reach, sponsorship of these events was largely limited to established brands in the gaming space, such as Razer and Dolby, which sell gaming products.
The few non-gaming-specific brands that sponsor such events typically have years of experience in the field. Doritos, for example, he was the “Official Salty Snack” at The Game Awards.
Despite the gaming audience size, untested brands are still hesitant to pitch to gamers.
Lou Garate, Head of Global Sponsorship Sales at Twitch, said: “But they’re also just regular consumers. Don’t overthink it.”
Garate partnered with Doritos to sponsor The Game Awards and announce Fortnite activation to millions of viewers. He also works with brands that sponsor Twitch’s semi-annual games he convention, TwitchCon.
TwitchCon stands out from other live gaming events with a compelling brand. In October, Capital One, Wendy’s, and Dairy Milk, all part of the Milk Processor Education Program, were all presenting sponsors at TwitchCon San Diego. Chevron, Butterfinger and Velveeta also sponsored the event.
In addition to Twitch’s brand awareness, TwitchCon has existing relationships with brands through its advertising platform, making it easier for brands to approach. The relationship allows brands to engage with the gaming community before attending big events, he said at GALE Innovations, his practice, Advance Party, influencer director of marketing and content for his partnerships. Serving as Max Bass says:
“What I learned from TwitchCon is that digital expansion is key,” he said. “It’s important to give people context. It’s important to make a connection before people see you at an event — especially if you’re a brand they don’t know.
For example, Milk partnered with streamer QTCinderella to deliver a branded baking stream to complement their appearance at TwitchCon. Wendy’s is also active on her Twitch, where she has over 110,000 followers.
A year-round presence in the gaming space allows brands to create custom content that can be built at live events. Without that partnership, a brand may not always see value in activating only his one day or weekend of his year around gaming events.
Dave Kersey, Chief Media Officer of GSD&M, which worked with Capital One on its TwitchCon sponsorship, said: “Because you have to create something customized for that experience, which your audience expects. [brands] It is possible that you are seeing the rewards of that experience. ”
But for brands willing to take the leap with a serious approach, showing up where the gaming community is already gathering is worth it.
“By actually attending TwitchCon, we were able to interact directly with the gaming community … providing a real and tangible connection between milk and gaming as a sport,” said MilkPEP. said Yin Woon Rani, CEO of
Kristin Tormey, Director of Social Media and Digital Engagement at Wendy’s, said:
According to Twitch’s Garate, live events, even virtual events, allow brands to interact with gamers in real time. If the event has millions of viewers, like The Game Awards, the effect is doubled.
On Friday, Twitch announced this year’s Streamer Bowl. This is an accompanying event to the Super Bowl that kicks off Twitch Rivals, a streaming competition featuring brands like Dunkin’, StateFarm and TurboTax.
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