With millions of Americans quarantined at home due to efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, many have turned to their screens for entertainment. And though TV viewing has risen and streaming services are enjoying solid gains, gaming has exploded like never before to become the new social currency and a cultural force.
It offers an escape and a meaningful connection between friends and family—far more than a Zoom call. So why does gaming matter more than ever? And how can your brand authentically connect with the gaming community?
Gaming enters the big leagues
The onset of online multiplayer games, online tournaments, livestreaming and community platforms has turned gaming into a social activity. According to Verizon, U.S. video game usage during peak hours has gone up 75% since the quarantine first went into effect.
As marketers adapt to the new reality and look to shift channel investments, gaming is one of the first channels they should consider.
To put the opportunity into perspective, consider that gaming is now a $139 billion a year (and growing) business, making it bigger than the NFL, NBA, MLB and the NHL combined. From an esports perspective, the $30 million prize pool for Dota 2: The International was almost three times larger than that of either the Super Bowl or the Masters Tournament.
It’s not just about playing video games anymore either. More time is spent watching gaming videos and streams on YouTube or Twitch than HBO, Netflix, ESPN and Hulu combined.
With the major pro leagues, March Madness and now the Summer Olympics all canceled or delayed, esports has emerged as the only game in town. Sports networks are pivoting to broadcasting esports tournaments and seeing big results. For example, La Liga in Spain organized a FIFA 20 video game tournament that was played by 18 real-world stars of La Liga and watched by 170,000 online fans. The online tournament also ran on Spanish TV and raised $150,00 to fight COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Fox Sports is now set to broadcast the full season of eNASCAR’s Pro Invitational iRacing Series following an inaugural event that was the most watched esports event in U.S. television history. Similar events are sure to follow, which will only further the adoption of esports while accelerating their legitimacy among American sports fans.
The opportunity for brands
Brands across both mainstream and luxury sectors are already moving aggressively into this world. Nike recently sponsored League of Legends teams in China, while Louis Vuitton (not a brand immediately associated with gamers) created a bespoke and on-brand travel case for the League of Legends World Championship trophy.
With 31% of American adults playing video games in the last 30 days, the gaming population is vast. That said, don’t assume that gamers fall into one homogenous group based on outdated stereotypes. Rather, consider what platforms they play on, the types of games they play and their motivations for playing.
All games have their own unique culture, history and social spaces, so failure to do the proper homework will likely lead a brand to die an untimely (and very public) death. If you force your brand into a time and place that’s not endemic to the content or experience, you’ll be quickly called out by a young, digitally savvy gaming population that, while mostly accepting of advertising in gaming spaces, can be unforgiving to the uninformed.
Lastly, look to follow a structure of engage, immerse and amplify. Rather than just pushing branded content in your consumer’s face while interfering with their overall experience, weave your brand message into the flow of the content, experience or gameplay, while also adding value to the experience. You should also consider using relevant influencers to amplify your message beyond the gameplay.
This unusual time in consumers’ lives begs that marketers finally take notice of gaming not only as a leisure activity but as a crucial component of the media landscape that is increasingly taking time away from other forms of ad-supported entertainment.
Gaming offers a media moment that genuinely matters to people and scores high on all measures of how Havas Media defines meaningful media—engaging, trusted and influential. Social behaviors and the media that matters to consumers have changed in the last few weeks, but before you pick up that proverbial controller, learn what buttons you need to push to successfully navigate the gaming universe.
—
As the head of strategy for the Chicago office of Havas Media, Paul Traeger’s responsibilities include rallying and inspiring the organization around Havas’ Mx strategic operating system, a data-driven approach that capitalizes on the most Meaningful Media to build more Meaningful Brands. In addition to his total market experience, Paul has more than 20 years of experience working in the Hispanic market across all disciplines including media, account management and strategy.
