Read on Twitter
Wednesday musings:
Sports & esports marketing.
Why brands have got it right across both esports & sports, and it's often apples & organes when comparing.
Shirt sponsors vs 'amazing content' etc
A thread:
Sports & esports marketing.
Why brands have got it right across both esports & sports, and it's often apples & organes when comparing.
Shirt sponsors vs 'amazing content' etc
A thread:
Having a logo slapped on a shirt by a means of “marketing” is very much a legitimate play that some brands go for. It costs less than creating “amazing content”, and brand exposure and awareness given the social prowess of esports/sports clubs is still very valid and high.
Anyone that says sports marketing is less creative and worse than esports marketing simply doesn’t watch sports, or is very unaware of marketing as a craft multiple industries. Advertising in sports, and campaigns from “non-endemic” brands to sports have been great from many.
Nike and Adidas are ‘endemic’ to sports as Logitech is to esports (I would argue that a shirt manufacturer can be considered ‘endemic’ in esports – someone has to make jerseys). The G2 advert was ‘cool’ for esports, but nothing on some of the best Nike/Adidas adverts we’ve seen.
“Cool activations” in esports (let’s take Mercedes) were teams having Mercedes cars, and the MVP getting a customised car (plus draft interface in ESL Dota) – compare that to the famous Va Va Voom – Renault Thierry Henry advert. One sticks in the memory more than others.
Esports has always lacked “allegiance to teams” given the tumultuous nature of rosters, and the speed in which players move. Esports organisations have fragmented fan bases (recent hubbub on social proves this) which they’re trying to change with brand identity.
Man Utd is a football team, Lakers is a basketball team – but they have global appeal and their audience is also fragmented (more on a regional than ‘common interest’) but esports players (across teams) use common equipment/jerseys so they’re not as dissimilar as some suggest.
Esports is far from trailblazing in marketing – in fact – I would suggest it’s still behind. Once players (bigger allegiance in esports than teams) establish media rights & image rights and get the right agencies behind them, individual deals will come to the fore.
Brands require guidance in esports – not because they don’t know how to market to youngsters, but creating tailored content around a MOBA or FPS requires education & a level of knowledge already better established in sports (simple nature of sports vs a MOBA)
G2’s revealing of an apparel partnership (i.e. kit reveal, with a few lifestyle products) is, in my view, majorly overhyped. The fact the CEO is that valuable an asset is more problematic than glorious (but a way to potentially abridge the fragmented nature of a multi-game org).
The overall point I’m trying to make – is that esports as a whole needs to stop seeing sports marketing as boring and learn. Most esports ‘in-person’ activations have been done in sports – and some sports marketing is incredible.
That is down to budget, viewership, global nature of a Lionel Messi vs a Rekkles and simply put – a football advert is a lot easier to make 'cool' – as it’s a global icon with a ball that you can put anywhere in the world with whoever you want.
In esports, putting Rekkles on a beach with a cooler mouse surrounded by Perkz and Caps doesn’t really make for that entertaining or memorable a marketing campaign to a non-fan. Great esports marketing hits the niche it’s trying to hit - but lacks wider appeal.
TL:DR: esports marketing is not in direct competition with sports marketing. Sports marketing is not boring. Players image & media rights need to change to create better campaigns.
