With the global esports market estimated to exceed $1.6 billion by 2021, it is certain that the consumer appetite for gaming is rapidly growing and becoming increasingly mainstream.

“In 2015, KFC pioneered a collaboration with China’s biggest video game, League of Legends, with a one-click delivery button integrated into the actual game. As interest in gaming continued to expand beyond teens, more brands wanted to build these gaming partnerships.”

The Singapore market is steadily developing. Just last year, the Singapore Esports Association was established with the support of pop icon JJ Lin and other prominent individuals. It’s purpose is to promote and facilitate Singapore’s participation in esports events and competitions and to further drive support for esports to be recognised as a sport.

How are you able to capitalise on this? Is marketing through esports or gaming relevant for your brand? Here are some questions to ask:

1. Who is your target audience?

Identify the audience that you might engage with through a partnership and seek out the games that they are gravitating towards.

• Are they gaming on their mobile phones, computers or consoles?
• What sort of gamers are you targeting – casual or core gamers?

Looking at the broad spectrum on the scene and the opportunities that exist is a good first approach.

2. What is the scale of reach you are intending for?

Assess the reach of the league, influencers, events and gaming property and align it with your objectives. This will help determine what kind of partnerships would be more effective for your brand. For example, understanding the traction and conversation around the game may give you an angle to talk about your brand within game context.

3. What mode of media is most effective?

In the world of gaming, there are numerous channels that your TA may use to keep up with their beloved franchises or players. Be it through live streaming platforms, or even traditional media like the television, which is expanding to encompass airing live esports. Examine the uptake of social media usage for influencer campaigns – maybe Twitter might work better than Instagram.

4. How can you engage through content?

Explore the different ways to engage with the consumer through esports and gaming. You may utilise:

• Game collaborations
• Event sponsorships
• In-stream integration
• Live activation during on-site events
• Live digital activation through livestreams
• Behind-The-Scene interaction with prominent streamers or players
• In-app/in-game brand asset integration or even designing your own game to tap into casual gamer market. Check out our partnership with Jetstar where we actually designed a game to increase TOM awareness.

Look at the white space available on the various platforms and look for that gap that you can fill as a brand.

If you are looking to market through esports or gaming, we can help you with that today!