The future of esports 01 - Jan 19 - LoveGunn
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01 - Jan 19 The future of esports
Introduction
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Packed out stadiums where iconic players battle Tapping in to the psyche of a new generation, Diversification is a particular challenge
the esports industry is going from strength to for this industry, so aligned that it is with the
it out in front of roaring crowds; a familiar scene strength. With massive brand partnership deals outdated view of the unsociable, teenage,
to any sports fan, but this isn’t a football match and prize pools worth millions, the meteoric rise and predominantly male gamer lurking in
of esports shows no sign of slowing down. a darkened bedroom. This is where branding
or basketball game. This is an esports tournament, The Olympic committee are even rumoured to and brand engagement can really make
one of hundreds of events that celebrate the very be in talks to include esports as a demonstration a difference and up the cool factor of the
game at the 2024 Olympics. industry. In turn, investment in esports offers
best in competitive gaming. It’s spectator sports the opportunity for big brands to increase their
the likes of which we’ve never seen before and, With this in mind it’s time for brands and wider brand awareness and commercial potential.
audiences to start taking note and harnessing
like it or not, it’s here to stay. the almost infinite possibilities of the sector. Having worked with Chelsea FC on a project
that will launch in February 2019, the newly
For those already enlightened, esports is and announced ePremier League is particularly
always has been a huge form of entertainment. exciting to us and we can’t wait to see the
Yet look away from the impressive figures and impact of the iconic leagues involvement on
you’ll find a wealth of untapped potential in attracting a wider audience to the community.
the form of unengaged demographics that the The forward-thinking innovation of the esports
esports industry needs to speak to in order to industry, backed and validated by the legacy
be embraced by popular culture. of the Premier League, looks to be a coming
of age moment for esports where obsolete
perceptions can finally be shifted.
$1.4b
The amount that researcher Newzoo predicts the
3hrs 25 mins
The average amount of time per week that young
global industry for esports will be worth by 2020, gamers aged 18-25 spend watching esports
by which time the audience will have reached online worldwide.
580 million.
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15 million
The number of users that Twitch, the esports
60 million
The number of viewers boasted by the League
live streaming service owned by Amazon, of Legends Mid-Season Invitational Final 2018,
receives per day. Their concurrent viewership making it the most watched esports tournament
averages at 1.2 million at any given time. of all time.
$4.1m
The mass earnings of professional Dota 2 player
$100m
The amount of dollars up for grabs to Fortnite
Kuro “KuroKy” Takhasomi. Dota 2 pro gamers are players in prize pools across the 2018/2019
often amongst the highest paid in the industry. competitive season, offered by the game’s
publisher Epic GamesAt the lowest level, barriers are being put up by The development of brand sponsorship is also
parents and teachers who don’t see gaming as crucial. Imagine if at the 2024 Olympics, star
a viable profession, yet these same people will esports players such as Faker, Coldzera,
encourage their children to play football when or Dendi step out wearing the latest in specially
their chances of becoming the next Cristiano developed Nike esports performance wear or a
Ronaldo are less than one percent. In contrast, Supreme limited edition drop, with a plethora of
the reach and commercialisation of professional sponsors from Tesla to Converse All Stars. In turn
leagues and gamers will open up more and for their investment, sponsors gain access to a
more possibilities for gamers looking to go pro huge and ever-growing community where they
or work within the industry. can influence a hard to reach demographic.
The industry needs a positive repositioning and But brands beware – the esports community is
PR drive that helps it to appeal to the masses a hugely socially connected group who grew
and encourages new talent. The narrative must up with the internet, live-streaming and the
change to highlight values such as community, concept of belonging to communities that
team work, problem solving, and competition span the globe. The community has built itself
that esports and gaming in general promote, from the ground up and are harshly critical of
Shifting
and the industry needs heroes to promote and inauthentic or ineffective attempts at brand
Perceptions
elevate its image. engagement. The employment of experienced
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The gaming industry has huge potential, Take a look at the landscape and you will see creative agencies and dynamic in-house teams
that the overall vision is much the same. is required to ensure your brand doesn’t end
but to really make the most of that We want to see a shift in the quality of design, up the subject of a very public thrashing on the
potential it needs to tackle its issues visuals and the brand narratives that run from esports boards of Reddit.
players, teams and leagues. We want to see
with image perception. esports evolve from its hobbyist roots and Yet with the combination of these two
reposition itself as a premium, professional elements it really isn’t hard to see a future like
industry whose emblems and merchandise any the one we imagine. With heightened financial
savvy dresser would be happy to sport. incentives for players, industry rebrands,
and image right sponsors, esports can
position itself as something truly innovative,
aspirational, and diverse.THINK
L E T ’S G O B I G O N B R A N D TO U N LO C K T H E
E N O R M O U S C O M M E R C I A L A N D C U LT U R A L
P OT E N T I A L A R O U N D E S P O R T S .
With global fans, followers, viewers, and players, We’re talking to multiple teams, leagues, agents,
teams and leagues aren’t just influencers, and organisations who agree that branding
they’re brands in their own right and need needs to play a key role in maturing esports into
to view themselves through this lens. Equally, a billion-dollar business. We need to put serious
established brands - especially sports teams thought towards predicting future trends within
entering the esports arena - should take the sector and also focus on understanding the
this opportunity to position themselves to wider world and how fashion, entertainment,
a new generation of fans who have limited media, and traditional sport will play a role in
preconceptions of their traditional brand or shaping esports. All this must be done whilst
entertainment models. respecting the grassroots community who
built the industry from the floor up, and who
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What if the esports Premier League saw are not known for responding kindly when a
Tottenham Hotspur simply become Spurs, new investors approach misses the mark for
and Man United take to the stage as the authenticity (ex. Bud Light All Stars).
Red Devils. With some creative thinking and
premium, purpose-created design, teams can We’re putting in place brand visions that aim
use elements of their legacy whilst creating to capture and commercialise opportunities by
something entirely new for the esports accepting and anticipating the rise of esports
community – thus avoiding lazy ‘logo-slaps’ and its growth in popular culture. Our mission
and showing respect to and enthusiasm for is to excite people and get them to think big
the industry. and to think long term. How will your brand
get involved and transcend between esports,
We expect to see teams work with branding fashion, and entertainment?
experts to define a clear pathway, vision, and
identity as the competition and their reach We are hosting brand workshops to drive
grows. Serious teams must work out how best industry and brand awareness, whilst consulting
to engage fans and become household names, with big brands to help them to find their feet
and how to become accessible to new fans in a more mainstream world for esports. We’re
without alienating their old ones. It will be a challenging sponsors and non-endemic brands
delicate balance for more established teams to look beyond the tried and tested solutions
both ways. and prepare for a new world, a world where
esports belongs.
T H I N K B R A N DVox pop Tom Love,
Creative Director
of LoveGunn
Kieran makes an important observation As we’ve seen in more traditional sports,
regarding the development of teams as big once corporate money starts flowing into
brands and I think it’s critical that all teams esports there’s really no limit as to its growth,
start recognising this and plan for the very near both as an industry and as a recognised form
future where purpose, values and identity will of mainstream entertainment. We’re already
become ever increasingly important in order seeing big, non-endemic brands securing
for teams to grow fandom as well as partnership deals within esports,
partnership and sponsor deals. from sponsoring teams (visa) to the actual
events themselves (Mercedes-Benz).
Through our strategic brand work with Excel,
we were able to define who Excel are and The question, or challenge as it appears,
How do you what they stand for. By giving them a clear
brand manifesto, they are now able to create
is how these brands activate engagement.
Traditional methods of engagement alone
Kieran Holmes-Darby,
see the role Managing Director
engaging content, seek partnerships and sign
players which align to their values and their
will not be enough to unlock the commercial
potential within the esports demographic.
of brands
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global view. Non-endemic brands need to get creative and
of UK Esports team Excel produce compelling and tailored content whilst
and brand The esports industry is unique in the way
delivering experiences designed for this specific
audience, always making sure they ask the
engagement
that it has embraced globalisation and
question “Is this for them?”. If brands can do
connectivity quicker than any other new-age
this successfully, then everyone will win.
in the future
sport, and this has resulted in the creation
of a number of globally recognised esports
of esports?
brands. Despite this, esports continues to be
a growing industry that has not yet reached
the consciousness of the mainstream. In order
to grow the influence of the industry, esports
brands need to find ways to tie themselves to
consumer values to create fandom.
One of the key developments today is that
of regionalisation and that is why we at
Excel have been so keen to develop a truly
authentic British esports team that the
whole of the UK can align with. Investment
to teams and leagues from non-endemic,
region specific brands will bring in new
audiences and create team loyalty, whilst
also generating consumer loyalty from fans
towards the brands that support their team.Fyi: is a monthly thought-piece offering a snap shot on trends, popular culture, brand insights and futures. Fyi is written by LoveGunn Special thanks to contributor: Kieran Holmes-Darby Managing Director, Excel Esports kieran@excelesports.com Sign-up to the fyi newsletter at: www.lovegunn.co/fyi
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