Let’s face it, out-of-home (OOH) advertising is having its deserved moment in the sun with the rise of three-dimensional (3D) anamorphic billboards and mixed reality computer-generated imagery (CGI) catching advertisers’ attention.
Social is still moving at the speed of your thumb, fuelled by its negative dopamine hits, and global mega events continue to draw the eyes and wallets of marketing executives wanting to see their brand perform on the biggest sporting stages.
But as global stages go, is it still more beneficial to get your logo into the background of a Messi masterclass at the World Cup or should a brand think and act on a deeper level?
Sit back and imagine: as you journey through the mystical plains of Summoner’s Rift, nestled between the icy Freljord and the Ironspike Mountains, you feel the weight of anticipation. The air is thick with pine and the distant roar of waterfalls, the promise of epic battles. Donning your Prestige True Damage Senna Skin, a shimmering blend of gold and neon hues, you embody elegance and power.
As you step onto the Rift, the ground pulses with energy, each step mirrors your heartbeat. The banners of your allies flutter in the breeze, a reminder of support from the world beyond. With your team by your side, you prepare for battle. In this moment, you’re not just a gamer; you’re a warrior and a strategist, ready to carve your name into the annals of League of Legends history.
New spaces to play with esports
And … you’re back in the room. Within this immersive scene, there are a plethora of opportunities for brands to seamlessly blend into the storyline. Character outfits, weapons wielded, banners hung and trophies to be won.
The point is: sports marketing is no longer a linear suite of assets to activate, but a multi-layered narrative – with publishers and organisers allowing brands in to the heart of the action – in real life (IRL) and virtually. Which part a brand chooses to play in the story is key.
The biggest difference in behaviour of traditional sport and esports fans is depth of engagement. esports fans are constantly immersed, interacting with the action – through live chats, social communities, co-streaming or
live experience.
The battle for traditional sport is that with the rise of social media, short-form videos and instant highlights, research suggests younger generations are becoming more reluctant to sit through full matches or broadcasts – cue Liv Golf, T20, Baller League and the new UEFA Champions League format to tackle
this problem.
At this year’s Worlds, the conclusion of the 2024 League of Legends Esports season, gaming greatest-of-all-time (GOAT) Faker contributed to a total peak concurrent viewership of 6.94 million, with around 1.73 million viewers on average and just under 191 million hours watched, making it now the most viewed esports event in history.
“The key to enter the esports arena with credibility is to be as non-intrusive as possible – adding to, not detracting from, the gamer experience.”
While those numbers don’t yet match up to watching Messi in the World Cup final, the value of those eyeballs for a brand is undoubtedly amplified.
The challenge for esports to reach Messi-esque numbers will be to unify the fragmented world of gaming; creating truly global icons, leagues and matches that cross cultures and communities to captivate the world.
Properties such as the English Premier League, NBA and F1 have done this successfully. The advantage is that esports provides more routes in for brands through broader rights distribution.
The Esports World Cup has a core audience engaging on over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as Twitch, Youtube and DAZN, while more casual fans are tuning in through traditional media such as Star Sports, STC TV and MBC, and co-streaming via community content creators. This includes a total of about 60 broadcast partnerships, and that’s before we count the live in-arena experience, with more than 60,000 tickets sold – a similar capacity to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.
Your place in the storyline
The key to enter the esports arena with credibility is to be as non-intrusive as possible – adding to, not detracting from, the gamer experience. What value could your brand really create for gamers? Where is the right place for you to play in a gamer’s ecosystem?
In-game advertisements – whether rich media or static, game integrations such as skins and community mods, and live broadcast advertisements can place your brand directly into the heart of the battle.
Publisher IP and content creator partnerships can give you credibility in the conversation and a platform for brand experiences. Higher level sponsorship of leagues, arenas, players or teams can add value by association.
Successful examples such as Red Bull’s ‘League of its Own’ drive huge brand engagement and fan appreciation – game integrations such as Louis Vuitton’s League of Legends skin design by Nicolas Ghesquière, can drive desire, hype and exclusivity.
The next chapter for esports
There’s no doubt esports and traditional sports benefit from each other. The global passion, competitiveness and structure of sport creates a rife environment for esports to thrive. At the same time, traditional sports can learn from the innovation and immersive experience design exploding engagement in the esports world.
The immersive nature of esports provides huge opportunities for brands to get close to the minds and hearts of their audience and as viewing figures continue to grow, so will the appeal of being part of the story.
Move over Messi, there’s a new GOAT in town.
By Dan Lord, Executive Creative Director, Jack Morton.
