The rise of eSports in recent years hasn’t gone unnoticed, many businesses have recognised this growth and have capitalised on the massive reach of eSports. To tap into the market and connect with eSports enthusiasts, various brands launched successful marketing campaigns. How have these brands been successful? Find out below the top players in the eSport’s industry.
Red Bull
Red Bull has led the way in eSports marketing for more than ten years. The energy drink brand has demonstrated its dedication to the gaming community by supporting several eSports competitions, teams and individuals. The brand has organised and funded a large number of eSports competitions for a variety of video games, including Dota 2, Street Fighter and Hearthstone. These competitions draw huge crowds of eSports fans in addition to giving professional players a stage on which to demonstrate their abilities. Red Bull’s dedication to organising top-notch competitions has aided in their credibility building and strengthened their connection to competitive gaming.
Coca Cola and League of Legends
The collaboration between Coca-Cola and Riot Games’ League of Legends has been a resounding success. The soft drink company has incorporated its brand into the video game experience as the official beverage sponsor of League of Legends’ international competitions. The League of Legends avatars featured on collectable Coca-Cola cans and in-game branding have struck a chord with the eSports community. This partnership has successfully linked Coca-Cola to the excitement of competitive gaming. Coca-Cola has also produced unique content for League of Legends players. This consists of behind-the-scenes footage, professional player interviews and highlights from important competitions. Coca-Cola improves the fan experience by offering this exclusive material, enabling them to dive deeper into the League of Legends universe and feel closer to the game and its players. This material not only demonstrates Coca-Cola’s dedication to the eSports scene but also encourages fan loyalty.
Mountain Dew and Call of Duty:
Through its partnership with Activision’s Call of Duty series, Mountain Dew has successfully targeted the gaming and esports audiences. Mountain Dew has established a significant presence inside the esports ecosystem through limited-edition packaging, in-game promotions, and alliances with well-known streams and players. They further cement their relationship with the gaming community via their “Dew Tour,” which blends conventional sports with esports. Mountain Dew’s collaborations with well-known Call of Duty players and streams are essential to their esports marketing initiatives. In order to reach a larger audience, Mountain Dew makes use of the influence and reputation of well-known members of the gaming industry. These collaborations frequently entail sponsored broadcasts, co-branded material and appearances at gaming conventions. Mountain Dew positions themselves as reliable and important players in the gaming business by partnering with renowned and well-liked eSports celebrities.
Mercedes-Benz and ESL (Electronic Sports League):
Mercedes-Benz’s eSports collaboration with the worldwide ESL One championship in Stuttgart and Katowice (the former relates physically to the home city of the luxury vehicle brand) engages a younger, aspirational generation of brand enthusiasts. The competition, which included the world’s top Dota 2 players and teams, finished at the Spodek Arena in Katowice in 2018, with 80 players, 16 teams and $1 million in prize money. The most valuable player (MVP) of the competition received a Mercedes-Benz automobile of his or her choosing (worth 50,000 euros), as chosen by the judges and the game’s international fan base. Mercedes also hosted a hospitality event at the race site, giving away free espresso drinks in its sponsor tent and offering a fleet of vehicles for test drives for participants, VIPs and other guests. Additionally, a fleet of eight branded Mercedes-Benz cars were stationed permanently outside the arena and each team’s arrival to the stage was followed by a pre-roll video of them pulling up to the Barclaycard Arena in a Merc. The cars each bore the emblems and colours of their respective teams. In addition, the company executed a sponsored social media campaign that resulted in several postings on Reddit that compared the players, heroes and event to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan.
In conclusion, the growth of eSports has given businesses a special chance to interact with a loyal and expanding audience. Brands have effectively entered the eSports sector and built solid relationships with eSports aficionados through creative and well-planned marketing initiatives.
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