Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers
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Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers ESPORTS STORYTELLING FOR BRANDS AND MARKETERS 1 Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers Contents Preface ................................................................................ 3 Introduction .......................................................................... 4 Powerful storytelling .............................................................. 5 Getting it right ...................................................................... 8 The authenticity formula ....................................................... 11 Recipe for a great story ....................................................... 13 Creating story success ......................................................... 16 Making it real .................................................................... 20 Story-driven partnerships ..................................................... 24 Meaningful brands in esports ............................................... 27 2 Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers Preface There are good stories and there are bad lies. Or, as Seth Godin put it in All Marketers are Liars Tell Stories, “Everyone is a liar...The stories we tell ourselves are lies that make it far easier to live in a very complicated world.” Godin continues, “Marketers lie to consumers because consumers demand it...People can’t handle the truth.” Godin’s hyperbole aside, marketers are not liars nor is storytelling synonymous with lying. In fact, stories are one of the most powerful and effective ways to communicate. This is no less true in the realm of electronic sports (esports) - which McKinsey defines as, “a specific subset of online gaming with a focus on the competition between human players...in a video/ computer game with predefined rules.” 1 Esports Online Gaming Esports attracts hard-to-reach audiences that are passionate about competitive video game play. For brands and marketers, it is also a gateway to the large, untapped world of online gaming populated with digital-native consumers. This guide details the ins and outs of storytelling, so you can authentically speak to these audiences and realize the massive growth potential. 1 Esports and the next frontier of brand sponsorships [ https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/e-sports- and-the-next-frontier-of-brand-sponsorships ] 3 Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers Introduction Video games are the latest incarnation of games that have entertained people since the dawn of humankind. The rise of high-speed Internet has spurred emergence of popular online worlds that attract hundreds of millions of players. Case in point, the world’s 2.9 billion gamers will spend an estimated $175.8 billion on games in 2021.2 Gaming is even more popular among younger generations: 87% of Generation Z vs. 83% of Millennials vs. 79% of Generation X play video games on smartphones, gaming consoles, and computers at least weekly if not daily. 3 Similarly, esports is defined by watching other people compete at video games. Meaning, all esports fans are gamers – but not all gamers are esports fans. The esports segment over- indexes among the coveted 18-34 age group, is not easily captured by traditional sports, nor does it not respond to traditional advertising. For instance, 78% of esports fans in North America are not likely to be influenced by online ads. 4 Traditional sports fans who do not follow esports 85% 90% 93% Growing popularity will push the global esports audience to an estimated 474 million in 2021 – which could grow to 577 million by 2024.5 All of which has encouraged brands to spend an estimated $641 million on esports sponsorship in 2021. 6 2 Newzoo 2021 Global Games Market Report [https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/global-games-market-to-generate-175-8-billion-in-2021- despite-a-slight-decline-the-market-is-on-track-to-surpass-200-billion-in-2023/] 3 Digital media trends: Navigating the future of media and entertainment [https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/ digital-media-trends-consumption-habits-survey.html] 4 eSports iQ analytics [Social data of 10,000 esports fans in North America] 5 Newzoo 2021 Global Esports Audience Forecast [https://newzoo.com/key-numbers] 6 Newzoo 2021 Global Esports Market per Revenue Stream [https://newzoo.com/key-numbers] 4 Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers Since esports audiences are particularly hard-to-reach, sponsorship is currently considered the go-to marketing channel – especially for non-endemic brands. Where Comcast Xfinity, Louis Vuitton, Mercedes Benz, and Mountain Dew are among a growing number of esports sponsors. However, only when brands build an emotional connection with individual fans does the sponsorship translate to positive consumer actions (ROI). Stories tap into emotions in a way that logo association cannot match. Plus, as a universally recognizable format, they help brands become culturally relevant to esports audiences spread across the world. This is especially important in a digital world where compelling content, not ads, is the key to winning attention and engagement. Likewise, storytelling is more than just a subset of your content strategy. The following is methodology and illustrative examples for creating powerful marketing stories that emotionally connect with esports audiences. Upon completion you will understand what esports storytelling is, what it is not and how to use it as a brand marketing tool. Powerful storytelling Marketing stories are purpose-driven narratives that portray your brand as memorable, relevant, and significant. However, many still confuse stories with closely related concepts. So, it is important to establish what a story is: An escalation of goal-directed, action-outcome sequences in a character’s life. Research shows that the brain responds to story differently, causing what is known as transportation – or a feeling of total immersion in the narrative.7 Transportation causes you to view the story’s protagonist(s) more favorably and embrace any beliefs and worldviews presented. This effect is why stories are so effective at instilling principles and shaping human behavior. Storytelling primes the audience’s mind to absorb messaging without pausing to deconstruct or doubt what is being said. Similarly, the goal of a good marketing story is to make you feel something while delivering the intended brand message, almost undetected. Stories are well suited for 21st century marketing communications – as more people revolt against interruptive advertising. The emotional connection between a consumer and brand is based on personal accounts that incorporate the product or service. That means customers will construct a story, in their own mind, for your brand based on their experiences and perceptions. Effective marketing stories provide the emotional narrative that you want remembered instead. 7 The role of transportation in the persuasiveness of public narratives [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11079236/] 5 Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers Stories cut across cultural boundaries, age differences, and any other dividing aspect of humanity. In that way, storytelling is a universal language. Meaning, while good marketing stories are designed for a target audience, they can be understood by every human being on earth. Interest in multiple esports titles creates audience fragmentation This powerful dynamic is particularly useful in esports marketing, where consumer attention is spread across a multitude of video game titles. Brands and marketers face the reality that it’s nearly impossible to reach the entire audience through mass marketing. For example, sponsorship of an individual esports league – no matter how popular – is not relevant to fans who do not enjoy that specific game title. Conversely, effective marketing stories entertain, engage and can be shared across the whole of esports and online gaming. The same cannot be said about other any other form of marketing communication. This feature, alone, elevates storytelling to a must-have for your overall esports marketing strategy. 6 Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers Keep in mind that your brand story is different from a marketing story. The former replays your company’s origin in relation to its mission today. In other words, your brand story is a chronological narrative that primarily appeals to the rational part of the brain. On the other hand, great marketing stories are emotion focused narratives that communicate a message – your mission, values, intended customer action. Blue-chip brands like Apple, Disney and Nike tell stories that humanize their products through an emotional lens. The ROI is in millions of dedicated fans and customers across the world. 7 Esports Storytelling for Brands and Marketers Getting it right Storytelling captures audience attention and showcases your brand’s values without coming off as overly promotional. It is an effective marketing vehicle for bridging the gap between initial awareness and ongoing affinity because everyone loves a good story. To demonstrate what a good esports marketing story looks and feels like, here are examples of the technique in action. BMW’s Heroes of Rivalry Blue chip automaker BMW employed storytelling to create a manga series, Heroes of Rivalry. The use of manga – an art form with roots in Japan and millions of fans worldwide – allows BMW to wrap its brand messages in emotions. Like video game titles, popular manga series, such