Why Brands and Esports Can Win Big in APAC

By now, we’re all well aware that games like Fortnite have become a dominant space for kids and young adults to connect and socialize. But you may not have noticed that parallel to the competitive game’s popularity, the rise of esports leagues have captivated the interest of gamers around the world: since 2012, the number of hours viewers have spent watching esports has grown at a rate of around 750 million hours each year, going from 1.3 billion in 2012 to 6.6 billion in 2019, a 508% growth. 

This article was originally published for print in Marketing Interactive.

A lucrative business (generating $1.1 billion USD worldwide in 2019 and expected to reach $1.8 billion by 2022), esports have been particularly popular in Asia Pacific. In fact, APAC accounts for 47% of that revenue, demonstrating just how passionate the region is for gaming content. New research from WARC shows that 400 million people in APAC watch esports online, and six of the 10 most popular mobile titles have established esports leagues. The rapid growth of gaming as both a space for spectatorship and social connection offer a unique opportunity for brands to reach a previously elusive demographic while also connecting with consumers in exciting, new ways.

Gaming Goes Mainstream

Esports aren’t nearly as niche as they once were; last year, luxury brand Louis Vuitton collaborated with popular esports title League of Legends to offer bespoke skins—essentially costumes worn by characters featured in the game—to players. The partnership shifted preconceived notions that brands may have about gamers as a subculture, much like how comic book franchises have gone mainstream. Similarly, Fortnite partnered with Marvel Studios for an Avengers crossover event celebrating the release of a new film, offering not only an exclusive skin but a new game mode as well.

In the rise in esports’ popularity, games have organized teams and leagues functioning much like traditional sports—even nabbing airtime at the 2022 Asian Games to be hosted in Hangzhou, China. Live-streamed on platforms such as Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Gaming, esports leagues have a unique opportunity to build interactivity and engagement into their broadcasts—something that’s missing from typical sports. MediaMonks’ Foam Zone activation for Old Spice, live-streamed over 12 hours, drew over 126 thousand interactions bolstered by 80 live polls, making it a top-performing livestream.

This opportunity for drawing together online audiences is critical, and hints at why gaming has become so popular for youths who flock to digital environments to hang out and connect. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a surprising number of leagues have cancelled or postponed their events—though some, like Blizzard’s Hearthstone Masters Tour, have become purely digital. At the same time, the cancellation of traditional sport seasons may also boost interest in esports as an alternative to spectators. While in-person esports competitions serve as critical touchpoints to connect with gaming audiences live and in-person, this moment—combined with ever-faster connection speeds—will prompt increasingly engaging and immersive experiences for spectators.

Rising Stars Offer New Opportunities to Tech-Forward Brands

With the growing popularity of esports comes a new class of influencers: the players themselves. Brands looking to engage authentically with a native digital audience like gamers will do well to lean on such influencer partnerships. In launching its series of Omen gaming PC’s, HP tapped into the talent of esports stars Astralis and Na’Vi to validate the precision and power of the product.

Tapping into the fandom of these communities also offers a way for brands to think more holistically about the role they play in users’ lives; engaging not just in esports games themselves, but also across social media, through AR/VR technology, experiential platforms and more, to reach a hyper-passionate and discerning audience at the cusp of digital experiences. The world of esports offers brands the opportunity to expand their marketing efforts through fresh and innovative content, providing engaging digital experiences through personalization and emerging tech that can attract new, and previously out of reach, audiences.

By bridging together players and spectators that are immersed in socializing and connecting digitally, esports offer an enticing opportunity for brands in APAC and around the world to forge stronger relationships with consumers–by experimenting with in-game activations, elevating the livestreaming experience or by simply taking inspiration from the ways that players and fans interact.