Cannes UnCanned: How To Execute The Perfect Gaming Campaign

When it comes to developing and executing advertising campaigns for gaming, marketers must rethink the way they frame their message.

That’s according to Twitch global head brand partnership studio Adam Harris [feature image], who joined Branded Content Marketing Association (BCMA) global CEO Andrew Canter for a discussion on brands in gaming as part of this week’s Canned UnCanned virtual event.

When it comes to Twitch, the key element is the fact everything is live. This means the audience is accustomed to dynamic and eye-catching content.

“The audience are digital natives, they love this live element because it’s authentic and it’s in real-time,” Harris said.

Creators on Twitch might stream for 40 hours a week, creating a unique relationship with their audience.

With this comes different expectations around advertisements.

“It’s very hard to hide behind characters, these people play themselves and operate within that live environment,” said Harris. “These streamers are essentially experts in improvisation.”

“Their audience don’t want to see pre-scripted narratives – it needs to be far more natural and intuitive.

“That way you will engage not only the streamer, but also the community – and community is a big thing in gaming.”

Canter likened this to marketing fundamental.

“Like any good brand, they should listen to their potential target audience. It’s about understanding and taking insight from that,” he added.

“From a branded content perspective, it’s got to be something that’s a value exchange – if you want people to spend time with it, you’ve got to give them something in return.”

The live aspect also brings different metrics for marketers to work with, with the emphasis placed on how many people are watching at a certain time, as opposed to reach, explained Harris.

“It’s not a ‘push’ device’, it’s a ‘pull’ device – you have to pull the audience in,” said Harris.

Harris also quashed the notion that brands should be embarrassed to get into gaming.

“There’s a perception that brands aren’t welcome in gaming and it’s just strictly not true,” said Harris.

“This has been a long-ignored community. They see brands as validators. The reason you’re seeing Louis Vuitton, Mastercard and UPS coming into this space and being accepted is because it’s amazing for gamers to all of a sudden think ‘Lego are acknowledging what we love is a big thing’.

“You don’t need to be ashamed to be a brand in the space but you do need to remember that the audience are Gen Z, they’re savvy, they understand the economic system that’s going on. So don’t hide and be embarrassed, be overt about your commercial enterprises.”

To hear the entire chat and find out how you can execute the perfect gaming campaign click here.

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