How brands can tap into fandom to get ahead of the game

It has been more than 50 years since the first esports tournament — Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics — was hosted at Stanford University. 

Since then, the gaming industry has progressed at an exponential rate. Its rapid evolution means it is now worth $187.7 billion. Equally as impressive is the rise of esports as a separate and highly lucrative market which is projected to reach a revenue of $4.3 billion in 2024, and an anticipated market volume of $5.9 billion by 2029. 

As the industry has evolved, so has its fans — and so too has how brands interact with them.

As the [gaming] industry has evolved, so has its fans — and so too has how brands interact with them.

Traditionally gaming has been popular with younger generations, but esports comes with a special type of fanbase: a captive, eager crowd that’s revolutionising the idea of a receptive consumer audience. By the end of 2024, the audience of young fans worldwide is expected to hit 640 million.

Above: The gaming industry is bigger than the music and film industries combined, meaning brands shouldn't be wondering if they should get involved, but how and when. 

With brands seeking ever-more inventive ways to cut through the clutter and get consumers out of the house and into stores, gaming and esports brands have discovered that it can be more advantageous to keep them in their seats. 

Level up: winning the attention game

From TV commercials to YouTube surveys to social media we see on average, every single day, 6,000-10,000 ads. With so much content, it can be hard for audiences to focus on one thing, and the average attention span is now eight seconds, down from 12 seconds a decade ago. 

For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the challenge to grab their attention is even greater because they’re constantly switching between devices and platforms. Nearly 50% of gamers also play on more than one platform, meaning they’re constantly moving their attention. This makes it tough for marketers to engage and retain them. 

Almost 42% of Baby Boomers are gamers, while 51% of mobile gamers identify as female, and 87% of mums are active gamers. That’s a cross-demographic potential any marketer would love. 

But it’s worth persevering in the battle to get their attention. Why? Think about the sheer size of this vibrant community. There’s a misapprehension that gamers are basement-dwelling trolls, an idea that is outdated by about four decades. Almost 42% of Baby Boomers are gamers, while 51% of mobile gamers identify as female, and 87% of mums are active gamers. That’s a cross-demographic potential any marketer would love. 

Esports' $187.7 billion valuation means it's larger than the music and film industry combined. For brands, it shouldn’t be a case of if they get involved in the gaming community but when and how (if they’re not already).

Above: Gamers are a huge, vibrant and engaged audience, filling out arenas for esports tournaments, but they also place a lot of emphasis on authenticity. 

Community service 

For brands looking to enter the space, getting past the experimentation phase to find a home in the gaming world takes some industry knowledge. First, respecting the communities behind each game is of utmost importance. These are communities that are intense, loyal and engaged — all excellent traits that mean they’re in a naturally positive mindset and open to others, including brands, joining the party. But brands need to tread cautiously to build trust and cultivate true loyalty because these communities can spot a phony a mile away. 

These are communities that are intense, loyal and engaged — all excellent traits that mean they’re in a naturally positive mindset and open to others, including brands, joining the party. 

ESL FACEIT Group has been working with DHL, the international logistics and tracking company, for eight years. The partnership was born at the ESL One esports tournament back in 2018 and, by 2019, thousands of gamers inside the NEC in Birmingham were chanting “D-H-L!” while watching their favourite teams face off for a $300,000 prize pool. which takes over the NEC in Birmingham every year. As a marketer, if you haven’t heard a stadium full of 15,000 gamers chanting your company’s name, rest assured it’s an absolute dream. 

What DHL achieved so brilliantly was intertwining what the esports audience wanted to receive with what they, as a brand, wanted to achieve. It was a marketing match made in heaven, and the data backs that up; after investing long term in the industry, 85% of our audience would prefer DHL to any other delivery company.