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1. Introduction

Electronic sports, also known as esports, have rapidly gained popularity and become a multi-billion dollar industry. With the increasing number of esports fans and participants, it has become a new potential market for businesses to promote their brands and products. This paper aims to examine the marketing strategies used by esports industry and the effectiveness of these strategies.

2. Esports market analysis

According to the report by NewZoo, the global esports market is valued at $1.5 billion and is projected to grow to $3 billion by 2025. The majority of esports fans come from Asia, followed by North America and Europe. The most-watched esports games are League of Legends, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Esports has also become an Olympic event in the 2022 Asian games.

3. Esports marketing strategies

Esports marketing strategies focus on building brand awareness, increasing engagement with fans, and ultimately driving sales. Some of the common marketing strategies used in esports include:

Sponsorship and advertising

In-game advertising

Social media marketing

Content marketing

Event marketing

4. Sponsorship and advertising

Sponsorship and advertising are the most common ways for brands to enter into the esports market. Sponsoring esports tournaments or teams can create brand awareness and increase brand recognition among esports fans. Advertising in esports events can also provide a platform for brands to promote their products. For example, Red Bull sponsored the Red Bull Esports Platform to host the Red Bull Player One global League of Legends tournament, providing a platform for aspiring esports players to compete against each other.

5. In-game advertising

In-game advertising is another effective way for brands to promote products. In-game advertisements can be displayed through billboards or banners on the game screen. For example, Mercedes-Benz advertised their cars in the game League of Legends by creating a custom Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the game. This in-game advertisement successfully attracted the attention of both esports fans and car enthusiasts.

6. Social media marketing

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are important platforms for esports marketing. Brands can use social media to interact with fans and create engagement by using memes, jokes, and other popular culture references. Esports teams can also use social media to share behind-the-scenes content, game highlights, and interviews with players or coaches.

7. Content marketing

Content marketing is another popular strategy for esports marketing. Content marketing includes creating content such as blogs, videos, and podcasts to inform and entertain esports fans. For example, Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, created a documentary series called “Road to Worlds” that chronicles the journeys of players and teams to compete at the World Championships.

8. Event marketing

Esports events are a powerful tool for brands to connect with fans. Esports events such as tournaments, exhibition matches, and fan meets provide opportunities for brands to showcase their products and services and interact with fans in person. For example, Intel has been sponsoring the Intel Extreme Masters, an esports tournament series, since 2006. The Intel Extreme Masters attracts thousands of fans and gamers from around the world every year.

9. Conclusion

Esports marketing is rapidly growing and becoming a significant market for businesses to promote their brands and products. To be successful in the esports market, businesses have to understand the culture and language of esports and develop effective marketing strategies. Sponsorship and advertising, in-game advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, and event marketing are the most common strategies used in esports marketing.