Want to grab the attention of esports fans? Take your brand message outside, says YouGov.
New research by YouGov found that esports fans in the U.S. and Great Britain are twice as likely to notice and trust out-of-home (OOH) advertising than the general public — 67 percent vs. 27 percent of U.S. adults and 40 percent vs. 20 percent of GB adults, respectively.
Pictured: League of Legends player Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao (bottom left) featured on a Nike OOH ad in China. Credit: Nike
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YouGov conducted online interviews between May 2020 and May 2021. U.S. data is based on a sample size of over 2,000 adults aged 18+ who said that esports is a ‘top interest’ or that they are ‘somewhat interested in esports’. Profiles from Great Britain consisted of over 1,000 adults aged 18+ who said the same. These participants were deemed ‘avid esports fans’ for the purpose of this study.
OOH ads include messages seen on posters, billboards, bus stops, trains, taxis, etc. The study found that 68 percent of American esports fans use their phones to search for products or services after seeing them on a billboard, vs. 23 percent of American adults who participated. This group is also more likely to talk about what they’ve seen with friends or family, especially those aged 18-34.
Image credit: YouGov
In Great Britain, those considered avid esports fans noticed OOH advertising found on trains at nearly the same rate as ads seen on the internet, at 67 and 65 percent, respectively. This audience is also more than twice as likely as other British adults to notice ads in taxis.
One possible explanation for this trend among esports fans is trust. YouGov found that esports fans in the U.S. (58 percent) and Great Britain (50 percent) tend to distrust TV ads, leaving brands and publishers to explore other advertising possibilities.
Image credit: YouGov
“Brands looking to drive awareness in esports sponsorships or engage with esports fans (ie. young and engaged consumers) may find it effective to add outdoor media to their marketing strategy,” wrote Data Journalist Hoang Nguyen alongside YouGov’s findings.
“YouGov’s audience research reveals that avid esports fans not only tend to notice and pay attention to OOH advertising at a higher rate than consumers overall, they are also more likely to take action on advertisements and talk about a brand after seeing an ad outdoors.”
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Esports Insider says: For years, marketers have tried to reach young consumers where they live, i.e. online or through TV. This strategy has led to a constant bombardment of ads, which can ultimately lead to apathy. Like vinyl records and classic arcades returning to public favour, consumers often return to something familiar that seems new again. Plus, it’s not common to see an OOH ad aimed at esports fans!