Technology

For Marketers, e-Sports Enticing to Reach Millennials

Published

9 years ago

May 8, 2015

In this Oct. 4, 2013 file photo, fans watch the opening ceremony at the League of Legends Season 3 World Championship Final between South Korea’s SK Telecom T1 and China’s Royal Club, in Los Angeles. The next ally in competitive gamings fight for mainstream awareness might be marketers. At an invite-only gathering of marketing executives Wednesday, May 6, 2015, representatives from companies like State Farm and McDonalds were looking to e-sports to potentially capture new consumers. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (AP) — The latest ally in competitive gaming’s fight for mainstream awareness just might be marketers.

At an intimate, invite-only gathering this week at a seaside resort, executives from corporations such as AT&T, State Farm and McDonald’s were looking to electronic sports to potentially capture new consumers. While e-sports now regularly draws tens of millions of spectators both online and in person, the genre continues to battle for broader recognition in North America.

“There is definitely an awareness issue across mainstream elements,” said Dustin Beck, vice president of e-sports and merchandising at “League of Legends” publisher Riot Games. “We want this to be a successful ecosystem for decades to come, and that will be buoyed by having larger brands, like those here, who become aware of e-sports and get involved in e-sports.”

Beck was among the attendees Wednesday at the sixth annual PTTOW summit, an exclusive get-together of execs interested in reaching young consumers. Other subjects discussed at PTTOW — which stands for “Plan To Take On the World” — included virtual reality, globalization and predictive marketing, with e-sports among the summit’s most popular topics.

“Our job is to tell people what they don’t know,” said Roman Tsunder, co-founder and CEO of PTTOW. “Who wants to talk about something everyone knows about? Everyone here is the best in the world at what they do, and e-sports was important to include because enough people mentioned it. That’s notable because there’s $68 million of media investment in this room.”

Over the past 10 years, the popularity of e-sports has amplified as technology has evolved, Internet speeds have become more reliable and a generation of gamers has grown up watching competitive bouts on streaming video sites like Twitch and YouTube. Earlier this year, a report released by research firm Newzoo said 205 million people watched e-sports in 2014.

However, a divide continues to loom over the medium. The broadcast of a collegiate tournament for Blizzard’s upcoming game “Heroes of the Storm” drew only about 100,000 viewers when it aired last month on ESPN2. It also inspired ire. ESPN Radio host Colin Cowherd later remarked that he would retire if he was “ever forced to cover guys playing video games.”

Several major companies don’t share that sentiment.

Intel, Red Bull, Nissan, Coca-Cola and others have been regularly sponsoring e-sports athletes and organizations in an attempt to reach those elusive millennials who have cut the cord, streaming “Dota 2” matchups on smartphones instead of watching Major League Baseball games on televisions. For many marketers, it’s about more than simply advertising products.

“I have a very clear job,” said Matt Wolf, global head of gaming for Coca-Cola. “My job is to sell more Coca-Cola. But I also love the gaming industry. I grew up in the gaming industry, so why can’t I grow our brands with the power of games and, at the same time, shine a positive light on the gaming community and remove stereotypes? It’s an incredibly powerful medium.”

Coca-Cola kicked off a partnership with Riot Games last year by sponsoring a “League of Legends” amateur league for players to compete for a spot in the professional one. The beverage company expanded its relationship with the game publisher this year with plans to broadcast the May 10 midseason invitational in 15 movie theaters across the United States.

Despite the popularity and Coke partnership, competition alone has yet to prove profitable for Riot Games.

“It’s something our fans love, so we’re going to continue to do it,” said Beck. “We’re in it for the long haul. Is it profitable now? No, but we have the luxury of not rushing to monetize it, so we can keep it a genuine and authentic experience. It’d be great if we could have more partners come on board to add value, not just monetarily, but also for the fan experience.”

___

Online:

http://www.riotgames.com

___

Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.

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Attorney General Rob Bonta, Oakland Lawmakers, Introduce Legislation to Protect Youth Online

At a press conference in downtown Oakland on Jan. 29, Attorney General Rob Bonta joined Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to announce two pieces of legislation designed to protect children online. The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

From left to right: Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) at a press conference introducing legislation to protect young people online.

By Magaly Muñoz

The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.

Skinner authored SB 976, which addresses online addiction affecting teenage users, while Wicks’s bill, AB 1949, takes on big tech by proposing data privacy and children rights protections.

“Social media companies unfortunately show us time and time again that they are all too willing to ignore the detriment to our children, the pain to our children, the mental health and physical challenges they face, in order to pursue profits,” Bonta said.

SB 976 would allow parents to control the nature and frequency of the content their under-18-year-old children see on social media. Notifications from social media platforms would also be paused from midnight to 6 am and controls would allow parents to set time limits on their children’s usage based on their discretion.

Skinner stated that the longer that kids are on their phones during the day, the higher the risk for depression, anxiety and other related issues.

The bill would also push to get rid of addictive media that is harmful for young women and girls, specifically image filters that mimic cosmetic plastic surgery.

Bonta and 33 other attorney generals had previously filed a lawsuit against Meta, owner of the popular social media applications Instagram and Facebook. The filing claims that the company purposefully uses algorithmized content that harms younger audiences.

“Social media companies have the ability to protect our kids, they could act, but they do not,” Skinner said.

The Child Data Privacy Act would strengthen existing protections for data privacy under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The lawmakers argue that the law does not have effective protection for those under 18 years old.

Wicks stated that the bill would forbid businesses from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone underage unless they receive informed consent, or it becomes necessary for the purpose of the business.

Wicks added that the acts would make it so that a search on the internet like “How do I lose weight?” would not result in dieting pill advertisements targeting youth, which, some experts report, could be harmful to their mental and physical health.

“In a digital age where the vulnerabilities of young users are continually exploited, we cannot afford to let our laws lag behind, our children deserve complete assurance that their online experience will be safeguarded from invasive practices,” Wicks said.

Supporters of the two acts say they have gained bipartisan support issue, but the authors and Bonta expect them to be met with pushback from the affected companies.

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Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible

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4 months ago

December 18, 2023

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Performance & Handling
Powered by a robust 5.0 Liter Supercharged 8 Cylinder Gas Engine, the F-Type R75 doesn’t just purr; it roars with a mighty 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission, the car offers an exhilarating drive that is both fast and smooth. The All-Wheel Drive system ensures excellent traction and stability, making it a joy to handle in various driving conditions. The Electric Power Assisted Steering and JaguarDrive Control with Selectable Driving Modes add to the car’s agility, providing a driving experience that is as intuitive as it is thrilling. Additionally, the Adaptive Dynamics and Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking enhance the car’s responsiveness, making every turn a testament to its engineering prowess. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.

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Elevate Your Ride…

Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes […]
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4 months ago

December 18, 2023

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Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes the F-TYPE AWD convertible stand out on the road. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.