“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.”
ChatGPT 3.5
Content is defined by its channel e.g., email, social media, video, etc.
The gaming content category, on the other hand, is also defined by relevance to game experiences.
That means gaming content comes in many different varieties on many channels.
The following explores three use cases of utilizing gaming content as a marketing tool.
Geico’s blog content
TL; DR: Creating gaming content is a marketing tool for inspiring action from a target audience.
It might seem odd for a leading insurance brand to publish blog content on the benefits of video games for kids and adults. But that’s exactly what Geico did.
The blog post outlined research-backed reasons that playing video games is a positive activity.
Playing video games (gameplay) is an in-game experience. Where, according to Newzoo estimates, over 3 billion people experience gameplay yearly.
Geico targeted that massive population by highlighting the benefits of gameplay. However, Geico’s content marketing is more than just a nod to gaming’s popularity.
The blog post was, in fact, a strategic vehicle for promoting awareness and consideration of Geico’s renter’s insurance. Especially since that insurance offering covers gaming equipment.
AT&T’s Twitch content
TL; DR: Marketers can reach gaming audiences on content platforms which are not gaming-specific.
Telecommunications brand AT&T and Twitch launched a mentorship program for aspiring streamers in November 2021.
Twitch is a livestreaming (streaming) platform dedicated to creating and sharing live, unedited video content.
The campaign, created by Wasserman, paired 12 aspiring creators with established Twitch streamers.
“The goal is to spotlight emerging content creators, nurture the development of their brands and fulfill their passions for content creation,”
Sabina Ahmed, assistant VP of sponsorships and experiential marketing at AT&T, via CampaignLive
Keep in mind that Twitch is home to a variety of non-gaming content.
For instance, AT&T’s campaign included the Botez sisters, who have a popular chess channel on Twitch (over 1.2M followers).
Nonetheless, most Twitch livestreaming is digital gameplay e.g., 9 of the top 10 Twitch channels are associated with a video game title.
In other words, Twitch livestreaming is a deeply relevant experience within the gaming community.
Likewise, AT&T’s activation connected with gaming audiences on Twitch, through familiar content types:
- Mentors co-streaming mentee broadcasts
- Streaming sessions that provide tips and tricks
- Promoting mentees’ Twitch channels
Where the purpose was to amplify the relevance of AT&T’s offerings, such as Fiber and 5G wireless services, to those gaming audiences.
Spotify’s audio content
TL; DR: A platform that hosts gaming content is a gaming space.
Each fall Riot Games organizes the League of Legends World Championship (often abbreviated as Worlds).
Worlds is a prestigious esports event that celebrates the highest level of competitive play in League of Legends. The tournament attracts a massive in-person and online viewing audience each year.
In 2020, Spotify and Riot Games collaborated on the Worlds Anthem digital experience. The partnership included music-inspired activations and elevated audio experiences throughout the tournament, such as:
- A 10-episode podcast series highlighting one unique story from each World Championship
- An official music hub featuring songs curated by teams and players
- A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Worlds Anthem
Spotify’s League of Legends-inspired audio content did more than just attract esports fans. Its presence transformed Spotify into an away-from-game space for the Worlds tournament.
Read more about the three different types of gaming spaces here.
The same way livestreaming turns Twitch into an around-gameplay space for the gaming community.
