Brief:
- LG Electronics USA and esports organization Evil Geniuses are working on a behind-the-scenes web series about professional gamers. Sponsored by LG UltraGear Gaming Monitors, "Inside the Mind" will appear on the Evil Geniuses channel on YouTube every Thursday at 12 p.m. ET from today until Oct. 1, per an announcement.
- Evil Geniuses also will show the gamers facing off against opponents in a four-part companion series on Twitch, the livestreaming platform owned by Amazon. Each match will be livestreamed from the gamer's channel every Monday at 9 p.m. ET from Sept. 14 until Oct. 5.
- In addition to providing an in-depth look at how pro gamers strategize, "Inside the Mind" will showcase LG's gaming monitors. Each episode of the four-part series focuses on a top-ranked professional gamer, including Tarik "Tarik" Celik, Artour "Arteezy" Babaey, Ricki "HelloKittyRicki" Ortiz and Justin "FearItself" Kats.
Insight:
LG's sponsorship of a web video and livestreamed series showcasing professional gamers from Evil Geniuses aims to raise awareness for its line of gaming monitors. Evil Geniuses was founded in 1999 and bills itself as one of the "most recognizable brands" in esports. The organization fields teams in popular games like "Call of Duty" and "League of Legends" that have become popular with marketers looking to tie in with the growing esports market.
The campaign targets consumers who are most likely to want LG's gaming monitors during the holiday season. By running a series on YouTube and Twitch, LG can reach younger consumers just as they're putting together their wish lists. Almost all U.S. consumers ages 13 to 21 watch YouTube, while Twitch tends to appeal to a smaller segment of gaming enthusiasts, a survey by researcher Morning Consult suggests. LG is more likely to connect with target audiences on the platforms than through other marketing channels.
By sponsoring series on YouTube and Twitch, LG can reach key audiences while controlling how its brand is presented. Other marketers have used a similar strategy to engage consumers with content that highlights their brands. Among the more recent examples, Chipotle Mexican Grill last month collaborated with professional skateboarder Tony Hawk on a promotion for a new menu item while showcasing the Activision video game "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2" in a livestream on Twitch. Burger chain Shake Shack in May started streaming a cooking series on social media to show people how to make its menu items while they were stuck at home during pandemic lockdowns.
Because sales of video games and other electronics are highly seasonal, companies like LG tend to be heavily promotional going into the holiday season. With Sony's PlaySation and Microsoft's Xbox set to release their first new gaming consoles in seven years, the video game industry is likely to see record sales this year. The global games market will expand 9.3% to $159.3 billion this year, per researcher Newzoo, which cited the release of new gaming consoles as a major contributor to sales. Sales of consoles are likely to lift demand for ancillary equipment like gaming monitors made by LG.