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Thought Leadership

The Ignored Giant

“Gaming is driven from generation to generation by a simple human truth: people would rather play than work.” Gaming is big business, and, as BBH London explore, it’s become an industry that brands can’t afford to ignore.

Izzy Ashton

Deputy Editor, BITE Creativebrief

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“Gaming is driven from generation to generation by a simple human truth: people would rather play than work.” These were the words that BBH’s Global CMO Adam Arnold opened with at their event The Ignored Giant, an afternoon presented by the agency to explore how brands can tap into the world of gaming. As Arnold went on to outline, gaming is big business, and it’s become an industry that brands can’t afford to ignore.

Arnold gave us a few stats to start the discussion. In the UK, gaming is more popular than Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, while the gaming industry is worth more than the movie and music industries combined. It’s huge, and the afternoon’s speakers explored why this is, while also outlining the best route in for brands. Saskia Jones, Data Strategy Director at BBH and Ronan Patrick, a data strategist at BBH set out to dispel the myths that surround gaming. As they said: “Gaming is one of the most mainstream things that isn’t mainstream.” The myths included thinking that the console still reigns supreme, that the target audience is still teenage boys in their bedrooms and that it’s “just a game.” It’s not; it’s so much more than that.

Ben Shaw, BBH London’s Head of Strategy did a live interview with Caspian Whistler Editor-in-Chief of the gaming zine A Profound Waste of Time. They explored the 2014 Gamergate scandal which ultimately led Whistler to start the magazine, “to counteract the anger that surrounded gaming.” They discussed how natural gaming is for people – “It’s how we learn, through play” - and how record numbers of over 55’s are also playing. When it comes to brand involvement, Whistler said, “People know games make money, but people need to realise they have value.”

The afternoon continued with a conversation around the growth of esports and streaming, a deep dive into BBH’s ‘Greatness Awaits’ work with Playstation, and finally a panel discussion that drew the event to a close.

SPEAKERS

Adam Arnold, Global CMO, BBH

Saskia Jones, Head of Data Strategy, BBH

Ronan Patrick, Data Strategist, BBH

Ben Shaw, Head of Strategy, BBH London

Caspian Whistler, Editor-in-Chief, A Profound Waste of Time

Adam Harris, Director of Custom Solutions, Twitch

Glen Elliott, Managing Director, European Gaming League

Johnny Skwirut, Account Lead - Playstation, BBH

Dylan Fauss, Strategy Lead - Playstation, BBH

Greg Carroll, Head of EMEA, Activism Blizzard

Deborah Papiernik, Head of Business Development, Ubisoft

Dave Ranyard, CEO, Dream Reality

KEY TAKE OUTS

  • Saskia Jones believes that for brands it’s “not [about] recreating a behaviour but tapping into an already existing one.”
  • Adam Harris pointed out that professional gamers are being recognised within popular culture; Ninja, who plays Fortnite professionally and has millions of followers around the world was just named on the Time 100 list.
  • When Caspian Whistler looks at gaming, he feels that perhaps even the traditional language used doesn’t work anymore: “The word game might even be limiting; it might become more like interactive art.”
  • Games are not the solitary pursuit that the classic marketing world would have you believe; they’re a social activity. As Ronan Patrick said, “These games are the modern equivalent of a skate park. Fortnite isn’t just a game kids play, it’s a place they go.”
  • What was apparent throughout each talk was that, if and when brands want to embrace the world of gaming, it needs to be “engagement over interruption,” as Greg Carroll detailed. Brands need to be smarter about how they integrate.
  • It ultimately comes down to the reality that gaming can no longer be ignored. Adam Arnold put it best in his summary: “Gaming is not a subculture. It is a cultural powerhouse.”

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