James Draper, Bidstack CEO spoke to Caroline Burgess-Pike of Creativepool to talk about what marketing trends to look out for in 2020.
Esports means serious business
“If there were any doubts remaining about the status of esports in mainstream culture, 2019 has quelled them. This year we witnessed the largest esports events to date, including the Fortnite World Cup which offered over $30 million in prize money, and ‘The International’ Dota 2, where a similarly high figure was awarded. The industry is estimated to generate over $1 billion in revenue by the time 2020 rolls around, a 26.7% increase from 2018. There is no arguing that what was once a niche area is now a leading form of global entertainment.
“Celebrities, musicians and sports stars all want a piece of the pie, and many are choosing to invest in the best teams. The most successful esports players are becoming superstars in their own right, attending movie premieres and guesting on talk shows. And as popularity continues to skyrocket, the opportunities for brands are boundless.
“2020 will be the year major household brands enter the game as they aim to engage a younger audience. But they should be wary – esports fans don’t appreciate those who jump on the bandwagon solely for personal gain. Brands need to prove they genuinely care about the teams and events they sponsor to avoid any negative backlash and cement themselves in this new era of entertainment.”
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