Dive Brief:
- Honda revealed details behind a new lifestyle-focused Twitch channel called Honda DreamLab, which it claims is the first effort of its kind for an automaker, per details shared in an email with Marketing Dive.
- DreamLab content centers on three themes: collaboration, conversation and competition. New episodes based on these concepts drop each Friday, with a programming slate that currently includes "Dream It Yourself (DIY)," a 100-minute crafting challenge featuring host Eutel; "Power Of," a series focused on pop culture discussions guided by Action Jaxon; and "Dashboard DJs," a live DJ competition emceed by SOSUPERSAM.
- Honda's goal with DreamLab is to "connect with a broader audience of new, young car buyers,” the announcement said. The marketer was an early adopter of Twitch among automakers, but is now looking to diversify its use of the livestreaming platform beyond gaming.
Dive Insight:
Honda is tuning up its Twitch strategy to establish a stronger lifestyle positioning on the platform mostly known for gaming and esports. The promotion of DreamLab signals the marketer wants to preserve a first-mover advantage on Twitch as other automakers reassess their media plans and direct more resources to the digital channels favored by Gen Z like livestreaming.
Honda previously was the first major car brand with a dedicated Twitch gaming page called Head2Head. Head2Head appears to have disappeared from Twitch but was used to unveil the 11th-generation Civic Prototype in November 2020. Along with its streaming work on Twitch, Honda is the official car sponsor of esports organization Team Liquid. Members of the group have appeared in the brand's advertisements.
Livestreaming has gained traction with consumers for years, but saw its popularity skyrocket during the pandemic, further enshrining it as a mainstream marketing tactic. Twitch watch hours increased by as much as 101% year-on-year at the outset of the health crisis. Gaming experienced a similar surge in interest, making the category more crowded with non-endemic brands. Lexus, for instance, showed off a car designed by the Twitch community last year. Dubbed the "Gamers' IS," the vehicle was a modified version of the Lexus IS 350 F Sport.
DreamLab intends to offer a variety of programming that could appeal to viewers outside the gaming arena. The page has about 6,100 followers at press time and has been posting content since last month, with an initial Dashboard DJ episode drawing about 330,000 views. A new episode of "Power Of" airs today (March 18) and will profile Bailey Sok, a dancer who has a background in ballet but is currently experimenting with hip-hop styles.
