Brief:
- Twitch unveiled its first brand campaign — which includes a new logo inspired by its gaming community — as the livestreaming platform stages TwitchCon 2019 in San Diego on Sept. 27-29. The new logo features a retro-themed font that recalls the early days of video games, per an announcement on Twitch's website.
- The campaign also includes a new slogan — "You're already one of us" — and a series of teaser videos starring comedian Eric Andre that show what Twitch users can expect from the platform. Twitch also updated its "Glitch" mascot and introduced a color palette that creators can use in their personal branding. Twitch aims to expand its audience and help creators who livestream their gameplay and other videos to build a broader following, per its announcement.
- Twitch's parent company, Amazon, said the livestreaming platform is included in a deal with the National Football League to stream "Thursday Night Football" for the third straight year. Twitch users can watch games as their favorite streamers provide commentary and interviews with surprise guests, or test their knowledge of football trivia in real-time games, per a separate announcement.
Insight:
With Twitch's first brand campaign, parent company Amazon is demonstrating its commitment to growing the platform beyond a niche group of gamers and other enthusiasts who follow influencers in the gaming community. Twitch has more than 15 million users and between 2.2 million and 3.2 million monthly broadcasters, according to data compiled by Influencer Marketing Hub. While that audience is small compared with those of the leading social media companies and digital publishers, Twitch has a highly engaged user base that's difficult to reach through other media channels.
By streaming NFL's "Thursday Night Football" on Twitch, Amazon aims to broaden the platform's appeal among a wider audience while deepening its connections with existing users. Amazon has sought to appeal to gamers with expanded content offerings on Twitch. This year, the company transformed the livestreaming platform for gamers into a shopping channel for Prime Day. "Twitch Sells Out: A Prime Day Special Event" showcased gaming, electronics and other products in two 12-hour broadcasts in July.
Gamers are receptive to advertising, with 53% of mobile gamers saying ads helped them get updates about products they want, compared with 42% of non-gamers, per researcher Newzoo. For instance, marketing opportunities are significant for a range of brands in the esports space, but the window to enter the space and gain a strategic advantage is quickly closing as more brands hop in.
