In the eyes of modern society, gaming long ago crossed the line of being a form of childish entertainment or a thing for geeks. It is now a matter of interest for millions around the globe. Games are generating multi-zero revenues to their developers, and are promoted with the same audacity as a new Mercedes or iPhone. This particular aspect of gaming — promotion — is the focus of our discussion today. We will take a look at 6 examples of successful marketing campaigns that promoted games to create huge popularity with the help of influence marketing.
What is an influencer marketing campaign?
Let us start from the beginning: what defines an influencer ad campaign? The main star of such a promotion is, of course, the opinion leader or influencer whose goal it is to attract an audience to a new game using their authority and trust. It is just like word-of-mouth recommendations, but on a massive scale.
There are many kinds of influencers a gaming company can hire: content creators, bloggers, cosplayers, streamers, or even full-blown celebrities. It largely depends on the game in question, its player base, and the company’s marketing goals.
Usually, the process of organizing an influencer marketing campaign looks something like this:
- The game developer is about to release a new game and comes up with a marketing strategy to promote it to the target audience. The marketing team compiles a list of suitable opinion leaders who can present the game in exactly the right light to the market.
- The influencers are then assessed using a set of parameters such as their audience size and profile, personal traits and style, reputation with advertisers, and their pricing. After shortlisting the candidates, the marketing team reach out to the influencer with an offer to collaborate on the project.
- The approved influencers create content that, in their opinion, will most effectively reach the target players. Once it is approved by the advertiser, it is released for the audience to interact with and get excited about the game.
- The campaign results are measured and assessed by the marketing team, focusing on quality and outcomes. Such analysis is crucial for future promotions and allows the game developer to not only adjust the marketing approach but also to compile a database of trusted influencers for future projects.
What do different types of influencer marketing campaigns look like?
Aside from the diverse kinds of influencers we have already briefly mentioned, there is a slew of promotional strategies to choose from. Each game, company, and opinion leader is different, so it is only natural that we have a wide variety of ways to combine marketing steps that lead the audience to a new product. Let’s dive into the most popular ones.
Early access or beta testing
In this scenario, the developer partners with known gamers and streamers and allows them to get their hands on the game before the official release date. Sometimes it happens mere months before the big day; in other cases, these gamers also contribute their feedback for improving the game as beta testers.
For the audience that is already waiting for the game, seeing the actual gameplay creates a feeling of exclusive access and more often than not launches a hype train of discussions and pre-launch reviews on the internet. A good example would be the latest Hogwarts Legacy and Baldur’s Gate III games, which were reviewed with great interest long before becoming publicly available.
In-game integration
This option is mostly available for games that feature character customization. For such projects, developers introduce characters or in-game items like clothing or accessories that are created by or inspired by well-known influencers. This attracts players with the opportunity to be closer to their preferred opinion leader, while also showcasing the diverse capabilities of the game itself.
Branded content and merch
Branding is one of the most popular approaches out there: it can be applied to almost any gaming product. It can take the form of promotional videos with a unique spin from the influencer, merchandise developed in collaboration with the developer of the game, or even limited in-game items. Giveaways and custom challenges are also often used in this strategy.
6 examples of successful influencer marketing campaigns
Now we have refreshed our knowledge of influencer marketing campaigns in general, let’s take a closer look at some real-life examples that yielded outstanding results for game developers.
Ubisoft: The Division
A well-known game developer, Ubisoft collaborated with three popular YouTuber influencers to market their game The Division. The idea was to let the audience dive into the world of the game through a 30-minute live-action film that covered the origins of the game’s characters. The film was released as a four-part series on the YouTube channels of the creators and Ubisoft, with an exclusive extended version on Amazon Prime Video.
Tom Clancy’s The Division: Agent Origins (Escape) | Ubisoft [NA]Electronic Arts (EA): Apex Legends
Electronic Arts (EA) achieved success for Apex Legends with a subdued campaign that mainly relied on influencer marketing. The game’s audience is Twitch-heavy, so the developer chose popular streamers like Ninja to show the game on launch day. The element of surprise generated huge user engagement from day one, compared to EA’s traditional long pre-release marketing campaigns. On a separate note: the influencers were paid to play for one day only, but continued with the game on their own, thus attracting more players organically.
InnerSloth: Among Us
The simply designed space game attracted millions of players, partly owing its popularity to YouTube and Twitch content creators. Thanks to the collaborative nature of the game, streamers could play together and make more promos for different languages. One of the top collabs for Among Us is PewDiePie plus 10 other players, with the video hitting 15 million views.
Moon Active: Coin Master
To promote the Coin Master game, the developer Moon Active chose A-list celebrity campaigns. You could see popular faces like the Kardashians, Cardi B, and Jennifer Lopez playing the game and sharing their enjoyment. Members of the Kardashian clan, like Khloe, Kris, or Scott, spun the wheel and interacted with each other in Coin Master.
coin master facebook 2These case studies are great examples of what can be achieved with measured campaign planning and out-of-the-box approaches to influencer collaborations. Gaming brands are becoming more prominent these days, and they need to invest in their interactions with the gaming community. After all, a game you have not heard of is a game with no players. On the other hand, holistic promotion can be challenging, regardless of the brand’s size and prominence. This is when specialized marketing agencies come into their own.
NCSoft (Innova): Lineage II
A different approach, a cosplay calendar, allowed NCSoft to attract many fans of Lineage I to the new game. Under the guidance of AAA Agency experts, professional content creators presented unique designs of the beloved game characters. The printed calendar has become a collector’s piece for Lineage II fans who value the high quality and creative approach.
NCSoft (Innova): Lineage II Essence
This campaign aimed to promote the new Assassin class in Lineage II Essence via another cosplay collaboration. The well-known artist Angie Arrow created a realistic female Assassin character for an in-game video. The AAA Agency team assessed the market trends and decided that the latest game update needed to stand out from the competing releases. This allowed the project to get positive feedback on the level of detail and dedication invested in the promotion.
Selecting the best influencer marketing agency
Influencers represent a great marketing power that drives creativity. However, where there is power, there is a need for caution. Not every company is willing to delve into the intricacies of direct deals with opinion leaders, even if the results are as stellar as we have described above. This is why partnering with the right marketing agency is just as crucial for the game’s success as picking the perfect influencers to represent it.
Here are some important points to consider when selecting a marketing partner for your gaming brand:
- Industry expertise: if the agency has a proven history with gaming companies, then you will benefit from the experience they can offer as a partner.
- Influencer network: the size and quality of the influencer database is another important thing to keep in mind when choosing a marketing agency.
- Campaign strategy: ask yourself if the agency’s approach fits your company’s values and your audience’s vibe; only a good match will bring you success.
- Campaign analysis: ask how the agency approaches measuring campaign results. A deep understanding of relevant metrics is crucial for your brand promotion.
Communication and transparency: are you comfortable with your first interactions and can you map out the whole collaboration plan? Clear communication is paramount when it comes to influencer marketing.
Try the AAA Agency
We have established that building a brand narrative is very important, and finding the right partner is harder than it seems. Not every agency can pull off the delicate balance of creativity and strong tech expertise to work in influencer marketing. This is where the AAA Agency comes in.
They speak “Gamer”
The AAA Agency team is not only experienced in marketing, this is a team totally united by a common goal and a common passion. Their deep understanding of the gaming community and the industry allows them to build genuine connections with the audience.
Building loyalty, not just numbers
The agency considers real bonds between users and products to be much more important than mere statistics. Their focus lies in building long-term brand loyalty, which is especially important in the gaming niche.
Data-driven creativity
Creativity would not go far without a sturdy tech backup: all AAA Agency decisions are rooted in data analysis and their understanding of the inner workings of the market.
Summary
Influencer marketing is a powerful tool that allows game developers to reach their audience efficiently and cut through the buzz of our fast-paced lives. While we have many strategies for working with opinion leaders, one thing is for sure: gaming is a perfect niche to capitalize on the excitement and connections that influencers have with their following. Also, keep in mind that influencer marketing is a long game, so it is imperative to find a reliable partner for the journey.
