By Attention Seekers
Crafting Connections is a new series where we’ll investigate how brands are taking action to craft meaningful and lasting connections with their audiences. Let’s start with the story of how Future utilised a multi-channel distribution and content strategy to maximise audience reach whilst promoting The PC Gaming Show.
The PC Gaming Show emerged in 2015 when the team at Future recognised the underrepresentation of the platform at E3. Despite gaming entering a golden generation, PC games weren’t garnering the attention they deserved. Hence, a new show was conceived to go out around the same time as E3, catching fans at the peak of their engagement.
Since then, The PC Gaming Show has gone from strength to strength, with the most recent edition dropping to millions of fans in June 2023. Let’s take a look at how The PC Gaming Show utilised platform-specific content and a diversified channel approach to find and engage its audience.
Takeaway 1: Meet Your Audience Where They Thrive
In the ever-evolving gaming landscape, brands must acknowledge the fluidity of player preferences. Players are not static; they move seamlessly across platforms, languages, and gaming communities. To truly engage with the gaming audience, brands need to be omnipresent—where the players are. Whether it’s on Twitch, YouTube, or emerging platforms, a brand’s strategic presence across diverse channels ensures it doesn’t just reach players but becomes an integral part of their gaming journey.
With this in mind, The PC Gaming Show streamed the June event in seven languages, complete with tailored subtitles, across multiple channels, platforms & hundreds of co-hosts. This approach ensures fans can tune in, whether to listen or read, at any location and in any language, enhancing accessibility for a diverse audience.
Takeaway 2: Tailor the Content to Each Platform
The gaming community, on each platform, in each country, has its own language, culture, and set of expectations. Therefore, altering or customising content based on these nuances is not just a strategy; it’s a necessity for brands seeking genuine connections.
From Bilibili, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, and some of their partner channels such as IGN, The PC Gaming Show casts a wide net, utilising platforms as more than streaming channels but as portals to distinct audiences.
Each platform infused a unique flavour, complete with tailored graphics and, when necessary, language, catering to specific demographics and preferences. Simultaneously executed, this ensured the show remained distinct and relevant to its audience, regardless of the streaming platform.
Takeaway 3: Leverage Relevant Influencers
The gaming community places tremendous trust in influencers, viewing them as tastemakers and authorities in the space. Fans not only love consuming their content endlessly but also find influencers to be authentic voices, guiding them through the ever-expanding gaming universe. Leveraging influencer collaborations becomes not just a promotional strategy but an avenue to tap into the heartbeat of the gaming community, fostering credibility and resonance that extends beyond traditional marketing efforts.
Partnering with many co-host collaborators, the PC Gaming Show showcased that brands can transcend traditional streaming models. These streams were seamlessly broadcast alongside The PC Gaming Show, ensuring maximum reach and engagement.
What happened: The Outcome
Crafting authentic connections, meeting audiences where they thrive, and tailoring content to platform nuances are not just strategies – they are the essential pillars upon which lasting brand connections are built in the gaming world.
The outcomes of Future’s multi-channel distribution strategy were remarkably positive, amassing 13 million views within the initial weekend and surging to much more in the subsequent weeks. With a social reach extending to 50 million and collaborations with 50+ co-hosts, the impact was widespread and influential.
As brands endeavour to leave an indelible mark on the gaming landscape, the roadmap is clear: embrace diversity, speak the language of the platforms, and leverage the influencers who shape the gaming zeitgeist.
The PC Gaming Show made its return on November 28th with a brand-new instalment, “Most Wanted.” Watch it here!
For a firsthand demonstration of how it all came together, feel free to reach out to our team at Attention Seekers. We’d be delighted to guide you through the intricacies and show you how your brand can achieve similar results.
