Brand Storytelling Live Streams: Navigating esports in 2020
Live on Zoom - Wednesday, April 15th at 12:00PM PST
The growth in esports was significant well before the global breakout of COVID-19. But with traditional sports shelved, more attention than ever is being placed on digital alternatives, shining fresh light on an ecosystem now ranging from the Overwatch League to NASCAR simulations and televised 2K tournaments. But what exactly are we talking about when we say "esports?" And how do brands identify the right opportunities available to them?
Defining Terms:
“esports vs. gaming”
The esports athlete compared to the celebrity gamer.
Brands:
What opportunities are available across the range of esports/gaming?
Should traditional brands be intimidated?
What role do analytics play?
Platforms:
How are esports/gaming impacting more traditional sports platforms?
How are people engaging with non-traditional sports platforms?
Storytelling:
How to tell the best stories across esports/gaming?
How does the process work for the athletes themselves?
Partnerships: What type should brands be looking for in a more digital sports world?
The New Normal:
How will the return of traditional sports impact the esports/gaming ecosystem? What continues to thrive, what suffers?
Advertising vs. sponsorships: How should brands approach these options?
What will be the role of digital platfoms covering/carrying traditional sports?
Winners and losers:
Who is winning right now in esports/gaming?
What trends will we see emerge once the pandemic is over?
Hosted By
Brian Kamenetzky
Host of ESPNLA 710, Writer at The Athletic
Brian Kamenetzky is a sportswriter and radio host in Los Angeles, contributing to outlets including the LA Times.com, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine and The Athletic. Additionally, he has worked with athletes creating content at The Players' Tribune, and multiple studios for sponsored feature stories and videos.
Featuring
Marc Patterson
CEO, Connected Realm Entertainment • Head of Esports & Gaming, L.A. Venture Association
Marc is the co-founder and CEO of CRE (www.connectedrealm.com), a socially conscious media publishing company powered by Emmy®-winning broadcast news professionals. CRE works with brands to create content that connects. An award-winning tech executive (mobile, VR, OTT), Marc also heads up Esports & Gaming for the L.A. Venture Association (www.lava.org).
John Carle
VP, Strategy & Business Development, BEN
John Carle is the Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at BEN where he focuses on helping brands navigate the influencer marketing space using BEN’s sophisticated AI & data.
A veteran in the entertainment space, Carle has sought to empower creatives by equipping them with the tools to not only succeed but thrive in an increasingly digital world. Between building over 300 storyline episodes for WWE and shaping undiscovered talent in the YouTube Community such as Nukazooka, Carle has helped forge unique paths for creatives that enable them to better connect with audiences and brands. Carle continues to be an active voice in the content creator community, with numerous panel and moderation engagements at both VidCon and Playlist Live over the years, as well as a seat on the Streamy Awards Blue Ribbon Panel judging committee.
In addition to being a gamer himself, Carle leads strategy for a number of BEN’s top gaming accounts including Ubisoft as they prepare for the 2020 launch season and their always on Games-as-a-Service library.
