Rachel Delphin, CMO of Twitch, writes for Esports Insider to discuss how TwitchCon Europe can help brands forge authentic connections with GenZ and Millennial audiences, increase purchase intent and bolster gaming association.
TwitchCon is Twitch’s semi-annual IRL gathering that sees tens of thousands of streamers, viewers, and communities meet in person for a weekend of creativity, competitive gaming, knowledge-sharing and fun.
Taking place in Rotterdam on June 29th -30th, this year’s event is looking to offer more partnerships and opportunities to authentically tap into a crucial digital-savvy Gen Z and Millennial audience.
Last year, brand partners for TwitchCon Europe — such as Crocs, Samsung and NYX Professional Makeup — saw direct visibility amongst gamers in Paris. Ahead of TwitchCon in Rotterdam, this article aims to break down one of streaming’s biggest gatherings to highlight the potential return on investment brands can gain by getting involved.
What is TwitchCon Europe?
Twitch is a global leading live streaming service that empowers communities to create and watch content together. Twitch’s goal is to create a safe place for a live content creator to build thriving communities.
Moreover, the company is invested in helping streamers of all sizes understand best practices to grow their communities, earn income, connect with new partners and brands, and stay safe on the service.
Advertisers play an important role for individuals on the platform, enabling streamers of all sizes to earn income while doing what they love.
Twich’s global communities are built around creativity, with TwitchCon being a core focus of this offering to provide the largest real-life gatherings and celebrations. What makes these events unique is that TwitchCon attendees are full of engaged individuals — viewers and streamers — who build bonds online and then are given opportunities to see their fans and friends in person via a safe environment.
The semi-annual TwitchCon Europe event is expected to attract over thousands of visitors, thanks to the geolocation and accessibility of the Netherlands’ second-largest city, Rotterdam. TwitchCon’s US counterpart will take place in San Diego on September 20th-22nd.
Alongside footfall, TwitchCon Europe also provides a great way to reach audiences beyond the venue. Not only do fans leave loaded up with merch and memories, but the event is streamed on Twitch due to additional content touchpoints that are offered to those watching virtually. With over 35m daily visitors, Twitch is at the forefront of the online zeitgeist, home to a community composed primarily of Gen Z and Millennials, including nearly 70% between ages 18 and 34, according to the streaming platform’s own data.
Understanding streamers and being able to tap into a demographic that is becoming increasingly hard to reach is an ongoing challenge for many brands looking to enter the scene. TwitchCon Europe not only taps into that IRL audience, but it allows brands to reach peer groups at home as well. This makes TwitchCon Europe an incredible opportunity for marketers and brands to create ‘money can’t buy’ experiences, entertainment and interactions, reaching a huge, digital-savvy GenZ and Millennial audience.
What happens at TwitchCon Europe?
Since 2019 TwitchCon Europe has been a major fixture in the European livestreaming calendar. TwitchCon Europe in Rotterdam will give fans the chance to meet streaming celebrities and visit the show’s multiple live stages, an expo floor, interactive workshops, IRL meet-and-greets, and a tabletop gaming area, among many other attractions. Fans come to TwitchCon Europe to meet their idols, hang out with friends and enjoy a variety of entertainment.
This is a festival for live streaming, however, it also features multiple stages for live music and entertainment. TwitchCon Europe offers meet-and-greets with dozens of Twitch celebrities — household names among the Gen Z and Millennial audiences at the show. Visitors can head over to the Glitch Stage for the latest Twitch product updates with entertainment and live music.
Last year saw the launch of the new mobile Discovery Feed and Stories, as well as live appearances from top creators like HasanAbi and AustinShow. Meeting streamers is a big part of the attraction, but TwitchCon Europe has also created a space for communities to meet each other, often for the first time IRL. Fans also love to check out the TwitchCon Loot Cave, featuring the latest specially designed apparel like hoodies and even clothes for pets, much of which is exclusive to the event.
With nearly 7m creators going live on Twitch each month, TwitchCon Europe also looks to cater to the next generation of content creators, offering workshops and panels to help attendees level up their channels and build communities. As a result, TwitchCon Europe is a great place for brands to get in on the ground floor by building connections with the next wave of streaming talent.
How can brands get involved?
By bringing Twitch audiences together in person, TwitchCon Europe generates a very effective opportunity for brands to reach GenZ and Millennials, as well as high-value creators. Whether brands are looking to generate interest in specific products or grow their own unique community, there are plenty of options to explore.
According to Twitch’s data, last year, TwitchCon Europe resulted in brand partners recording a 9% uplift in brand awareness and a 10% increase in brand favorability — which is also 5% more than online uplift. Moreover, a 6% increase in a brand’s gaming affiliation occurred as well as a lift in purchase intent.
Brand integration can be channelled in multiple ways. Last year, Crocs was the first brand to create a presence in the Artist Alley, a marketplace within TwitchCon where creative streamers can meet their fans and share their art. Crocs gave attendees the chance to tap into their artistic side by giving away and allowing fans to create their own Jibbitz (shoe charms) which provided unique decorations for their Crocs.
Attendees were also invited to take an interactive personality test to find their perfect pair of Crocs. These IRL experiences were also combined with a series of live streams including a body painting streamer and makeup artist MCroft07 who embellished her own Crocs on stream while wearing her own custom Crocs headpiece. Chocolatier Paul Garderes also got crafty creating a chocolate Croc and Jibbitz live on stream. TwitchCon Paris attendees spent an average of 22 minutes at the booth and the online stream racked up over 200,000 minutes watched, according to the streaming platform.
Samsung wanted to put Galaxy S23 Ultra devices in the hands of gamers. So, the company took centre stage as a Presenting Sponsor and created a multifaceted booth featuring open product demo areas where attendees could play a variety of mobile games. The company also offered a photo booth and portrait studio taking pictures with devices and created TwitchCon Europe’s first mobile LAN tournament which hosted special show matches across Brawl Stars, PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 9. Per Twitch’s data, one-third of Expo Hall attendees visited the stand and spent over 20 minutes on average.
Finally, NYX Professional Makeup is a leading brand in vegan cosmetics. The company has been a brand partner for the last two years and last year NYX expanded its space and experiences online and offline. The aim was to create a safe and inclusive space in gaming and beyond, which was ultimately brought to life through the Game Out Loud campaign which offered an interactive experience where attendees were invited to try the makeup themselves with a makeover. NYX also sponsored the fan favourite Drag Showcase and hosted the sponsored panel and makeup artistry masterclass. Per Twitch data, 25% of Expo Hall attendees visited the booth with a 23-minute dwell time.
Reaching the audience that matters
With a strong data-supported track record helping brands reach this coveted audience, TwitchCon Europe is a viable strategic option to forge authentic connections with audiences spanning gaming, arts, music, and much more. Brands looking to capitalise on the influential power of content creators should get involved.
Twitch aims to help brands create unique spaces with carefully crafted packages to suit brand identity. If a brand is looking to build a connection with gamers or is interested in finding out more information on how to get involved contact Martin Howard, EMEA and APAC’s Director of Sponsorship Sales at Amazon/Twitch.