Esports questions from Pause Fest

Transcriptions done by robots in Descript app (they are getting better but not yet perfect)

The question Two was how should brands enter esports and gaming? And again, I'm putting esports & gaming because I think they do go hand in hand and they do require different strategies. As I sort of spoke before, they're not one group. but my best advice is to go in with your eyes and ears open and ready to learn about new platforms and even new language. if you go in a with a approach that, Hey, this is the content that we've got on other platforms or this has worked on other mediums, Without catering and understanding the market, it will fall flat, or resonate not at all. and I think at the moment, especially, especially in this market, but I think it's actually a smart global approach, is to take a cautious approach. Which for me makes sense. you have to ignore the hype. even as someone who is a hype man for esports and gaming, you need to peel back some of that hype and understand what you're trying to get out of it. It's exactly the same as if you would tackle any other vertical, whether that be live, entertainment, music, sport, you need to know what you want to get out of it. Take a cautious approach. because people will say, There is 300 million people watching, been, and that is an aggregated figure across multiple titles or around a major event. It's a matter of being an, understanding what you're doing and taking a cautious approach, but understanding that you'll, you'll have to be planning, to upscale for success as the industry, grows. So this is a really good time to get into the market, to understand, test and learn. So when the budget start justifiably being raised you'll have enough knowledge to know where you should put your money. and I think the other thing that I do tell brands, and I expect the same of us, you know, representing Gravitas and, and pitching your brands, hold gaming and esports accountable. If they're gonna make big, bold promises about. Anything, hold them accountable, make them, make the earn the dollars. I think some of the early money coming into the space hasn't been, hasn't been earned. and that has caused some issues in some, some regions around the world. I think it is a two way street. You can't be pointing fingers from a sponsorship point of view. if as a sponsor and a partner, you are not holding someone accountable. And then on the other side, if you are the rights holder and not, not delivering, it is a two way street. So. if you're a brand entering, hold them accountable. Knowing that they, that the industry overall is still learning the space, not exactly across all things, data savvy. You can't hold them to the same, same high bar that you might do in a, in established businesses like music and sports. but knowing that that's, that's the place you want them to get to.