Nielsen Media Research unveiled plans to assess esports viewership. The service is meant to help brands make better sponsorship decisions when it comes to professional gaming events.

Howard Appelbaum, president of Nielsen Entertainment, enthused:

“There’s a high demand for reliable, independent measurement of value in esports. We’re excited to enhance our client offerings and provide the industry with solutions that will help guide and optimize investment decisions in this exciting, growing space.”

Esports Marketing: Global Advertising Advantage

It’s little surprise that Nielsen is sidling up to the esports industry; because these days, professional gaming is all the rage. Major leagues, like FIFA and the NBA, are launching digital counterparts. Moreover, viewership numbers on portals like YouTube and Twitch continue to climb.

Plus, the global reach of esports — and related events — is attractive to big brands.

Craig Levine, CEO of ESL in North America, explained:

“The global, digital and young nature of esports fan base audience represents advertising’s most highly sought after segment, yet consistent and high-quality data has been a challenge to measure and define. We’re excited to partner with Nielsen and other industry leaders to guide the framework to measure esports sponsorships, shape the industry, and help further accelerate the esports industry overall.”

The VP of Nielsen Games, Nicole Pike, further clarified the draw of esports advertising:

“Showing the same content to different people all over the world; that becomes very attractive.”

Advertising Regulation Reminders

Since esports marketing is a global affair, it’s especially important to comply with promotional regulations. Rules vary by jurisdiction, but they all adhere to the same basic principles:

• Don’t lie;
• Don’t make unsubstantiated claims;
• Do disclose material relationships; and
• Don’t dupe consumers with design tricks.

Click here for a full list of advertising dos-and-don’ts.

Connect With An Esports Marketing Attorney

Our firm helps players, personalities, teams, and sponsors with various esports marketing and business issues. To learn more, please head to the esports law section of our site. Ready to chat? Please get in touch.

Article Sources

Khan, I. (2017, August 17). Nielsen announces esports analytics platform. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/20368526/nielsen-announces-esports-analytics-platform