Episode Summary: Breaking Barriers in Esports with Brian Cooley, CMO of PlayVS
Podcast: Marketing Today with Alan Hart
Host: Alan B. Hart
Guest: Brian Cooley, Chief Marketing Officer of PlayVS
Episode: 446
Release Date: November 20, 2024
Introduction to PlayVS and the Esports Landscape
In this episode, Alan Hart welcomes Brian Cooley, the Chief Marketing Officer of PlayVS, a prominent scholastic esports platform in North America. The conversation delves into the burgeoning market for collegiate and scholastic esports, highlighting PlayVS's role in facilitating competitive gaming among high schools and middle schools across the United States.
Key Highlights:
- Market Potential: Brian shares startling statistics, noting that 46% of students participating in esports through PlayVS had never engaged in extracurricular activities before (02:41). This underscores the vast untapped potential of esports in fostering student engagement.
- Gaming Prevalence: With 90% of teens gaming in some capacity, whether casually or competitively, esports presents a significant avenue for school involvement and community building (01:14).
Brian Cooley’s Global Perspectives and Career Journey
Brian recounts his diverse upbringing, having lived in Thailand, Venezuela, and South Africa, and traveling to over 50 countries. These experiences have profoundly influenced his approach to relationships, work, and cultural engagement.
Notable Insights:
- Cultural Adaptability: "Every time you have the opportunity to leave our shores and engage with people from different cultures, you realize... it's really important to be thoughtful about your interactions internationally" (03:03).
- Career Path: Starting in grassroots sports leagues in Washington, D.C., Brian’s career spans the automotive industry, education technology with companies like IBM and EverFi, leading up to his current role at PlayVS (06:03).
PlayVS’s Business Model and Strategic Pivot
PlayVS operates the largest network of scholastic esports platforms, encompassing approximately 4,000 schools with plans to expand to over 20,000. Brian elaborates on their innovative revenue model shift from licensing fees to engaging with the private sector to fund and scale their offerings.
Key Points:
- Network Growth: Focused on expanding the network to include more schools and increasing student participation in esports (09:46).
- Revenue Model: Moving away from school licensing fees to leveraging corporate partnerships with corporations, nonprofits, and foundations to fund esports programs (09:46).
The Evolution and Impact of Scholastic Esports
Brian emphasizes PlayVS’s vision to establish an official governing body for scholastic esports, akin to the NCAA, organizing leagues, tournaments, and state championships.
Notable Quotes:
- "We're actually trying to build what is akin to the NCAA, if you will. So creating the official body that organizes runs leagues and tournaments and actually runs state championships" (11:37).
- School Pride and Community: Esports provides students the opportunity to represent their schools, fostering pride and community similar to traditional athletics (15:03).
Partnerships with Professional Sports and Special Initiatives
PlayVS has forged significant partnerships with major gaming publishers like Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and the NFL, integrating popular titles such as Fortnite, Mario Kart, League of Legends, NBA 2K, and Madden into their platform.
Key Insights:
- Professional Integration: Collaborations with the NFL and Premier League aim to bridge esports with traditional sports, enhancing engagement and fan loyalty (19:58).
- Special Olympics Partnership: PlayVS runs the Unified Esports Program, fostering inclusion by creating teams of students with and without intellectual disabilities, enhancing teamwork and mutual understanding (22:51).
Notable Quotes:
- "Esports provided a really interesting opportunity...and we're seeing esports is now one of the fastest growing activities at schools in the United States" (15:03).
Esports as a Marketing Opportunity
When asked why marketers should care about esports and gaming, Brian passionately outlines the vast engagement potential with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are increasingly disengaged from traditional marketing channels.
Key Points:
- Audience Engagement: Gaming offers a unique platform to connect with younger generations who prefer interactive and immersive experiences over linear TV or billboards (24:56).
- Influencer and Creator Economy: The rise of content creators and streamers in gaming presents new avenues for authentic brand partnerships and marketing strategies, allowing brands to tap into existing engaged communities (36:48).
Notable Quote:
- "If gaming is not on the radar of a marketing team or a CMO at this point, then I think they're really missing a massive opportunity" (26:51).
Personal Insights and Advice
Brian shares personal reflections on the importance of building and maintaining relationships in the digital age and advises younger marketers to prioritize genuine interactions over over-reliance on automated solutions like AI.
Key Takeaways:
- Power of Relationships: "Behold the power of relationships... developing relationships is so important" (30:21).
- AI in Marketing: While recognizing AI’s potential, Brian warns against marketers becoming too dependent on it, advocating for creativity and personal interaction as essential for effective marketing (32:30).
Current Trends and Future Outlook
Brian discusses the rapid evolution of the gaming and esports landscape, highlighting trends such as the dominance of influencers and the continuous growth of esports integration with traditional sports.
Key Points:
- Content Creators: The significant impact of gaming influencers who can rapidly amass large followings, presenting both opportunities and challenges for brand alignment (34:39).
- Future Opportunities: Plans to expand esports offerings, integrate more professional sports partnerships, and leverage gaming to foster deeper community and brand engagement (36:55).
Notable Quote:
- "Artificial intelligence is a massive focus for so many people who work in marketing or really any business for that matter... personal interaction, creativity, ingenuity... is the way that you're going to get in front of buyers" (32:30).
Concluding Thoughts
Brian concludes by emphasizing the critical need for marketers to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and leverage digital platforms like gaming to stay relevant. He underscores the importance of creating authentic, engaging experiences that resonate with younger generations, ensuring long-term brand loyalty and community.
Final Insights:
- Adaptability in Marketing: Marketers must rethink traditional strategies and embrace innovative platforms to connect with the largest generations ever (36:55).
- Future Workforce: Engaging with Gen Z and Gen Alpha not only builds brand loyalty but also connects with future employees who value authentic and innovative brand interactions (38:13).
Closing Quote:
- "Whether you're selling deodorant or a sports drink or you're selling an automobile, you need to find ways to be relevant with an audience that is dramatically different than it ever has been" (36:55).
Key Takeaways
- Esports as a Growth Engine: Scholastic and collegiate esports represent a significant opportunity for student engagement, community building, and brand marketing.
- Innovative Revenue Models: Transitioning from licensing fees to corporate partnerships can effectively scale esports programs in educational institutions.
- Influencer Marketing in Gaming: Leveraging gaming influencers and content creators is crucial for reaching and engaging with younger audiences.
- Relationship Building: Prioritizing genuine relationships and creativity remains essential in the digital marketing landscape, even amidst advancements in AI.
- Future-Focused Marketing: Adapting marketing strategies to incorporate gaming and esports is vital for staying relevant with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, ensuring brand loyalty and workforce alignment.
Explore More:
- PlayVS Website: www.playvs.com
- Contact PlayVS: info@playvs.com
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Timestamps for Notable Quotes
- 02:41 - "46% of students participating in esports had never engaged in extracurricular activities before."
- 03:03 - "It's really important to be thoughtful about your interactions internationally."
- 06:03 - Brian’s career journey from grassroots sports to PlayVS.
- 09:46 - Shift from licensing to corporate partnerships in PlayVS’s revenue model.
- 11:37 - "We're actually trying to build what is akin to the NCAA."
- 15:03 - Esports provides students the opportunity to represent their schools.
- 19:58 - Partnerships with NFL and Premier League to bridge esports with traditional sports.
- 22:51 - PlayVS’s Unified Esports Program with Special Olympics.
- 24:56 - Importance of gaming for marketers targeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
- 26:51 - "If gaming is not on the radar of a marketing team or a CMO at this point, then I think they're really missing a massive opportunity."
- 30:21 - "Behold the power of relationships... developing relationships is so important."
- 32:30 - "Personal interaction, creativity, ingenuity... is the way that you're going to get in front of buyers."
- 34:39 - The rise and impact of gaming influencers and content creators.
- 36:55 - "You need to find ways to be relevant with an audience that is dramatically different than it ever has been."
- 38:13 - Connecting with future employees through authentic and innovative brand interactions.
Note: Timestamps referenced correspond to the transcript provided and indicate when notable quotes occur within the episode.