Social media platforms where gamers can chat with each other about games and tech have made it easier for studios and brands to spread the word about their future and ongoing projects. Gaming audiences are internet-savvy, and know how to identify (and even avoid) traditional marketing tactics. The question stands — is marketing no longer important and effective? Our answer is a resounding ‘no.’ In fact, marketing is thriving.
Expanding Beyond Silos
So why do some people claim these industries are dying? It’s probably a combination of luck, the right place, right time, and missing out on what their teams are doing. Comms as a whole isn’t just about shouting about company news or products or getting a post to go viral. It’s about building relationships with strategic partners in the media, social media included. It’s about getting the timing right on announcements, so they aren’t overshadowed by other news. And it’s sometimes just about getting lucky on what consumers want to know about.
Without Marketing or Public Relations, most companies would just exist in a silo of their own making. But with comms teams, they are able to expand beyond their silos and share their vision with a wider audience. Without comms, companies wouldn’t be able to share product announcements and company news or have thought leaders recognized as there wouldn’t be anyone to write the releases, distribute them, coordinate interviews and events, or make sure all messaging is aligned. And without news going out, it’s harder for companies to generate backing for funding, curate positive audience sentiment, or stay relevant in the eyes of their customers and shareholders. It’s a bit hard to get noticed if you don’t have someone on the team shouting about the latest and greatest things your company has done.
Positioning Your Brand
Beyond getting news out, comms teams also submit companies to awards and get their thought leaders into speaking events at major conferences. You can’t win an award if no one knows about your product or company in the first place, and that’s where comms teams come in. They make sure your game, team, or company as a whole is recognized by the award committees, and then after winning, they make sure the rest of the world knows about it too.
Comms teams also make sure your thought leaders are speaking in front of the best of the best. That they are meeting the right people at the right time, and that what they are saying is fully aligned with the company’s mission and values. People don’t become thought leaders overnight – it takes a team of dedicated people working to make sure everything is in place for the spokesperson’s moment in the sun.
Marketing is Growing
What’s the takeaway from all of this? Well, basically, it’s that marketing, public relations, and comms as a whole aren’t going anywhere. In fact, global PR is expected to grow to more than $133 billion by 2027 and the digital advertising and marketing market is projected to reach $786.2 billion by 2026. If you want to really get your company noticed, it only makes sense to partner with a comms agency with a track record of getting companies noticed. And if you’re in gaming, hardware, or tech, that means partnering with Heaven Media. If you’re ready to have a real comms plan, and not relying on getting lucky on Twitter, drop us a line and we’ll be happy to get your company noticed by the right people, at the right time, and not let your news be just a flash in the pan.
