Spec work for Twitch’s Esports showcase.
In July 2020 I was a participant in Indoor Recess, an advertising competition for students that had lost internships due to COVID-19. The competition is over two weeks and is sponsored by real agencies, mentors, and clients. My session was lucky enough to have the unique client of Twitch, more specifically their Esports competition dubbed Twitch Rivals.
Matched with a team of nine other individuals across the country, we were asked to create an integrated campaign that leveraged the streamers invited to the Twitch Rivals stream (more specifically the Minecraft show) to build the hype around the show and get their viewers to watch them compete.
Twitch’s distinct platform is driven by the fact that all streamers started from scratch. Twitch’s viewers resonate with this fact, and find it easy to relate to their favorite creators through their personality, humor, and of course favorite games. The organic relationships that grow between streamers and their fans is unlike any other, and this kinship is a main driver for fans to return.
Our team landed on the insight that streamers would naturally promote Twitch Rivals by doing what they do best: gaming.
By incorporating challenges into every aspect of the competiton, streamers would pleasurefully engage in what Twitch Rivals has to offer. From the moment a creator announces they are invoted to the next Twitch Rivals show, everything they do is paramount to their success in the competition. The constant discussion of the stakes being raised would transfer over to the streamers’ fans, only to hype them up that much more.
Below are deliverables we created for show promotion.
Minecraft Chest Challenge: A themed box is sent to participating streamers that includes a small, simple crafting challenge inside. The crafts are related to the activities in Minecraft, like baking a cake, building a home, or sculpting armor and weapons. The streamers are asked to post photos of their creations to their social media channels, and the streamers that have the most engagements win advantages in the Rivals show.
Halftime Show: Engagement with viewers is crucial to get fans to stay on the stream while the show is happening. During halftime, fans will have the chance to participate in a mini game on a specialized Minecraft server. This extra-special hard mode will have fans fighting for their digital lives, and give them a taste of glory that their favorite streamers are battling for. Winners of the halftime show will Winn an actual cash prize and bragging rights to their peers.
RiddleBot: One unique feature of Twitch streams is the use of Bots in the chat. Bots have a number of automatic powers that viewers can call upon using commands. They can tell a viewer what song is playing in the background, ask for social media links, or even Sind a virtual hug. Throughout the Twitch Rivals show, the RiddleBot will spew questions related to the happenings of the stream. Viewers that answer the question the swiftest will win in-game loot, such as “skins”, or outfits that players can put on their Minecraft avatars.
For a video of our team’s presentation, click below!
I am so grateful to have worked on this project with a team that I bonded so closely with over only two weeks. I loved working with such a niche client, and I really felt driven to find a solution that made the most sense for Twitch’s users.
Thank you for viewing!
Thank you for viewing!