Ad opportunities on Twitch are changing for the better, says Gemma Battenbough
Five new ‘cultural codes’ have changed user behaviours on streaming service Twitch, opening up new opportunities for brands to better reach Generation Z, according to Gemma Battenbough, the service’s head of brand partnerships studio, APAC.
Advertising to Gen Z can be difficult, and many brands who turn to Twitch have clear targets in mind, Battenbough said.
“Advertisers typically come to Twitch with quite clear objectives, so usually they want to drive awareness around a brand or a product launch to a hard to reach audience,” she said.
Gemma Battenbough
“But Generation Z prefer user-generated content and things that are a bit more authentic, where they actually get to have an influence over the content, and play an active role rather than a passive one…this can make it really difficult for brands.”
But, Twitch research has found five so-called ‘cultural code’ changes that reflect the experiences and understandings of young people, and Battenbough said these can give brands new ways to leverage audiences.
“These cultural codes have huge influences on the culture of Twitch and the way young people interact with each other and with brands. We’re now seeing brands come up with more unique strategies to target this audience.”
Curated to authentic
Gen Z has grown up in a time where truth is under fire, cancel culture is becoming more frequent and curated experiences are being ‘shunned’.
“There’s a growing realisation among this audience that news can be fake and influencers, no matter how relatable they are, might utilise technology to curate lifestyles that might not be true,” Battenbough said. “What we’re seeing from the audience is that they’re seeking out more raw, real and authentic experiences.”
When brands use streaming services such as Twitch, they are more candid, which she said can help build customer trust.
“The real and informal nature of live streaming, where things can go wrong and you can’t delete them or edit over them, is part of the beauty of authenticity, and brands can learn to leverage this to build trust with this audience.”
Fixed to fluid
Battenbough said pop culture is shifting from fixed, one way experiences to more interactive and circular entertainment, giving Generation Z more of an influence over the content they see, providing them with more active roles.
“For advertisers, interactive storytelling means more ways to co-create content with an audience, giving users an active role.
“Using these tools to bring the community into the content makes it more enjoyable and influential for the audience, which benefits the brand immensely,” she added.
Exclusive to inclusive
Generation Z prefer inclusive content and advertising, to welcome everyone and allow for comprehensive participation.
“No matter where they are in the world, no matter how much money they’ve got, they believe it should be for everyone,” Battenbough said.
Drawing on an example from a Black Adam Premiere brand deal, where Twitch organised ‘roving reporter’ creators who livestreamed at the red carpet, Battenbough said the audience, who were given an inclusive opportunity to interact with celebrities and the Black Adam brand, greatly benefitted – as did the brand.
“It just shows how this change in culture can help brands target this typically hard to reach audience to a greater level,” she said.
Passive to collaborative
Battenbough said advertisers need to better “lean into interactivity” to target the young audience, and give them active roles to get brands off the ground.
Brands should take collaborative approaches to content, and “authentically stand for something with the community”, to reach the audience effectively.
Disengaged to purposeful
“It’s about authentically standing for something with the community” said Battenbough. “That’s how you get the audience to interact with your brand.”
“Think about what your core values are as a brand, and work with creators that can get behind those. Brands can really support the community through that, which will benefit them in the long run ” she concluded.
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Lauren McNamara is a journalist at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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