SAPPHIRE Technology is a global computer hardware vendor. The company specializes in graphics cards which are the most important components from gamers’ point of view.
Challenge
The computer games market is growing dynamically year by year. The community of gamers is growing as well. According to Newzoo's data, in January 2014 there were 13 million of them in Poland. So far not much could have been said about gamers as a community. No cross-sectional study that would unveil the full view and characteristics of this group has been conducted. Many stereotypes have arisen about gamers due to the lack of reliable data. In the common consciousness of people who don't have much in common with gaming, an average gamer is an alienated individual leading an unproductive life. Similar views are often supported by the mainstream media, which is unfair for gamers, giving rise to their frustration. An adequately powerful and convincing message that would unlock the deadlock was missing.
One of the SAPPHIRE Technology's strategic fundamentals is to maintain close relations with gamers through the deepest understanding of the community and engagement in its life. Undertaking actions to improve gamers' image would be a practical accomplishment of this strategy. These objectives fit not only in the interest of the brand, but above all – of the entire community. In order to reach the public with a message that would verify the stereotypes on gamers, it was necessary to raise a widespread discussion in the media. The SAROTA PR agency was to make sure that SAPPHIRE Technology is perceived as a brand that is truly committed for its most important target group.
Solution
Situation analysis and the creative process resulted in the decision to conduct a campaign focused on the comprehensive study of the gamers community. The study was to allow for provoking the discussion about gamers and appreciating the community through the provision of reliable data about its members.The first step in the campaign's preparations was research on the existing studies of Polish gamers. The few available papers turned out to be confined to the description of gamers as digital entertainment consumers. These studies were of commercial nature, and that's why they didn't provide the impulse for public discussion on the issue. 3383 respondents took part in the largest identified study, which was Polskie Badanie Graczy (ie. Polish Gamers Study) 2014.
In the first stage of the campaign, the communication strategy was to bring the greatest possible publicity and maximize the reach of the study. It was based on encouraging gamers to take part in the initiative that would serve the entire community. The common goal of demonstrating the real profile of gamers was to unite them under the sign of #jestemgraczem.In order to accomplish the study demonstrating the cross-sectional and broad image of the gamers' community, the agency entered into cooperation with Ipsos research group. The study design process resulted in a 41-point questionnaire. It covered not only the issues related to gaming habits. The study results were also to provide knowledge on such topics as gamers' demographics, influence of games on social and professional life as well as participation in the culture. One could respond to the questionnaire on the action’s website: www.jestemgraczem.com.
As a result of the agency's efforts, an official, non-commercial partnership of 19 Poland's gaming and technology media was established. Representatives of selected partners spoke as experts supporting the need and idea of the study. Their opinions were placed on jestemgraczem.com. The list of experts included such names as Janusz Kubski, eSport evangelist and father of the Counter-Strike world champion; Jerzy Poprawa, CD Action's magazine editor-in-chief; and Marcin Kosman, managing editor of polygamia.pl. The total indicative number of partner websites' visits was nearly 34 million, the number of fans on Facebook pages reached 731 thousand, and the number of YouTube channels' subscribers was 1 million 722 thousand. Partners promoted the action in their communication channels and their reputation enhanced the campaign's popularity among gamers. Before and during the one-month study, the agency prepared and distributed three press releases. Moreover, a "Gamers' Examination Referral," resembling a medical specialty care referral, was mailed by post to selected public opinion leaders. The jestemgraczem.com site was featured with a number of social plugins that facilitated the viral transmission of messages about the action. On-going promotional and information campaign was conducted on official campaign profiles on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In the second stage of the campaign, the study report was published and extensive media relations activities were held in order to reach the public discourse with the positive message about gamers.
The professionally edited study report was prepared on the basis of completed questionnaires. Conclusions of the report were made public for the first time during the action's final gala at a cinema auditorium in Warsaw. The gala ceremony was conducted by Maciej "Sawik" Sawicki. Media representatives were invited to the event, and a part of guest passes were given out to gamers in a contest on the #jestemgraczem fan page on Facebook. Apart from the presentation of results, the final gala included also expert panels with journalists, bloggers, and scientists who specialize in gaming-related topics: Dominika Urbanska-Galanciak, PhD, a sociologist from the Games Research Association of Poland and Dorota Chmielewska-Luczak, PhD, a psychologist from the University of Wroclaw. The floor was also taken by Dan Forster from SAPPHIRE Technology. The event was broadcast live on the Twitch.tv platform, and soon after the final, a video reportage from the event was published.
The report was made publically available for download from the action's website and sent out to the partners and other media. A special newsletter was emailed to those respondents who expressed their interest in receiving the report. An infographic summing up the most interesting report conclusions was also published.
All the messages, both in the first and second stage of the action, included the information about the SAPPHIRE Technology's patronage, emphasizing the brand's commitment.
Effects
The #jestemgraczem campaign was launched on October 13, 2014. By November 11, when collection of questionnaires was closed, partners, influencers, and even the respondents encouraged to take part in the study. During this period, the action's website was viewed almost 300 thousand times, and the questionnaire was filled out by 79,543 people, making #jestemgraczem the largest project of this kind in the world.The action's reach in the social media was analyzed with the SentiOne tool. There have been over 7000 mentions (posts, tweets, etc.) related to #jestemgraczem and 94% of them were positive about it. Social plugins on jestemgraczem.com generated 15,894 interactions (one-third of them were shares).
The study results verified the stereotypes about gamers. The proved that a gamer has more friends than an average Pole, participates in the culture more often, is physically active and that games have positive influence on learning foreign languages and teamwork skills. The final 74-page report was downloaded 171,597 times.
The stage of media relations activity still lasted for a few weeks after the study completion. All in all, there were 274 publications on #jestemgraczem, including country-wide TV and radio stations (60), press (18) and online portals (196).
Infographics with the study results were virally spread around the web; in the kwejk.pl portal only it gained 1600 shares. The action was commented by internet celebrities, such as Artur Kurasinski, Pawel Tkaczyk, or Maciej Budzich. The final gala of #jestemgraczem, that was broadcast live on the internet, was watched 6380 people.
The SAPPHIRE Technology brand gained recognition among the gamers community as the initiator and patron of the campaign which allowed for spreading the positive message about gamers. The #jestemgraczem action leaves a solid source material that can be used in current or future discussions on the social and psychological profile of gamers.
#jestemgraczem was mentioned by: SuperStacja, 1, 3 and 4 Polish Radio stations,Eska, Antyradio, Radio Plus, WAWA radio, RDC radio, Wprost, Gentleman, Do Rzeczy, Dziennik Wschodni Lubelski, Głos Pomorza, Gazeta Współczesna, SuperNowości, CHIP, CRN, CD Action, tvn24.pl, wp.pl, interia.pl, onet.pl, gazeta.pl, wyborcza.pl, antyweb.pl, spidersweb.pl, kwejk.pl
The campaign won in the Technology - Agency category of the prestigious IPRA Golden World Awards 2015.
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