DGTL blitz versus: where esports is heading and whether the agency business is dying

Working with influencers, in my opinion, is largely defined by content.
What was the most creative and the most effective message during your collaboration with influencers? Or were they the same?

In esports, content is absolutely essential — what you say and how you say it matters greatly. Fans are highly attentive and assess whether you really know what you’re doing.
We have a dedicated department that writes in-depth articles analyzing tournaments, game updates, and creating player guides.

However, when it comes to influencer campaigns, the most effective messages were direct ones — like:
"Join, find a team, improve your skills."
The more direct the message, the better the conversion rate.

Still, there were a few creative exceptions when the influencer was genuinely passionate about the product and produced high-quality, engaging branded videos.
(Example available via link.)

There were also reverse cases — where influencer creativity went way too far (like a Russian YouTuber making a rap song about DreamTeam and a president). In such cases, we had to request that the video not be published.

Recommendation: Always monitor the content being released with your brand.

Esports is evolving rapidly. The company’s goal is to become a universal platform.
But what does “universal” mean? Could this dilute clear brand positioning?

The core idea is to become the single entry point for all things esports/competitive gaming:
Want to find a team? Improve your skills? Practice? Compete and earn money? Or build your team and brand?
All of that — on DreamTeam.

It’s certainly ambitious, and there are challenges with positioning, given the diverse audience — not just in goals but across different games.
We’re solving this progressively by identifying the most promising segments and adjusting our strategy accordingly.

Any co-branding experience with other industries? What was the impact?

At DreamTeam, not yet. We're a SaaS platform, and co-branding will come later — once the product is fully developed and ready for pro-level teams. For now, the focus is on a broader audience.

But we did have co-branding experience at NAVI — with mice, mousepads, headsets, keyboards.
Best case: after NAVI won The International (DOTA2), the SteelSeries NAVI branded headsets sold out within minutes.

In esports, content is key — what you say and how you say it. Fans pay attention to whether you know your game.

Esports: just hype or here to stay?

An interesting question.
Some numbers: Global esports revenues were projected to grow 38% to $906M in 2018 and reach $1.65B by 2021, according to Newzoo.

Personally, I love esports and fully support its development. The market? It’s a bubble — but a controlled one.
Traditional sports were once overinflated with investments too — that’s how major players got interested.
So yes, it's partially artificial, but it also builds real interest, and with that, market sustainability follows.

The market emerged organically — people gathered to play, first just for beer, now for $25M tournaments.
Competitive spirit is in our nature — we strive to be better, faster, stronger. Esports is how we express that through games.

Also, major companies like Epic Games, EA, Riot, Activision Blizzard are building entire esports infrastructures — with league systems and city-based teams, just like football.

Esports is here to stay. The real question is whether it can become a mass-consumed content format — since watching esports is still harder for many than traditional sports.

In the future, the lines will blur — we’ll see a fusion of sports and esports, enhanced by AR/VR technologies.
Competitions will take place in both dimensions, just like in the movie TRON.

Which brand is best to invest in for monetization — the company, the game, or the team?

Buy Bitcoin and DreamTeam tokens.

Is the agency model dying?
More companies prefer to build in-house marketing departments to achieve better results.
Change my mind.

It all depends on goals and structure.
If you need manpower, it’s easier to have them all in one office — give clear instructions, manage closely.
Alternatively, you can use freelancers.

But if a company understands its business challenge and is ready to delegate, an agency that solves business problems — not just does “creative creative” — is the best choice.

Such agencies are not dying, they’re still in early development.
The next phase? Success fee-based agencies.
That’s the model we’re ready for.

How to make the agency market more transparent?
Less corruption, inflated budgets, overpricing?
Is it possible to tie agency work to qualitative KPIs like sales or registrations, instead of just clicks?

Yes — that’s the success fee model again.
But it also requires commitment from the client: transparency, and delivering on their end — both to the agency and to the consumer.

Otherwise, the agency might work hard to bring in buyers, but if the client fails to deliver assortment, service, or retain users (LTV) — results won’t follow.

An agency can break its back attracting users, but without client-side effort, success is impossible.

Until both sides understand they’re in the same boat, and this is about business, there’ll be constant frustration and attempts to inflate/deflate results.

How to start in DGTL marketing?
Tips for beginners: what to learn, where to apply?

If you have no experience in digital marketing, start with a general course to narrow down your path.
For instance, digital development vs SMM are completely different fields, though both fall under DGTL.

From what I see in the market, there’s a big shortage of smart Project Managers — not just those relaying messages between clients and teams, but those who dive into the business, ask tough questions, and dig deep.

If you feel a natural inclination toward leadership, look into project management.
Start with books on Lean and Scrum, then read articles on different management approaches.
After that, choose your specialization.

Originally published on mmr.ua