MILWAUKEE, WI--(Marketwired - October 28, 2016) - GMR Marketing released a new proprietary research study, more than 40 years after the first known video game tournament -- shedding light on the behaviors, preferences and interests of eSports enthusiasts.

eSports no longer consists of gamers just competing against one another in basements across America. With 200 million people playing and watching eSports, it's a rapidly growing global phenomenon. Some eSports tournaments even rival the crowds and spectacle of traditional arena sporting events.

Unlike existing industry data, which focuses largely on the volume of eSports viewership, this special report -- eSports Marketing: Start with the Consumer, authored by GMR eSports subject matter experts Dave Rosenberg, Chief Strategic Officer, and Matt Hill, SVP, Global Sports & Entertainment Consulting, shares new insights on individual eSports fans.

"Knowing the raw numbers of viewers and participants is not enough," says Rosenberg. "As with all ‪sponsorship, strategy is key in ‪eSports. Are you targeting the whole fan, or a specific subset?"

GMR's research identified three distinct groups of eSports consumers -- the watchers, the players, and those who do both. These groups have different opinions about brand involvement, which should directly influence brand strategies.

This data unearths key insights that will help brands connect with fans including findings that:

• Most eSports enthusiasts say they appreciate when brands reach out through the gaming world.
• Players themselves are the most receptive to brand involvement.
• Players and fans alike ranked event marketing as one of the most effective ways to influence their brand purchase consideration.

GMR's research report also predicts which brands can be successful in the gaming ecosystem and lays out the most effective marketing tactics to reach this sought after demographic.

As the popularity of eSports soars, even the most experienced marketers have questions on how best to reach this growing audience. GMR has the insights and recommendations for brands based on decades of experience in gaming.

eSports Marketing: Start with the Consumer is now available to download online: http://gmrmarketing.com/esportsreport

Methodology: During Q3 2016, GMR Research launched an online survey to a panel of 800 eSports enthusiasts evenly split across the U.S. and the UK. To qualify for this survey, respondents had to either watch or play in eSports competitions, and consume on average no less than 5 hours of eSports content every week.

About GMR Marketing
We believe experience matters. Founded in 1979, GMR (www.gmrmarketing.com) is an innovative global sponsorship and experiential leader, connecting brands and their consumers through shared passions. We change how people think, feel and behave through the power of experience. Experiences founded on data, rooted in insight, grounded in strategy, designed meticulously and executed flawlessly. Our passionate global team of over 850 people creates, consults and activates in more than 70 countries, covering every continent from 19 offices in 10 countries. We're headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, USA, and are a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc.

About the DAS Group of Companies
The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

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