Korean e-sports team DRX won the world’s largest e-sports competition ‘League of Legends (LoL) World Championship 2022 (World Championship)’ held in the United States on the 5th, and DRX sponsor companies such as Shinhan Bank Yes24 Red Bull Porsche They are analyzed to have enjoyed a huge marketing impact.
According to the industry on the 7th, This Worlds was broadcast in 21 languages through 22 broadcasting companies. According to the e-sports chart of the e-sports statistics company, the highest number of simultaneous viewers of the finals reached 5,147,699, the highest number in the history of e-sports. This number excludes viewers in China, a huge market. Considering that the highest number of simultaneous viewers of ‘Proof Live’, a performance commemorating the 9th anniversary of the founding of the global idol group BTS (BTS) in June, is about 2139,000, it is a significant scale.
The ‘underdog effect’ is the reason for the success of this final. It refers to the psychological phenomenon of cheering and supporting the team (underdog) with a low probability of winning. DRX, led by captain Deft (Kim Hyuk-gyu), reached the final after repeated reversals from the bottom of the region. It was also noted that the last opponent was the world class T1 team. In T1, Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok), known as a ‘living legend’, is the captain. The fact that the captains of the two teams were the same as Mapogo was also a factor in the show’s success.
With this event as an opportunity, DRX sponsors enjoyed an unexpected global marketing impact. The company logo engraved on the uniforms worn by the players is sent worldwide. DRX sponsors include Shinhan Bank, Red Bull, Porsche, Yes24, Huons, Logitech, Hyper, Soldak, Xenix, Afreeca TV, Seoul National University, University of Utah Asia Campus.
It is analyzed that Shinhan Bank, which has been the main sponsor of DRX since last May, has made the most of the marketing effect in half a year. It was an opportunity to introduce the brand not only to Generation Z (born in the mid-1990s to early 2000s), the main consumers of e-sports, but also to the world. Shinhan Bank has 10 overseas subsidiaries in the United States, Europe, Japan, China and Vietnam. It is accelerating its global business expansion through 165 networks in 20 countries.
Shinhan Bank President Jin Ok-dong also provides full support. The DRX team is said to have paid special attention to him, such as instructing them to upgrade their round trip tickets so that they could maintain their best condition in this tournament. Shinhan Bank plans to hold various events as soon as the athletes return to their homeland on the 9th to attract e-sports fans as customers.
By Park Sang-yong, staff reporter yourpencil@hankyung.com
