Unlocking the Power of Live Events
How to optimize your company's communications strategy at this year's summer conferences.
Welcome to Talking Points by JSA, a monthly newsletter on the trends and topics defining public relations in gaming & esports, consumer tech, and digital media. Created by JSA+Partners, Talking Points will be delivered to your inbox on the first Friday of each month.
🎤 Unlocking the Power of Live Events
Are in-person events really worth it? When we have the ability to speak with anyone around the globe on Zoom, getting out of your house (or sweatpants) can feel unnecessary, tedious, or even daunting. But luckily for the extroverts, live events are here to stay. From Cannes Lions to VidCon to Fortune Brainstorm, the summer events season is upon us as a warm-up to the fall.
Although some conferences have successfully integrated hybrid models, there is no substitute for the face-to-face, networking opportunities of live events. Ahead of the marathon of summer conferences, here are a few key practices to maximize your company’s presence and, more importantly, your time out of the office or house.
⏰ Time your news wisely.
Announcing new partnerships, product launch or meaningful business update during a marquee event gives you a meaningful news hook and a chance to ensure your announcement is put directly in front of your industry’s target audiences. But it’s safe to bet you’re not the only brand with this bright idea, so we have a few tips to avoid getting lost in the shuffle.
Always start your media outreach earlier than you’d think, and aim for the announcement to go live in conjunction with an owned moment. Have an executive doing a fireside chat or speaking on a panel? Coordinate outreach to time the news to hit at the same moment it’s announced on stage. This not only increases coverage potential but ensures key media that are not in the audience don’t miss the news. Using live opportunities to amplify your news outside of digital coverage will help drive more eyeballs to the stories you’re trying to tell in real time.
🤝 Never underestimate the power of informal meet-and-greets.
Informal meetings can be powerful for planting seeds for long-term storytelling, securing quotes in event roundups, or just getting to know what a reporter cares about. Public relations is all about the latter – relations. Since conferences provide a natural setting to connect, build the foundation for these relationships by meeting reporters in person for an informal introductory conversation.
If you’re unable to secure the media list for an event, do some detective work. Often, reporters post on social media if they’re attending major industry events, or you can check which reporters are moderating panels on the event website. If you have an announcement timed for the event, lean into that to grab their attention and have something newsworthy to talk about.
📚 Do your homework.
While it may seem obvious, simply looking through the event website to get a sense of speakers and programming isn't nearly enough preparation. Comms teams should create thorough briefing books – even if no formal interviews are set up – so that if a reporter is nearby, you'll recognize them and know who they are and what they cover. It's also a good idea to ensure the entire team has talking points (and reactive messaging) memorized, so execs or other team members can be sure they’re sharing the most pressing, and factually correct, information.
Remember, there's no such thing as over-prepping. If you're speaking at the event, have a deep understanding of your audience and what will resonate most with them. Work with your comms team to identify your core set of key messages and find creative ways to integrate them naturally into conversations and most importantly, put them in your own voice.
If you’re heading to Cannes, Anaheim, or Park City this summer, make the most out of your IRL time. When approached strategically, conferences hold unique potential to secure impactful comms wins that prevail well beyond the event itself.
📈 The Wrap Report
🤖 In digital media & tech…
One of ChatGPT’s five new voices, "Sky," sounds strikingly similar to Johansson’s voice in "Her." Johansson declined OpenAI's request to use her voice in 2023 and was shocked by the similarity. OpenAI has now paused the use of the Sky voice in response.
At Google I/O, Google introduced AI Overviews in Search, and is already encountering widespread criticism. Several controversial responses have already gone viral on social media, including instances where the AI claimed glue belongs in pizza and suggested it's safe to leave a dog in a hot car.
Netflix announced at Upfront that it plans to take full control of its ad operations to create more targeted and personalized ad experiences for its subscribers. The move is to position itself as a competitor in the ad scene against companies like Google, Amazon, and Comcast. They plan to start exploring more “episodic” ads :( rather than the generic ones you see on your homepage.
Media companies are tapping more creators for Olympics coverage. At Newfronts, Snap said it will bring top creators including gymnast Livvy Dunne, reality TV star Harry Jowsey, and gamer and comedian Kai Cenat to the report from the Paris Games this summer.
🎮 In gaming & esports…
As esports continues to mature, Riot Games is celebrating its veterans with an all-new Hall of Legends. A collaboration with long-time partner Mercedes-Benz, the first-of-its-kind honor awards top players with custom in-game skins and quests. The award’s first honoree, 16-time title holder Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, was also awarded a custom Mercedes-AMG SL 63.
2024 is the year of indies, signaling a massive shift away from the traditional dominance of AAA developers. In mid-May, the latest indie title to become Steam’s top-grossing title was Hades II, which launched in early access. However, the likes of Animal Well, Balatro, Manor Lords, and more have rivaled the success of their AAA counterparts.
With Esports World Cup on the horizon, teams are expanding into new titles in an effort to be more competitive in the multi-title Club Championship awards. Most recently, organizations like Team Vitality have added to their roster in hopes of reaching a broader market. The strategy behind signing new teams, headed by Danny Engels, the Corporate Director of Global Operations, involves performing careful analysis that will attract new fans and sponsorships beyond the EWC.
The esports industry is establishing new homes across Europe and Asia, with multi-million dollar facilities opening in Croatia, France, and Abu Dhabi. This real estate expansion era reflects the growth the industry is experiencing globally. The Novska gaming campus and Karmine Corp arena plan to host around 3,0000 spectators for esports matches, tournaments, viewing parties, and other related events. The UAE aims to establish itself as the go-to destination for gaming talent with the first-ever esports island offering everything from high-tech venues, and content creation spaces, to a luxury hotel.
🗞 What We’re Working On
Subway Surfers, in collaboration with PlanetPlay and J Balvin, was named the Shorty Awards’ Gaming Audience Honoree – garnering the highest number of public votes in the category! (Shorty Awards)
Aerodome, the leader in Drone-As-First-Responder (DFR) technology, announced it raised $21.5 million in Series A funding, led by CRV with participation from a16z, Karman Ventures, and more. (Inc.)
Dude Perfect teamed up with Cherry Pick Gaming and CreatorsCorp to launch “Dude Perfect Dodgeball." This family-friendly game, developed on Fortnite’s Creative system, allows fans to engage with the Dude Perfect universe in an entirely new way. (Forbes)
EA’s FC Pro unveiled that the inaugural FC Pro World Championship will take place in Germany this summer. The new ecosystem’s crowning event will head to Berlin as 32 of the world’s best players face off for a $1 million prize pool and the title of world’s first FC Pro Champion. (Esports Insider)
The Apex Legends Global Series will introduce new changes for the ALGS 2024 Split 2. John Nelson, the ALGS Commissioner, announced plans for the big update to include a Preset Spawn System, POI Draft, and the removal of drop ship. (Siege.gg)
SYBO launched a partnership with Skate Like a Girl, a nonprofit focused on empowering individuals through skateboarding, to encourage players to “Surf As Yourself” this Pride Month. (Bleeding Cool)
G2’s Counter-Strike 2 team won IEM Dallas with a miracle run featuring North American stand-in Stewie2k. The retired Counter-Strike veteran was the only North American representative to make it beyond the Group Stage, and the team’s plight required them to defeat the world’s best teams, including the likes of FaZe, Vitality, and 9z. (HLTV)
Yahoo Finance’s Executive Editor, Brian Sozzi, hosted an exclusive interview with President Biden on how imports on certain Chinese tariffs will impact inflation, the potential of any retaliation, and why American households don’t feel wealthy despite more jobs, lower unemployment rates, and the stock market hitting a record high. (Yahoo Finance)
Jennifer Stephens Acree, our Founder & CEO, joined the Grow Your Creative Agency podcast to share her journey from politics to founding her own PR agency. Whether you’re looking to learn the basics on best communications practices or a seasoned professional — the episode has helpful insights for everyone. (Episode 13: Jennifer Acree of JSA+Partners)
Rolling Stone launched an all-new vertical, Rolling Stone Gaming, in partnership with ESL FACEIT Group. The section is committed to telling stories of the gaming community fit for all audiences, both gamers and non-gamers. (Rolling Stone)
Porsche and ESL FACEIT Group teamed up to name the company the Exclusive Automotive Partner of the OWCS Major at DreamHack Dallas. As a part of Porsche’s first major deal with an esports tournament operator, they took part of an onsite activation and presented the MVP of the OWCS competition with a special edition Porsche watch. (The Esports Advocate)
Thank You! 👋
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