League of Legends IMC plan

Abstract

The League of Legends brand has flourished in the MOBA market despite being such a young company. One of the reasons that the brand has done so well is that the game is a terrific fusion of what consumers want from products in this category. Another contributing factor to the brand's success has also been the lack of formidable competition with the MOBA space. Some of the biggest names in video game publishing have announced that they are entering the MOBA market; creating cause for concern. Creating a strong brand is one of the best ways to maintain customer loyalty and defend yourself from competitors' attacks. Many of the strongest video game brands have a dynamic and progressive narrative for consumers to connect to; League of Legends should be among them. It is for this reason that this IMC campaign focuses on generating engagement and cementing the position of the League of Legends brand as the category authority in the MOBA market. The research that has been conducted on this market has led to the logic and decisions that underpin this campaign. Findings illustrate that League of Legends currently commands the greatest degree of brand loyalty in its gaming segment, but they also show that users are showing greater degrees of consideration regarding the 'soon to be' market entrants. The research did indicate that League of Legends scores very well on almost every important attribute that consumers look for when they are selecting a game to play. Furthermore, those surveyed said that they were more likely to spend a greater percentage of their income in the MOBA market, which indicates that the growth potential of this category is substantial. To establish League of Legends as the MOBA category authority this campaign has created additional touch points for the brand. These new avenues of communication can be expanded over time to foster deeper connections with users, and help to establish League's dynamic image. With time League of Legends will establish itself as the category's innovator; a valuable position for the brand. While League of Legends can go toe to toe with any of its competitors when it comes to the 'competition' game attribute, it will surpass them when consumers look for innovation and variety in their gaming experience. To accomplish this goal a blitz of online advertising is set to counteract the communications of DoT A 2. The campaign will take place predominantly online through video placements and banner adve1iising. Public Relations and event marketing also have huge roles to play in this campaign and will cover everything from explaining the changes that the campaign will bring, to hosting tournaments to reveal League of Legends' new game mode. The campaign will also make use of the expanding possibilities in the Smartphone arena; one day this platform could be one of League's most valuable communication assets.