Lessons from Samsung and NYX on using Twitch to grow your brand

Top Twitch streamers have millions of loyal followers. Ninja, for example, has 18 million, with Auronplay and Rubius following closely and the likes of Tfue, XQc and Shroud all with over 10 million.

Similar to YouTube, Twitch users are more appreciative of advertisers than other social platforms, understanding that their money supports their favorite creators. This means Twitch users are more receptive to brands on the site.

Marketers would be wrong to assume Twitch could only play a role in the marketing of gaming adjacent brands or for purely male Gen Zs, however. In fact, women make up around 20% of the user base and the brands advertising on Twitch run the gamut. Beauty brands NYX Professional Makeup and Benefit Cosmetics were both sponsors of the 2022 TwitchCon event, for example.

NYX’s head of consumer engagement, Diana Valdez, previously told Glossy magazine: “NYX Professional Makeup has a unique and developing relationship within this community.” At TwitchCon, NYX “wanted to experiment and learn more about consumer behavior, all while engaging with the community and having fun.”

Elsewhere, some forward-thinking charities have found entirely new fundraising avenues by partnering with gaming streamers. “If you can create mechanics by which other people can do the fundraising for you, then that’s great,” says Ed Cox of Yonder Media, which counts the likes of Shelter and Alzheimer’s Research UK among its clients. Make-A-Wish Foundation is one charity using the platform to get streamers to raise money on its behalf.

Cox adds: “It’s a growing toolkit for charities and it helps you reach different audiences that are hard to reach. If you look at the media consumption stats, you know that people who spend a lot of time on Twitch aren’t spending a lot of time on other media.”

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing on Twitch works by brands and creator agencies reaching out to offer paid or gifted opportunities in exchange for a feature within a live stream. Collaborations include shoutouts, sweepstakes, giveaways and product unboxing. Unlike with Instagram campaigns, for example, all Twitch content is live-streamed so a lot of work does have to be done before the stream to ensure the campaign goes ahead without a hitch.

Branded channels

Another option is to set up a branded channel to host weekly live streams. This is a good way to launch new products or services and to build a sense of community around a brand.

Twitch ads

There is also the option to run traditional ads on Twitch. These are either banners or in-video ads, either pre, mid or end content. The best advice is to take Twitch advertising slow and steady, getting to grips with the platform and what works before investing too heavily or too frequently.

In terms of content, Twitch is an entertainment platform so keep ads positive and upbeat. Anything too heavy will be off-putting in this environment.

Samsung Galaxy case study

For the launch of the Galaxy S21 smartphone in Italy, Samsung used a combination of Amazon Ads and Twitch. On launch day, Samsung collaborated with an Italian tech site’s Twitch channel to host an unboxing event. Samsung also took out space on Twitch’s Homepage Headliner to run creative pre, during and post-launch. There were also takeover video ads running for three days, which had 100% of the first video impression for a user.

Over the course of the three-month campaign, Samsung reached 1.6 million unique visitors on Twitch. Tapping into Italian influencer talent for the live streams to increase local resonance also paid off. 70,000 unique users tuned in to watch the Twitch live stream, with 95,000 views and a cumulative total of 375,088 minutes watched.

Lindsey Gamble, associate director of influencer innovation at Mavrck, gives three top tips:

1. Creator-centric approach: “Twitch’s community is more sensitive to sponsored content than other platforms. Therefore, it is important for sponsored live streams to be led by the creators. Creators should be able to integrate your brand, products, or services into their streams in a way that is natural to their typical streams, ensuring that the viewer experience is not disrupted. Aligning sponsored streams with a streamer’s usual schedule can also create a seamless integration while helping to maximize viewership.”

2. Safety-first: “The unpredictability of live streaming on Twitch poses brand safety challenges. As it is impossible for streamers to script their entire content, provide them with clear guidelines, including how to handle inappropriate comments from their viewers. Ideally, schedule a briefing call before they go live to go over deliverables, set clear expectations, and address any questions they may have.”

3. Amplify and measure: “To maximize reach and impact, introduce additional deliverables and components. Encourage streamers to promote and build anticipation for upcoming streams. After the streams, have them share a clip of the integration on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Twitch’s soon-to-be-available Discovery feed. You can also provide creators with exclusive promo codes to share with their audiences during their streams to measure lower results, such as clicks and conversions, along with key metrics, such as total views, concurrent views, and unique chatters.”