How to build deeper audience connections through creators

At The Drum’s APAC Trends Briefing, experts discussed why it’s crucial for brands to be genuine and transparent to build trust with their customers in today's highly competitive market. The session explored the role that content creators can play and how brands can work together for sustainable brand building. Catch up on the full session here.

McDonald’s Singapore won at The Drum Awards for Digital Advertising APAC 2022 in the ‘Best High Impact Campaign’ category for ‘#TheSpicyDebate’ Twitch campaign.

Upon finding that more than 60% of gamers eat at its restaurants at least once a week, the brand launched its chicken McCrispy with Twitch to connect with the gaming community and create a more personal relationship with their customers, building trust and leading to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and establishing a relationship that goes beyond just a transactional one.

The strategy for McDonald’s was to work with content creators who could spark debate and get the Twitch community thinking about McDonald’s. The brand worked with a couple of local Twitch streamers including Keiji (/umeandhara) to create content and fun experiences with McDonald’s Chicken McCrispy. “Getting free food from McDonald’s was a great part of the experience. Working with a big brand like McDonald’s was nerve-wracking but the brand gave me full freedom to create content in a genuine and authentic manner,” says Keiji.

The idea behind McDonald’s campaign was to leverage the interactive capabilities of Twitch, building a strong relationship with the Twitch audience over time and hooking into cultural moments to make the content more memorable.

Working with content creators has proven successful for several brands. Gemma Battenbough, brand partnership studio lead , APAC at Twitch believes that it’s important for brands to work with creators who have a genuine affinity for their brand or product, and to allow the creator to speak on behalf of the brand in a way that feels natural and authentic. “By doing so, the brand can tap into the creator’s established community and build a deeper connection with their audience,” she says.

Authenticity is key when it comes to working with content creators and integrating brands into their content, says Melissa Tan, digital product lead at OMD Singapore. “The creators have built a relationship with their audience, and they don’t want to risk damaging that by promoting something that doesn’t align with their values or feels like a forced advertisement. It’s important to have a clear playbook and brand guidelines, but being flexible and willing to co-create with a partner can lead to great results.”

Although Twitch is associated with gaming, it’s a versatile live streaming service where creators can do a wide variety of things, says Keiji. “The real-time aspect is a unique advantage when it comes to audience engagement, as viewers can give immediate feedback and creators can respond in real-time, making it a more interactive and personal experience. This can be especially valuable for brands looking to connect with their audience in a more meaningful way,” he adds.

To learn more about how brands can collaborate with creators, check out the full session on The Drum TV.