The gaming community is a core pillar for iQOO: Nipun Marya

Gaming has witnessed remarkable growth, with the global market set to surge from $281.77 billion in 2023 to $665.77 billion by 2030. Mobile gaming, esports, and streaming have broadened their horizons with 98% of Indian gamers playing on smartphones, driven by several factors. Within this landscape, another report by Dentsu showed that the pandemic led to a 45% increase in gamers and Esports in India has evolved as a new form of entertainment. With this, the scope for brands to associate with Esports is massive and the receptivity from the gaming community is also high. 

The number of Esports players in India grew 4x from 0.15 million in 2021 to 0.6 million in 2022, and is expected to grow 2.5x over the next five years to reach 1.5 million by 2027. As a result, mobile brands are increasingly recognizing the potential and influence of the gaming industry.

One such mobile brand, iQOO has focused on esports and gaming enthusiasts with its gaming smartphones. Making gaming its marketing focus area involves an array of initiatives and efforts that align with the gaming culture like launching several gaming IPs, collaborating with several gaming influencers, and more. The brand recently appointed a Gen Z gamer as Chief Gaming Officer (CGO) to better connect with the gaming community and tap into India's esports surge.

Nipun Marya, CEO of iQOO, talks about the brand's journey and its focus on serving the Gen Z audience, particularly the gaming community and how iQOO provides a platform for gamers to showcase their skills and compete at a high level.

Edited Excerpts:

Can you share marketing highlights of iQOO’s journey from its inception to the present day?

iQOO, a brand that caters to India's tech-savvy Gen Z and millennial demographic, has tailored its marketing strategies to resonate with this dynamic audience.

A recent campaign featured Vijay Devarakonda and Janhvi Kapoor, and addressed the common mispronunciation of the brand's name.

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It was discovered that many consumers struggled to pronounce "iQOO" correctly. The campaign film, conceptualized by Dentsu Creative India, showcased behind-the-scenes moments where the two celebrities humorously attempt to pronounce the brand's name correctly. The overall concept emphasized that while people may get the name wrong, iQOO gets one thing right—user satisfaction.

In addition to this, iQOO launched another campaign that featured Dulquer Salman, a popular and relatable figure, especially among the youth. The campaign aimed to promote the launch of the iQOO Neo 7 Pro smartphone. It revolved around a unique storyline where DQ Salman seeks peace and calm but is irresistibly drawn to the iQOO Neo 7 Pro smartphone placed next to him. The campaign illustrated how DQ gave in to temptation and started using the phone, captivated by its features. This immersion in the device led him to discover a new form of therapy called "tech therapy."

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iQOO has partnered with BMW. 

What channels and platforms does iQOO prioritize for marketing its products, and how do you tailor your messaging for each? What does your media mix look like?

iQOO emphasizes on digital and social media platforms as primary channels for marketing its products. Our target audience primarily consists of Gen-Z and millennials who are digitally inclined, and we tailor our messaging accordingly.

Our key platforms for marketing include Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, where we engage with our audience through content that highlights the features and qualities of our products. We recognize the importance of connecting with younger consumers who are mobile-first and social media enthusiasts, so we ensure that our messaging aligns with their preferences and interests.

In addition to these mainstream platforms, we have expanded our digital presence on snackable video OTT platforms like Hotstar and SonyLiv. This enables us to reach a wider audience and adapt our content to suit changing content consumption patterns. We also explore platforms such as Snapchat to further extend our reach and connect with the Gen-Z demographic.

In summary, our media mix prioritizes digital and social media channels to engage with our target audience effectively, and our messaging is tuned to resonate with the unique characteristics of each platform and the preferences of our audience.

iQOO has a strong presence on social media platforms. How does the brand engage with its audience on social media, and how important is social media marketing in iQOO’s overall marketing strategy?

iQOO emphasizes on engaging with its audience on social media, recognizing the significance of this channel in its overall marketing strategy. Our primary focus is on the youth, particularly Gen Z and millennials, who are tech-savvy and passionate about technology.

In our social media engagement, we aim to showcase the power and performance of our devices. Whether it's highlighting  specifications or delivering immersive experiences, we strive to connect with our audience's interests and passions.

Our marketing strategy revolves around reaching our consumers through various interest points that matter to them. We explore ways to engage with our target audience through content and spaces where they are most active and receptive.

Our approach is inherently digital-first. Social media marketing plays a pivotal role in our overall strategy, as it allows us to effectively connect with and resonate with our tech-savvy audience.

Influencer marketing has become increasingly popular. How does iQOO collaborate with influencers and what role do they play in the brand's marketing strategy?

Influencer marketing has indeed gained substantial prominence in recent times. iQOO recognizes the value of collaborating with influencers and has incorporated them into our marketing strategy to enhance brand visibility among our target audience.

Our approach to influencer collaborations has been diverse and tailored to different aspects of our brand. For instance, we have partnered with influencers and celebrities like Dulquer Salmaan, Janhvi Kapoor, Vijay Deverakonda, Rannvijay Singha and others. These collaborations help us leverage their reach and appeal to connect with a wider audience, especially among the younger demographic.

Furthermore, we have a strong focus on the gaming community, which is a core pillar for iQOO. To strengthen our presence in the gaming world, we've collaborated with top gaming Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) such as Jonathan, Mortal, Scout, and others. These collaborations not only promote our gaming-centric smartphones but also position us as a brand deeply committed to esports and gaming.

In addition to celebrity and gaming influencers, we've recognized the significance of online creators. We've leveraged the online reach of influencers like CarryMinati, Ashish Chanchlani, Myth, Triggered Insaan and others. These influencers resonate with our audience and help us establish a strong online presence.

Given iQOO's strong emphasis on serving the gamer community, how do you ensure that your marketing efforts resonate with this specific target audience while maintaining a broader appeal?

We have a mix of product portfolios which caters to different consumers maintaining broader appeal. iQOO aims to strike a balance between serving gamers' specific needs and maintaining broader appeal among technology enthusiasts and the wider market. This approach helps us align with our target audience's interests and passions while also ensuring our brand remains relevant and appealing to a larger customer base.

As mentioned, the gaming community is a core pillar for iQOO. To encourage esports players, we have created many Gaming IPs like the iQOO Pro Series, iQOO community Cup, iQOO All star and iQOO CGO. These events not only cater to gaming enthusiasts but also garner significant attention from a broader audience, providing a platform for gamers to showcase their skills and compete at a high level.

iQOO recently appointed a Gen Z gamer as its Chief Gaming Officer (CGO). How does this appointment align with iQOO's strategy to cater to the gaming community, and what role will the CGO play in shaping this strategy?

We recently appointed a Gen Z gamer as our Chief Gaming Officer (CGO) to better connect with the gaming community and tap into India's esports surge. This underscores our commitment to boost mobile gaming and nurture emerging talent in this exciting arena.

The response has been mind-blowing, with over 60,000 gamers vying for the CGO role. This surge aids us in generating curiosity among a broader audience.

Our CGO plays a pivotal role in shaping our gaming strategy, from building the iQOO gaming community to contributing to our esports initiatives. Crucially, they offer Gen Z insights, keeping us aligned with young gamers' preferences and trends. This loop guides our product and marketing strategies, making sure we stay relevant and appealing to the younger gaming crowd.

iQOO has expressed a commitment to uplifting the esports industry in India. What initiatives or actions is the brand taking to achieve this goal, and how do you envision this benefiting both iQOO and the gaming community?

To encourage esports players, we have created many Gaming IPs like the iQOO Pro Series, iQOO community Cup, iQOO All star and iQOO CGO. 

Right now, the iQOO community Cup is on and very soon we will kick start the iQOO All Star cup. Our future endeavors will also be towards empowering esport players.

Can you elaborate on iQOO's partnership with Krafton for the Battlegrounds Mobile India tournament series? How does this partnership fit into your broader esports and gaming-focused strategy?

We have partnered with Krafton in the past, where iQOO 7 Legend became the Official Smartphone for the Finals of KRAFTON’s First-Ever BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA Series in January 2022. 

Last year in May iQOO again became the title sponsor for BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA 2022 Esports tournaments. 

The partnership strengthens iQOO’s vision to contribute to the mobile gaming industry and Esports community in India while providing a platform for gaming enthusiasts to harness their talent.

How are you building brand preference and loyalty?

iQOO is actively cultivating brand preference and loyalty through a comprehensive approach. They have established "iQOO Connect," an official community where fans with a shared interest in technology, eSports, photography, and iQOO products can come together. Engagement is a cornerstone of their strategy, with fun contests on the community website and exclusive offline events, enabling face-to-face interactions.

We also cater to gaming enthusiasts with exclusive gaming sessions and provide sneak peeks of upcoming devices to generate anticipation. Open channels of communication, such as sessions with the product team and In-Depth Interviews (IDI) with users, allow for feedback and insights. Collaborations with community moderators and campaigns like NPL further strengthen their brand-consumer relationships. Through these initiatives, iQOO is successfully fostering brand loyalty and preference in a competitive market.

Can you share your marketing focus areas for the coming years?

In the upcoming years, our marketing focus will be aligned with our core TG, i.e Gen Z. We understand that a lot of time is spent by our TG on Social (especially Instagram) , Youtube and esport. Hence a lot of focus will go into growing these areas .

Also a lot of emphasis will be given on growing the iQOO community and earning word of mouth through innovative marketing campaigns.