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“ The number of casual gamers who have picked up their controllers again has increased. James Draper, CEO of Bidstack, claims there has been a 24% increase in time spent on video games in the UK since the beginning of social distancing and Verizon reported a 75% increase in video game related internet traffic in the first week of the US lockdown.”
https://www.bdo.co.uk/en-gb/insights/industries/technology,-media-and-life-sciences/gaming-and-esports-entertainments-new-normal
They are registered for it. And I wouldn't get too excited when they get it.
Adverty has had Gold Standard (1.0) since December.
https://www.bidstack.com/advertisers/
https://www.bidstack.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/iab-Stamp.png
Adboards seen in a single stream:
TaxScouts:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/631694033?t=2h23m20s
TaxScouts personalised link for FM players who saw ad:
https://taxscouts.com/goal/
National Careforce:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/631694033?t=2h29m36s
Klarna:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/631694033?t=2h29m36s
Getting through their 2,000,000 impressions.
Mind:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/631694033?t=2h40m48s
YANA:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/631694033?t=0h31m0s
What is next for Bidstack & YANA?
BT Sport now added to supporters of YANA:
https://yana.gg/
BT Sport & Bidstack together at Plexal:
https://www.plexal.com/workspace/
Last YANA event: 1.6M views. Next YANA event July 2020:
"Thanks to all the people who made it happen and thanks to all 1.6 million of you who watched. Thanks to the 2.6m people who interacted with our posts and content (especially Cybe***** who created beautiful chaos on the day). Thanks for your eyeballs and hearts."
"YANA was special, but we’ve had too much interest in YANA to stop here. What we released on 2 May, was that people love playing with their heroes. One young Fortnite fan, got to play his favourite game, with his favourite player, on his favourite Rugby team. This moment will change this fans life forever. We want to create more moments like this and this is our aim for our future YANA events."
"So in July 2020, we are bringing you. YANA – Play with your heroes. We hope to see you all then!"
https://yana.gg/post/5-things-we-learnt-from-launching-a-global-gaming-event
Jimmy, although it all seems fairly clear by now, some people will simply not accept the possibility.
“Under the terms of the Agreement, Codemasters will pay a higher minimum guarantee to F1 in respect of F1 2020, which will then increase each year during the term of the Agreement. These increases in aggregate equate to a compound annual growth rate of approximately 12% between the F1 2019 and F1 2025 games. In return, Codemasters will receive advertising inventory and marketing support across F1 channels, including via trackside advertising at Grands Prix and a stronger presence on F1's fast-growing digital channels. Codemasters will also work more closely with F1 to explore additional revenue opportunities.”
https://www.investegate.co.uk/codemasters-grp-hldg--cdm-/rns/formula-1--contract-extension-to-at-least-2025/201910310700057081R/
Codemasters forward committing to a higher fee starting with F1 2020 and a 12% per year higher increase on the franchise cost until 2025 in exchange for some promotion and of course freeing up some trackside advertising space away from the existing F1 sponsors.
Something they will have to replicate for the in-game circuits as well. They must have some good plans for that trackside space to want to commit to such a high yearly increase in the fee due to F1 for 5 years.
This announcement, which comes amidst the massive growth of gaming as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic, represents a next-level in security for the booming in-game advertising industry.
https://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/363192/Anzuio_is_the_First_and_Only_InGame_Advertising_Platform_to_Receive_HighestLevel_Security_Audit.php
"Wisely for this volatile audience, Bidstack position themselves on the side of gamers and developers alike, prizing the immersive gaming experience and the realistic playable environment over intrusive brand exposure in-game. When it comes to real-world gaming it’s hard to see where either side could object. What is less realistic than an urban game world somehow mysteriously free of recognisable advertisements? As Bidstack mediates the sometimes frosty relationship between gamers and advertisers, it’s not hard to foresee gaming’s restless innovators incorporating real-world advertisements (and their attached brands and services) into the fabric of their interactive storytelling modes in ways that enhance the immersive experience - as Fortnite already showed with Travis Scott and Wendys."
https://aip.media/report-10-platforms-and-perspectives-changing-advertising-2/
IC Markets three month campaign on Football Manager 2020 advertisement for 8,000,000+ interactions 2020.
Klarna one month campaign on Football Manager 2020 advertisement for 2,000,000+ interactions 2020.
https://nevolution.co.uk/portfolio/
https://nevolution.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/FM_Klarna_Mockup.mp4
However, it is more likely they are editing it in themselves for "demonstration purposes" based on the progress they have appeared to have made.
In the video before that from a few months ago they showed video ads in Real Racing 3:
https://vimeo.com/393246182
Interestingly enough, video ads would be extremely effective in PUBG and most BR games. Players would probably actually watch them while they wait around for 60 seconds at the start of every game. Nothing else to do currently other than walk around aimlessly.
Needless to say, a lot is happening in this space.
Not sure how much Admix themselves would be involved in all of that even if there was something to it.
Admix used to bid quite heavily on the "bidstack" search term on Google Adwords until recently to come above them when anyone googled Bidstack. That in itself is a slightly dirty practice but not unusual. Curiously they stopped that this month.
I would imagine it could be because they are growing in confidence. The $6M they recently raised seems to be being put to use. They are polishing up their branding, website & socials. Going for Admix Play may be an attempt to steer them away from conflicting registered businesses.
https://admixplay.com/advertisers/
They also seem to be signing up quite a few smaller developers, putting out client testimonials, etc. One to keep an eye on at the very least. Their strategy appears to be the opposite of Bidstack's by concentrating on pure volume of developers rather than quality games or high DAU. However, if they amass enough volume through hundreds of small developers, they will be able to secure bigger ad spend which will, in turn, give them ammunition to go for the bigger developers.
Bidstack are keeping their cards a lot closer to their chest than any of the competitors. For good reason, some might speculate.
Sayollo may have landed PUBG Mobile. That would certainly be interesting for the industry.
https://www.sayollo.com/
Q1 update out today for Adverty.
Sales £25k. Revenues £67k. Double that of last year.
Also, some very well laid out thoughts and insights regarding what they have been doing and the potential of the ad category.
Further confirmation that Bidstack and Adverty are actually working together and not against each other. Anzu, Admix, Frameplay, Vreo, etc may also be involved when they set up the forum.
Handren Rasch, Adverty Head of Sales:
"I know about five other similar companies with whom we are friends and sometimes meet at events. In fact, we are helping each other."
https://adsider.com/our-brain-is-in-ukraine-how-adverty-creates-vr-advertising/
Bidstack, clients of Silver Bullet amongst some fairly big names.
https://www.wearesilverbullet.com/
Bidstack founder and CEO James Draper told BusinessCloud that the company has seen a “massive jump” in ad requests via its system since lockdown began.
“For the industry as a whole, the impact in terms of content consumed or hours played is immeasurable, with a wider audience than ever before having the time to invest in their gaming skills and experience level,” he said.
But while the lockdown presents a once-in-a-lifetime ‘perfect storm’ for the company to makes its case to new clients, it has instead chosen to focus on a collaboration with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and games giant Codemasters.
‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ advertisements are now appearing in the virtual equivalent of environments people are no longer allowed to visit, such as football stadiums.
“Collaborating with Codemasters to support the campaign was a natural step in response to COVID-19,” explained Draper.
“The ‘Stay At Home’ posters featured in Codemasters’ DiRT Rally 2.0 are a creatively authentic way for the NHS and UK government to target highly engaged audiences.”
Bidstack has served the ads to tens of thousands of DiRT Rally 2.0 players, with over 80% of its global monthly audiences having seen the campaign.
“The majority of those users are based throughout Europe and we’ve hit the hundreds of thousands mark in billable impressions,” he said.
https://www.businesscloud.co.uk/news/how-bidstack-is-putting-real-coronavirus-psas-into-virtual-g
Bidstack speaking with Silver Bullet, Adobe & Channel 4.
https://www.adobe.com/uk/enterprise/events/webinars/dataclinic.html
Video also confirms a new game + a new developer.
Personally disappointed in this one even though I've been tracking the developer since March. Had a lot higher hopes for Bidstack's time spent in Malta.
A new Business Development Coordinator started this week:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-morris-244230194/
Late April we saw the addition of a Global Demand Partnerships Director. A senior role that would have not been taken up lightly one would imagine.
And he has a few interesting comments about starting work at Bidstack:
"I've never been so excited about the potential of a medium before; the growth of gaming and esports is truly propelling us in to the future and changing digital as we know it"
"We need to stop dwelling on the damage caused by Covid-19, but rather the opportunities it brings. It's provided us a way to communicate with each other and our audiences in ways we would have never considered before"
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yasindabhelia_esports-gaming-digital-activity-6663085349063012352-bRVi
Bidstack are also now officially selling advertising space in FIFA 21.
Alex Barriball - Senior Sales Manager at Bidstack Group PLC:
Bidstack Group PLC has teamed up with Premier League Winner Christian Fuchs and his eSports Team NFG (NoFuchsGiven) again this year offering a fantastic opportunity to sponsor the team kit in real life and get exposure in the upcoming release of FIFA 2021.
Here are a couple of ways this sponsorship can help your brand get in the game:
- exposure when NFG team plays in eSports Tournaments
- exposure from FIFA players who select NFG jersey in-game in daily play
- 2nd screen exposure on platforms like Twitch when streamers choose jersey and play
Get in touch if you'd like a media pack to learn more about this great opportunity. The closing date for new sponsors is June 1st, 2020 so if interested, please feel free to reach out to alex.barriball@bidstack.com to find out more.
#bidstack #nfg #esports #fifa #getinthegame #gaming
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alex-barriball-bb5378b0_bidstack-nfg-esports-activity-6663372301477650433-W3X8
Concerns are always understandable when investing in start-ups. Especially on AIM. But Bidstack is very confident in their future. With actions, not words. Time will tell.
Bidstack Group featuring in today's Daily Mail Stock Watch.