Context

In today's social context, esports is not just a personal hobby but has become a strong cultural trend, especially among young people. They regularly spend time on digital experiences, and esports has emerged as an undeniable entertainment sector. This isn't just due to technological convenience but also because of the competitiveness and liveliness that esports offers.

The National Student Open Cup 2023 (NSOC 2023) doesn't stand aside. This competition isn't just an opportunity for gamers to showcase skills; it's also a playground for them to meet, connect, and enjoy a shared passion. Creating events like NSOC is the best way to meet the needs and desires of a generation in this digital age.

Comprehensive about the Monumental eSports Tournament of the year

The National Student Open Cup (NSOC 2023) is the largest esports tournament to date for the Vietnamese student community, with a prize pool of up to 1 billion VND. The competition, jointly organized by the Ocean Entertainment Group (OEG) in collaboration with the Vietnam Electronic Entertainment Sports Association (VIRESA), is supported by the Vietnam Olympic Committee and numerous partner entities and sponsors. NSOC 2023 embodies OEG's mission to nurture and develop eSports in Vietnam from grassroots levels. It's not just a place for student interaction, learning, and fun; it's also an affirmation of their skills in a new field: electronic sports. Organizing NSOC 2023 aims to successfully establish OEG as a premier esports event organizer in the student community. Simultaneously, it intends to build NSOC as a standout platform for both students and businesses interested in the esports domain.

NSOC 2023 boasts a total prize value of up to 1 billion VND.

CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS

Execution Activities

Event Organization

To publicize the NSOC 2023 event, OEG planned both online and offline events. The offline event included a press conference, two Regional Finals in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the National Finals, while the qualifying matches were held online.

The press conference announcing the kickoff of the NSOC 2023 tournament took place.

Organic Content:

For online marketing, OEG developed organic content for the NSOC Fanpage/website and across OEG's Social Media channels, including Ocean Entertainment Group and OEG eSports.

PR Booking:

To promote the event, before the official start, OEG organized a kickoff event, inviting press and television units for interaction, press releases, and PR booking for the primary event activities.

Livestream Broadcasting:

OEG completed 14 livestream sessions ranging from pre-tournament events, press conferences, mini-games, and the final rounds, consistently engaging audiences throughout the competition phases.

Community Engagement:

To prepare for NSOC 2023, OEG spent a year coordinating with universities and colleges nationwide to organize the OEG Student Cup (OSC), an esports competition specifically for the student community. Additionally, OEG invited collaborative units based on interests in esports, gaming, and businesses targeting student demographics.

Utilizing Influential KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders):

During offline events, NSOC 2023 invited several renowned KOLs within the gaming community and highlighted the event, including personalities like Đức Mạnh, Mạnh An, Sangtran, Theanh96, Lynx, Trọng Linh, alongside famous cosplayers.

Showmatch, Metal Slug Minigame:

At the three offline events - Regional Finals South-Central, Regional Finals North, and the National Finals - OEG collaborated with VNG to host a showmatch featuring the game Metal Slug, known for its iconic character reminiscent of Rambo. This addition added a fresh appeal to the NSOC 2023 offline events, attracting a large audience to participate in these showmatches and minigames.

KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT CAPTIVATED THE AUDIENCE

NSOC 2023 left a lasting impression with several remarkable points. Firstly, it differentiated itself from other esports competitions for students as a unique and fresh event organized not by a game publisher but by an entity itself. NSOC 2023 proved its allure and credibility, leaving a profound mark not only on players but also on a large audience passionate about esports.

NSOC 2023 stands out as a rare tournament organized by a non-game publisher with a significant and well-structured investment.

Additionally, NSOC 2023 garnered attention for setting a new milestone with a prize pool value of up to 1 billion VND, the largest in esports competitions for Vietnamese students to date. This figure isn't just impressive but also a clear commitment to investing in and developing esports for the student community by OEG. This created strong motivation for teams, enhancing the competition's attractiveness and competitiveness.

Another notable aspect was hosting the Regional Finals North and the National Finals offline at the OEG Stadium. With an internationally standard competition stage, modern lighting and sound systems, OEG Stadium wasn't just a venue for intense matches but also a space for interaction, networking, and connecting the esports community. This demonstrates that NSOC 2023 aimed not only to organize the competition but also to foster strong development within the Vietnamese student community.

The Northern Finals and the National Finals were held offline at the OEG Stadium - currently the most prestigious entertainment complex in Vietnam, equipped with an internationally standardized competition stage.

RESULTS OF THE CAMPAIGN

Largest Student Participation Ever

With a substantial prize pool, the scale of the competition, and OEG's credibility, NSOC 2023 attracted nearly 1,500 participants, forming 298 teams representing 127 universities and colleges nationwide. These impressive numbers demonstrate the active engagement and interest of the student community in the tournament.

Utilization of Diverse Media Channels

The campaign achieved remarkable results across various media platforms

Organizer's Content: 348 self-produced pieces across NSOC and OEG Family channels.

Media Partners: Over 120 articles from media sponsors such as BEAT Network, OTA Network VTVcab, VTC Esports, and other partner organizations and supporting sponsors.

Media Coverage: Over 70 news articles, 2 news segments on VTV and 2 on Hanoi Television sharing information about the competition.

NSOC 2023 is honored to collaborate with: 8 media sponsor units (BEAT Network, OTA Network, VTVcab, VTC eSports, Momo, etc.), 10 sponsoring entities (OEG Stadium, Hoàng Tuấn Technology, Ha Viet Foods, Mì tôm chanh Omni, etc.), and 15 supporting units (kdKOO, Sudico, Ravi, Vietnix, etc.).

Engagement of a Diverse Audience - Both Offline and Online

Over 1,000 spectators attended the South-Central and Northern Finals, and close to 2,000 audience members were present at the offline National Finals at OEG Stadium. The significant audience engagement stands as clear evidence of the immense appeal of NSOC 2023.

The offline Regional Finals South-Central attracted over 1000 attendees.

The National Finals held at OEG Stadium drew nearly 2000 attendees and supporters.

This allure didn't stop at 2000 attendees; it extended to over 20,000 viewers online at the same time.

Exceptional Livestream Performance:

The total livestream duration reached 55 hours, with peak viewership exceeding 20,000 at one time. This showcased the event's appeal and direct communication strategy.

Impressive Social Media Statistics:

With 32,000,000 impressions, 20,000,000 reach, and 920,000 engagements, NSOC 2023 created a strong impact across social media platforms.

From the execution and communication results of the event, it's evident that OEG leveraged several advantages in promotion: hosting offline events, utilizing the most modern esports arena in Vietnam - all to enhance connectivity, create an atmospheric event, build suspense, and elevate the event's credibility and stature. Utilizing diverse media sources—owned, partner, paid, and earned media—strengthened coverage and created multi-dimensional promotion.

LEARNING POINTS FROM THE CAMPAIGN

Ending the National Student Open Cup 2023 (NSOC 2023), we have gained crucial insights into the significance and potential of eSports competitions within the Vietnamese student community. The following key experiences serve as valuable lessons we can draw from this campaign:

Anticipation and Engagement of the Student Community: We've observed that the student community is a promising demographic, always anticipating and actively engaging with high-quality eSports events tailored for them. This presents a significant opportunity for event organizers not only to execute the event but also to build strong relationships within the community.

Diverse Student Audience and Interaction Abilities: The student demographic is diverse geographically, academically, and in fields of study. This poses a challenge for eSports organizers, demanding an in-depth understanding of each subgroup to optimize marketing strategies and interactions.

Community Development - The Decisive Key: Successful campaigns don’t just end when the event concludes; they require special focus on community development before and after each campaign. Community interaction and bonding help sustain motivation and interest from the target audience.

Synergistic Strength for Organizers Beyond Publishers: Tournament organizers, not being publishers, require synergistic strength from various sources. The appeal of the tournament product should attract all stakeholders: students, eSports organizers, and related businesses.

Talent Development and Professional Playground: For young individuals and students, eSports tournaments offer not just a chance for talent development but also a professional playground. This encourages self-definition and challenges within the esports industry.

eSports - A Potential Industry: NSOC 2023 proved that eSports isn't just a modern sport but also a rapidly growing and potential industry. This not only opens opportunities for students but also changes the community's perception of the value of eSports within the economy.

Decisive Role of eSports Organizers: eSports organizers play a decisive role in building and developing the esports industry in Vietnam. The experiences from NSOC 2023 are clear evidence that Vietnam has the foundation and experience to develop the domestic eSports industry.

It can be said that NSOC 2023 isn't just an electronic sports event but also an in-depth lesson on promoting and developing eSports within the Vietnamese student community. These experiences will play a vital role in building future eSports competitions and elevating this industry to new heights.

Following the success and profound lessons from the inaugural season, NSOC promises to return soon with new formats and even more valuable prizes, aiming to become a professional eSports playground held annually specifically for the student community, not only domestically but also for the regional and global student community. This has been the initial goal of OEG since its inception, aspiring to elevate Vietnamese eSports to international standards.