OMEN by HP Livestreams First Video Game Show on Twitch to Casual and Competitive Gamers

In late 2019, OMEN by HP expanded its marketing focus. Courting competitive gamers had been its specialty for years. But with an eye on additional accessible markets, OMEN decided to expand its focus to include casual gamers, too.

One of the ways the brand has achieved this is through its Omen Underground event series, which integrates other aspects of culture, including fashion and art, into livestreams through highlighting partnerships outside of gaming. Enter the next-generation of its OMEN Challenge, a multi-round, live gaming tournament that allows attendees to interact with players. For the first time, on Jan. 29, the brand created a video game show livestreamed on Twitch.

Hosted by comedian Ron Funches, this challenge incorporated a comedic element. The tournament featured seven rounds, each themed around unique virtual environments designed by professional artists. The event’s eight participants included well-known gamers and content creators, including LSK, Misses Mae and Jake the Viking, and, reflecting the tournament’s proximity to the Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7, current NFL Players Kurt Benkert and Gabe Nabers.

Each game kicked off with trivia questions which offered a chance for the player who answered the most questions correctly to score immunity from elimination that round. The questions were inspired by the convergence of pop culture and gaming. An example: What was the first video game to be played in outer space? At the same time, viewers could answer the trivia questions through a Twitch extension overlay for a chance to win OMEN prizes, including an OMEN 15 Laptop, OMEN 30L Desktop, displays and accessories. Following the trivia, players competed in games of Fortnite, Overcooked 2 and Rocket League, with one player voted out each round until one champion was crowned.

“The OMEN Challenge livestream event solidified HP’s gaming line–OMEN–as a cultural touchstone brand by bringing both casual and endemic gamers together for the world’s first Video Game Game Show,” says Chase Pancamo, U.S. gaming marketing manager, products, partnerships and events at HP. “By working with some of today’s top talent from the worlds of sports, content creation, gaming and comedy, we were thrilled to once again demonstrate how gaming has evolved from a niche interest to a major influence over today’s popular culture.”

Results surpassed expectations for the brand, which reported 601,000 Twitch viewers, a high of 25,000 concurrent viewers and 35 percent more attendees tuning in compared to OMEN’s last livestreamed event. Agency: Infinity Marketing Team, Culver City, CA.

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