OVO Play

Customer Analysis and Recommended Strategies

Group ID: 11A

Group member:
Thao Phuong Bui -12414557
Manni Xia-13011731
Hao Bian-12785527
Siyu Chen-12756843
Xinghao Chen-12832832

Table of content
1.0 Introduction….…………………………………………………………………………………. 2

2.0 Buyer behaviour analysis……………………………………………………………………. 3

2.1 Personality……………………………………………………………………………………… 3

2.2 Motivation………………………………………………………………………………………. 5

2.3 Attitude………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

3.0 Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………..… 7

4.0 Suggested strategy………………………………………………………………………….... 9

4.1 Community……………………………………………………………………………………... 9

4.2 Reward system……………………………………………………………………………….. 11

5.0 References…………………………………………………………………………………….. 13

1.0 Introduction:

These days the rapid development of technology has given means of entertainment, which
cannot forget to mention eSport and its popularity. The challenge exposes to OVO Play of

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raising awareness of the app and grow audiences, as well as making better use of mobile
technologies to encourage people to choose OVO among a large number of competitors.

To comprehensively understand the potential customer for OVO Play and the AEL
(Australian Esports League) to grow audiences for the University CUP, this report will
examine customer theories and analysis to develop effective marketing strategies. It will
focus on OVO’s target market – young adults (18-24 years old) to analyse their customer
behaviour aspects which is efficient to tailor stages to reach more young individuals.
It is noticeable to concern the target customer’s personality in relations to the suitability of
streaming via OVO Play. Based on buyer behaviour theories regarding motivation and
attitude, the report will also indicate possible aspects that motivate young adults to
participate in the eSport University CUP, and illustrate opportunities for OVO Play to
promote awareness from gamers and eSports enthusiasts.

Analysis of buyer behaviour will be manifested in the first part of the report, while the later
part will provide recommendations of executions and propose a promising campaign for
OVO’s to refer for the next strategic campaign of OVO Play.

2.0 Buyer behaviour analysis

2.1 Personality

First, it is critical to state that: ‘To formulate a marketing mix that best serves out potential
customers, we need to know the reasons and motivations behind decision consumers make’

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– (Elliott et al., 2014). Understanding the customer regarding their behaviour and decisions,
therefore, can provide marketers with details to tailor the messages and stages to attract
customers. The personality of young adults poses correlation with the app and propose
potential opportunities for eSport streaming channels like OVO Play.

Personality is an integral part of customer analysis due to its influences on the way one
person reacts to marketing stimuli as a person’s unique psychological makeup (Solomon,
2018). Therefore, building a personal connection between the brand and user’s personality
can significantly increase positive attitude and result in favourable behaviour (Petty &
Cacioppo, 1986; Mulyanegara et al., 2009). Scholars say the higher relevance the app
performs, the more likely that consumers want to process the app in depth along with
beneficial attributes. Additionally, the user then ‘more likely to have elaborated on the
meaning and utility of the app's content, and formed a closer personal connection with the
brand’ (Bellman et al., 2011).

Research shows the extensive ownership and spending of the mobile phone at a young age
which becomes great opportunities for companies: mobile phone owners rate stands at 92
percent globally even reaches 98 per cent in many countries (Microsoft Advertising and
Synovate, 2012). In Australia, adults from 18-24 years olds are 41% more likely than others
to spend over $76 each week on mobile phones (Newscorp, 2018). Their engagement with
the mobile phone positions the pros if OVO can offer them participation and interactions that
match their convenience. While eSport has gained more popularity among young adults, the
emergences of eSport league like University CUP is expected to capture attention from
audiences especially gamers and eSport enthusiasts.

Young adults (18-24 years old) were born in the web-connected world, which familiars them
with numerous entertainments to serve the high demand. The majority of OVO’s target
market has installed more than ten mobile apps on their phone (Deloitt, 2017) showing that
are innovative and adaptable to new technologies, plus having passion about eSport and
mobile apps. Thus, mediated eSport can serve as ‘indivisible coupling of sport and
technology’ that offer users with ‘gaming, computing, media and sports event, all at once’
(Hutchin, 2008).

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 (Deloitt, 2017)

Moreover, people at the age of 18-24 years old tend to be strongly affected by group
influences – their peers and family. There is a tendency that young adults are likely to pay
attention and show interest in products or services that people around them are using or
recommend to them. It means if the OVO app has the approach to one person, opportunities
will be opened to reach their peers and family, with the expectation to grow larger audiences.
This correlates with the motivation analysis which will be discussed in the next part of the
report.

2.2 Motivation

According to Solomon (2017), motivation is the process that leads people to behave as they
do. When consumers want to meet certain needs, this demand creates a state of tension
that prompts consumers to try to reduce or eliminate this demand. (Solomon 2017).

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Targeting young people aged 18-24 who are assumed to be in a self-cognition stage, studies
state that eSport has been gaining popularity among this group due to the appeal to
psychological and social drives, such as achievement, exploration, socialisation or
competition (Kim & Ross, 2006; Sun, 2017). Scholars have made effort to provide
explanations for these motivational aspects. Yee (2007) explains ‘achievement’ that the
player can gain power, money and status in the game.

In addition, young adults are passionate about the exploration of new things that are still new
and unknown to them in the game. More critical, building relationship and teamwork have
the major contribution to the socialisation that eSport can offer to gamers. Communicating
with other gamers through the competition, then step-by-step building a long-term and
meaningful relationship with others are surprisingly effective through eSport. Along with this
interest, being a part of a team also create the satisfaction of communication and teamwork
for participation (Yee 2007). Besides, Yee (2007) claims that competition in eSport satisfies
the ultimate desire of gamers to challenge and compete with others. These reasons are
motivating more people to join eSport and make it a new sports genre that has been growing
in popularity and in the variety of large-scale competitions.

Bányai et.al (2018) indicates that the eSport’s fans are likely to watch the professional
gaming because they like the story that takes place in eSport competitions, as well as the
entertainment, game reviews and skills displayed by professional players. Furthermore, the
satisfaction of eSport viewing are contributed by team attachment and game commentary
(Bányai et.al 2018). Therefore, OVOplay, as the AEL partner, can take advantage of being
the dominant platform broadcasting the University CUP, and encourage gamers and eSport
enthusiasts to use OVO Play to watch the eSport matches.

2.3 Attitude

According to Perner (2018), the consumer’s beliefs, feelings and behavioural intentions
contribute to consumer attitudes. These components are viewed together because together
represent the forces that influence how consumers respond to objects, and they are highly
interdependent (Perner,2018).

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Due to the fact that young adults prefer to use their smartphone to do a lot of things such as
social contact, online shopping and watch the video, the smartphone seems to make their
life more convince. Therefore, a prestige eSport app which combines many utilities but still
easy to use would persuade many young people to connect with eSport. Young adults like
meeting new friends and join some communities in which they share same interest (Fita
2012). The consumer can find different types of game they like, in the meantime can find
people who have the same hobby and interests or share and exchange their ideas and
experiences (Fita, 2012). These social-networking-site experiences enhance their attitude
towards OVO and the app, and it is expected to attract more like-minded friends to use the
app together, to join the virtual community. This feature could generate a positive belief,
which would affect consumers perception and attitude of eSport. Hallmann and Giel (2018)
state that perception is the process by which a player or fan exposes a meaningful picture
through eSports selection, organisation, and interest stimulation. This process could affect
the emotions and think of players or fans. According to Bagozzi customer’s feelings and
thoughts make critical contribution to attitude formation. Solomon (2017) says that consumer
behaviour theory is the consumption of eSports caused by positive attitudes. If customers
are satisfied with the app, it could lead to customer behaviour intention which they could
download and use this app, also would recommend to people around them like their friends
and family, classmates or colleagues, etc.

3.0 Recommendations

Based on the analysis of the target market personality, motivation and attitude, the main
characteristics of the target group are susceptible to the group, interested in the social
content of e-sports, and they are willing to recommend others when they are satisfied with
things. Moreover, mobile phones are highly used in target groups, and eSports are
becoming more attractive to target groups.Therefore the team sees opportunities and
potential direction which is in needs and preferences of consumers to produce effective
campaign and strategies to grow audiences for OVO and the OVO Play.

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Unlike physical activity in real life, eSport players often lack of physical proximity and
communicate primarily through the game forums (Thomas Weiss, 2011). Adding a
community module is a viable option. In eSport, spending time with others is an important
reason for why people watch eSport content (Lee, 2011). OVO can provide users with a
platform to watch videos, in the meantime a module for users to spend time with others. In
the communication section, consumers select the anchor or teams which they want to
support through app community module to watch the game and discuss the game trends
and thoughts with people who has the same interests. In terms of reducing loneliness and
aggression, familiar friends are more effective than newcomers who share common
interests. Social motivation is a factor that attracts eSport enthusiasts to participate (Ruihley

＆Hardin, 2011). They not only need communication, but also want friendship.Therefore, it is

expected that customers would be more willing to use the app to find like-minded friends to
communicate and even share their lives after becoming friends.

Lee (2011) stated that in eSport competitions, people are fascinated by the chances of
getting real rewards. It can also be applied to OVO app. According to MrKorova et.al. (2011),
‘Various kinds of rewards (discounts, gifts or bonuses …) are key factors on which the
loyalty program is built and which are the bases of the motivation’. This approach will
attempt to introduce new attributes into the model to positively influence the current user's
attitude and then stimulate new and potential e-sport players. This can also attract people to
the experience through external rewards (gift, money, merchandise, discounts) and then
transform their interests through internal rewards (recognition, status, access). Regarding
the reward system, consumers can receive rewards by inviting friends in real life or inviting
friends on social platforms to download the app. These reward system can offer participants
with high-value gifts for their favorite teams or anchors, or perhaps can remove ads when
they watching videos.

It is evident that providing community and offer rewards could be very effective to attract
young adults, especially college students. The students will tell each other on the university
campus. This campaign is believed to achieve the best efficiency and cost-effectiveness to
promote OVO Play.

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4.0 OVO’s Suggested Strategies

4.1 Community

In addition to looking for their favourite content, fans will also find some like-minded friends to
discuss these things and strengthen their sense of belonging in this fan group. According to
the theory of uses and satisfactions, the audience actively chooses media content to satisfy
their needs for entertainment, relaxation, diversion, escape, knowledge acquisition,
interaction, social acceptance, and self-esteem (Rubin, 1994). OVO can add community
module based on the apps existing register, OVO play, contact us, privacy, terms and
conditions, OVO URL. In the community module, based on the types of video provided by
OVO, segment the sectors, such as eSport-“DOTA2”, “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive”, “The

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player's unknown battlefield”, let fans quickly find their own community. Although eSport and
traditional sports are becoming more and more similar and are increasingly considered
legitimate by others, eSport can still be controversial as a sport (Jonasson & Thiborg, 2010).
This brings certain pressure and inferiority to eSport enthusiasts and requires social identity.
They need a community of common enthusiasts to reduce the loneliness brought by their niche
hobby, let them feel that they have companions and are accepted by the society.

eSport Sharing

Considering that the target market for OVO eSport content is 18-24 year olds, OVO should
generate a sharing button in the community module, which can be shared on social software
commonly used in target markets such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram. Sharing
favorite content on social software and getting support from friends can motivate users to stay
interested in eSport for a long time and become a long-term audience for OVO in order to
watch eSport content. This move not only helped OVO build long-term relationships with
users, but also spread to more potential users. Friends usually have similar interests. Even if
not, the content on social software is public. When someone searches for eSport and sees
the links shared by OVO users, OVO has succeeded one more user. Hamilton et al. (2014)
point out that communicating with peers is very important in eSport. The establishment of the
community and the connection with the social platform ensure that the communication of OVO
can be basically controlled in the target market. Based on the needs to communicate with their
peers, when existing user communicate with their peers on a social platform, OVO can
effectively promote to the target market.

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 (OVO, 2018)

The Color Effect

Joining an app community as a new module requires a prominent feature to allow users to
notice. OVO can use sensory marketing to achieve this. Just register, OVO Play and Contact
us three modules have symbols before the module name, and all of these three symbols are
purple. The color of OVO app is basally blue and purple. Blue can be the color of community
symbol. This will not conflict with the overall style of the app, but also be distinguished from
other modules. Blue usually gives people a sense of trust, reliability, belonging, and coolness
(Cincotta, 2003). The OVO community is a place where efforts are made to create a sense of
belonging to users.

4.2 Reward System

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Mobile devices are constantly emerging, and companies need to develop applications that
meet the needs of mobile consumers to adapt to changing environments (Asta Tarutel et.al.
2017). Encouraging participation and dissemination of marketing information may also
increase participation. After successfully building up the OVO community module, then the
company can use this module to create reward patterns. These rewards can be simple and
often attractive. For example, when an OVO user interacts with others on social media and
successfully led others to download the OVO app, the user can get a privilege at first, such as
getting priority information or watching video a day without advertisement. In addition, if
players can attract a certain number of customers, they can receive higher rewards, such as
free access to a week's live stream of player games. Therefore, the number of new users that
players attract through social platforms is proportional to the level of rewards they received.

Furthermore, this incentive system can create a positive effect between users and non-users
(consumers who are not registered with the OVO app). Due to the target group of our program
is mainly college students between 18 and 24 years old. Thus, they need to think more about
capital investment and saving on their daily expenses. In this way, they can not only
communicate with e-sports enthusiasts on social media, share the experience and skill of e-
sport, but also can receive some extra rewards efficiently. Importantly, they can find common
interest about the same e-sport team which they want to support. Meanwhile, this system can
provide a win-win situation between the company and registers. It will motivate OVO users to
deliver relevant information to others as a result and build a valuable chain of information
transmission that can make more esports enthusiasts aware of OVO's application. It means
that more customers are interested in downloading and using OVO Play in the future.
However, the company need to pay attention to consider the durability of this strategy. In
determining to use this tool as part of a long-term development, they need to retain customers
and motivate them to further engage and habitually use the app.Therefore, the company
should design a more diversified and reliable reward system to meet the consumers' hedonic
needs.

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 (Miles, 2017)

According to Asta Tarutel et.al. (2017，cited in Kang et al. 2015), the factors that favor

product/service willingness and concluded that emotional input is closely related to the
willingness to use mobile applications. Therefore, increasing participation has a positive
impact on consumers' attitudes toward continue using mobile apps. This application can set
up a virtual wallet for each registered member. Once they succeed in motivating others to
download the OVO application or they continue to use it to watch esports games for a certain
time. They can accumulate a corresponding amount of virtual coins in their virtual wallet, which
can be used to redeem a series of activities designed by the company but only available on
OVO app. Thus, in order to build OVO’s long-term development, this activity can effectively
attract and stimulate the interest of players and gain their trust. Overall, the average user is
characterized by loyalty and a tendency to recommend mobile apps to other potential users.
OVO app paired with the reward model, can help dig into consumers' impressions of the app
and ultimately be loyal to it because it is a process from learning to memory.

5.0 References

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