Game Caster’s Personal Branding on Facebook Gaming

Abstract

This qualitative research aims to study current game caster’s personal branding and direction through in-depth interview and content analysis. The sample group is five game casters who gained 100,000 followers within 2 years after starting streaming on Facebook gaming platform and 30 streaming video recording was collected during October 1st, 2020 to December 31st, 2020. The study shows that there are four processes of game caster personal branding including (1) Discover (2) Create (3) Distinguish and (4) Deliver. These processes lead to game caster personal (1) Brand core and (2) Brand value also. Moreover, game caster is using these personal branding along with communication skills and basic communication components as a tool to communicate with their receivers during streaming. Besides, Facebook Gaming feature that allows receivers to real-time communicate (comment) directly to game caster result in data which game caster can apply to their personal brand development in the future. This development can be concluded into two processes: (1) Maintain and (2) Develop. Meanwhile, there are 4 main findings from the study which are self-orientation, inspiration, building recognition and development. The main finding of personal branding is the creation and development of a persona based on oneself and target audience. They help to create a brand that can reach people effectively. In addition, the game caster brand's competitive stance found that game caster does not compare themselves and other game caster as competitors because they are as one of the partners that have made itself more popular by exchanging a follower base.