le at first glance, the platform appears to be dominated by video game streaming, other categories include Just Chatting, where anyone with a camera can provide entertainment for an audience, Makers & Craft, and Travel & Outdoors.  So, how does it work? Brad Manuel is co-founder and CEO of Livewire Group, a company that specialises in marketing within the gaming ecosystem. He said the platform is unique in its interactivity.  “Twitch is one of the Western world’s largest live-streaming platforms. It provides any person with access to a computer screen, mobile or internet the chance to watch a streamer and interact with them live through the chat function, enabling the audience to engage directly with the person they are watching,” Manuel told Inside Retail.  Digital natives  And as more and more brands enter the digital fashion world (in March, Gucci launched its Virtual 25 sneakers, which can only be worn in augmented reality), live-streaming platforms provide endless opportunities for these products to be showcased by influencers.  “Twitch is creating a new era of digital stars. In previous generations, people grew up wanting to be like movie stars, their sporting heroes or musicians. However, we now see a generation of consumers and viewers who grow up wanting to be like their favourite streamer, whether that might be someone like PewDiePie, MrBeast, Valkyrae or Dream,” Manuel said.  Twitch’s audience is predominantly those under the age of 35, who Manuel describes as “a generation of digital natives and ‘cordcutters'”. They engage with traditional media at a much lower frequency than any generation before them. “They are less likely to watch traditional TV (if at all), listen to radio stations or arguably see out-of-home advertising, due to the amount of time they spend engaged with the digital realm through screens,” he said.  He believes retail marketers have overlooked gaming due to its digital nature and confusion about how a digital property can drive people into stores. “This is a significant oversight given the highly targetable nature of Twitch advertising and the ability to partner with streamers for marketing and ambassadorship, but more importantly for its ability to engage consumers and potential customers through an active medium, which they participate in for hours each day, rather than passive mediums like TV.” Thriving categories While luxury fashion brands have embraced Twitch, Manuel said omnichannel retailers are also likely to do well. He points to supermarkets, electronics, apparel, furniture, health, sports and beauty as strong emerging categories on the platform. He suggests marketers and retailers use Twitch to drive awareness of brands, sales, releases and new products. It can also be used to drive traffic through e-commerce sites, “focusing on a generation who love shopping dropped off at their door”. Brands can also make use of the product placement opportunities live on-screen and collaborate with streamers to increase activity.