The already famous Kings League, Evening of the Year (or having the most diverse people watch a boxing match at home on a Saturday night), Ibainéfico, Balloon World Cup, Disaster Chefs, Campanas with Ramón García and Anne Igartiburu, Twitch Grand Prix, The Last One Standing, The 3×3 basketball tournament… And of course the electronic sports team KOI, which may be his most valuable treasure. Also, big football events like the broadcast of the Copa América or the promotion of Leo Messi as a new PSG player have made the sports journalism industry very uncomfortable. AND hours and hours in front of the camera practically daily. No matter how hard you try, it’s It’s almost impossible to remember everything you’ve done Plains of Ibai in recent years. The list is almost endless. Known all over Spain, this young Basque has earned himself a place in the list of today’s most influential personalities. It’s not just a phenomenon in Spain, it’s mobilizing the masses in Latin America as well. Some call him the ‘noble giant’, a nickname that gives an idea of the image society has of him. And part of the secret of its success can be explained precisely in these two words.
Although he now turns everything he touches into gold, that doesn’t detract from his path. Because nobody said it was easy. Not so long ago, all Spanish boys had the same idol prototype: handsome, rich and a football player. This ideal was embodied by Fernando Torres, then by Cristiano Ronaldo, and later by Gerard Piqué, the same man and now his best partner in business. Among others. Now hobbies have diversified and not all role models are made of the same fabric. This is where the Ibai phenomenon emerges. But how did he manage to break this ‘glass ceiling’ from a room in the Basque Country?
“There’s something else in it. The way you communicate, the way you express yourself… “He’s an honest man who doesn’t go into puddles and also offers support to a lot of people,” says Adrián Suárez Mouriño, professor of MA in Multimedia Production Design at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR). ), which goes to students who want a place in the streaming world, and contrary to what some claim, twitch then it didn’t go out Pandemic. On the contrary: Rubius remains a goldmine for teens who want to be shoulder to shoulder with AuronPlay or IlloJuan, largely because it’s easy to monetize content. So much so that only 50 subscribers translate to about one hundred euros per month. At least, because there are several subscription models: 4.99, 9.99 and 24.99 euros per month. And the platform holds one part (half in most cases). “It’s a super powerful and interesting tool,” emphasizes Suárez Mouriño.
And it’s largely thanks to creators like Ibai, who are responsible for not seeing Twitch as an almost exclusively available platform for video game lovers. “It made another turn, it turned out to be. versatile in entertainment. He initially talked about video games, but managed to adapt to do different things. “Now he’s the one creating the event,” says Silvia Martínez, Director of Social Media, Strategy and Management MSc at the Open University of Catalonia. platform: “He tried and it helped solidify. I’m sure of it They’ll be overjoyed on TwitchI am very happy to have it. And they would definitely like to have more similar profiles”.
And not only that, but she also managed to form her figure. close the generation gap. While it’s hard for someone over 50 to know who a Willyrex or Vegetta777 is, it’s not uncommon for more than one grandma to know Ibai Llanos. And that’s thanks to creating crossover events that even compete with traditional television. His appearance at Puerta del Sol on the last night of the year with Ramón García and Anne Igartiburu is a good example of this. “Moreover, they show fragments of events done by Ibai on traditional television. And if you don’t know what he did, you’ll find out. You can also become a follower. It has this capacity, it overcomes the obstacles as the speech it produces is transferred to other media. This is how other types of folk win,” says Silvia Martínez.
continuous renewal
“The lucky one is not a good man. constantly new ideas and content. He has a very up-to-date account because he was successful, but he was not satisfied and did not stop creating good things. “It makes people addicted and they’re always waiting to see what Ibai does next,” emphasizes Suárez Mouriño. Added to this was his arrogance. “He is not afraid to challenge, satirize and create controversy.. Because we must not forget that discussion is an element of success in networks,” adds Martínez. play very well with limits. Likewise, he knew how to use humor, which helped to downplay the significance of what he was saying. Moreover, she laughs at herself and is not afraid to admit that she has her limits. It underestimates importance and doesn’t add drama to everything,” says Silvia Martínez.
Experts finally agree that this is the ‘perfect storm’. “Work, persistence, talent, continuity, strategic vision… These are factors that are closely linked to the company. effortIt doesn’t quite match the frivolity we see on social networks where appearances prevail over the essence,” emphasizes Judit Izquierdo, a graduate professor of Community Management at the Business School for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IEBS). communication skills: “In addition, his ability to understand his audience and preserve his style, his personality, his determination to innovate in his narrative style and his closeness”.
Benefit from synergies
Ibai also accomplished something very complex: going from being a supporting actor to being a lead actor. An example is the ‘Calm-chat’ episode he does periodically on his Twitch channel. they went through it ester castingQuevedo, AitanaBad Rabbit, Ronaldinho, Pau Gasol, Ed Sheeran… to Luis Enrique MartinezHe went to the publisher’s house just a few days after he was dismissed from his duty as national coach. He spoke publicly for the first time (and at least the last time so far) after the World Cup fiasco in Qatar, in which Spain was eliminated in the round of 16. Another goal for the squad for the sports press.
“Great figures agree to have creators interview them because they know they’re going to have a good time, they’re not going to try to do harm,” says Suárez Mouriño. Silvia Martínez has a similar vision: “It’s her own popularity that makes it easier for other popular characters to want to participate in their content. It’s easier for her to invite specific characters and include them in her game. Also because they know. she’s Ibai not governed by traditional rules. And by the way, they will have visibility”.
‘sugar’ for brands
Brands are trying to get a niche in their events to be fully associated with the ‘Ibai brand’. Products as diverse as those offered by Grefusa, Infojobs, Pepsi, Fotocasa or Central Lechera Asturiana have already achieved this. “This is because of the ability to influence, the ROI of their actions (return on investment in marketing), and the weight of being associated with such a strong personal brand,” Izquierdo says.
“As a brand, you want to find someone who forwards your product to sell, and that cannot be achieved simply by relying on someone with a high follower count. They need to have good interaction. In the Ibai example, his speech is white, affectionate, healthy… This is very interesting for companies”, states Suárez Mouriño.
Silvia Martínez describes it perfectly: “it’s a candy“. It seems that he has not yet reached the top.