About #SeizeTheControls

#SeizeTheControls is a public awareness campaign launched by the Video Games Europe, the European trade association representing the video games industry. The campaign emphasized five essential tips for parents to promote responsible gameplay and encouraged them to visit the campaign website seizethecontrols.eu for comprehensive information. For insights on ethical advertising to younger audiences, you can also read our article "How to Ethically Advertise a Video Game to Younger Audience".

Campaign Strategy

Cloutboost implemented a comprehensive influencer campaign across several countries, including the UK, France, Belgium, Poland, Italy, and Spain, with a focus on parenting influencers. Our strategy emphasized collaboration with micro and mid-tier influencers, recognized for their strong engagement rates and dedicated follower communities. This approach was key to fostering a more personalized and authentic campaign atmosphere.

Carefully selected for their dual roles as influencers and parents, our chosen collaborators were those with children aged 8-14 who are enthusiastic gamers. These influencers brought invaluable insights by sharing their personal journeys and challenges in managing their children's gaming habits, thereby creating content that resonates deeply with other parents. They stood as role models of responsible gaming, illustrating effective strategies for balancing gaming within family life.

Creator Content 

The Cloutboost team collaborated closely with each influencer to craft messages tailored to promote responsible gameplay. We encouraged the creation of content that incorporated their children, presenting tangible, real-world examples of healthy gaming practices within the family environment. 

Content-wise, the campaign was a blend of engaging and educational material, designed to educate and resonate with both parents and young gamers. The primary channels were Instagram Reels and Posts, chosen for their high engagement potential and broad reach. 

The #SeizeTheControls campaign provided parents with five key tips to promote responsible gameplay:

• Check the PEGI Rating and Download the PEGI App: PEGI helps parents identify age-appropriate content, integrated into gaming platforms. PEGI (Pan European Game Information) provides age labelling and content descriptors that alert parents to in-game purchases, bad language, violence, frightening content, drugs, sex or discrimination, for example. All major video games and platforms have PEGI ratings as an integral part of their parental controls systems.

• Utilize Parental Controls and Apps: Manage online interactions, playtime, spending, and access on gaming devices. All video games consoles, handheld devices and operating systems for PC and Mac are equipped with parental control systems and there are also apps available to make it as easy as possible for parents to manage online interaction, playtime, spending and access to age-appropriate video games.

• Play Video Games Together: Strengthen relationships and discuss game choices with your children. Research shows that families that play together and/or take the time to discuss video game play have the healthiest relationship with video game playing, get the most out of it, and have the fewest arguments about play time.

• Access Local Resources: Find guidance on family-friendly games and responsible gaming in your language. Use the resources provided by your local video games trade associations and their partners to be fully informed about safe and responsible gameplay such as: what games
  to play as a family and other tips and guidance.

• Enjoy the Benefits of Gaming: Recognize the cognitive and social advantages, fostering family bonding. There are also substantial benefits to video games such as improving motor skills, problem solving skills, team building skills, memory, attention and concentration, multi-tasking and social skills. Finally, recent research shows that girls who play video games are three times more likely to enroll into STEAM programs than girls who don’t play.

Achievements

The #SeizeTheControls campaign by Video Games Europe and Cloutboost successfully raised awareness about responsible gaming across Europe. Leveraging parent influencers, the campaign effectively communicated key strategies for safe gaming, emphasizing the importance of the PEGI rating system and parental involvement. Utilizing Instagram for high engagement, the initiative educated parents, enhancing the gaming environment for families. This collaborative effort not only promoted safer gaming practices but also reinforced Video Games Europe's leadership in responsible gaming.