Video games offer a massive audience, with billions of players globally. Brands are increasingly viewing games as a vital platform for reaching these audiences, especially younger demographics who are traditionally hard to engage through traditional media.
Research shows that 80% of the total online population has engaged with gaming in some way, and 54% have viewed video game content. It's no surprise that both big and small brands are interested in gaming as another communication channel.
Let's review a few tactics on how brands use the gaming industry for their marketing.
Collaboration with games
Brands can do co-promo with games which can be beneficial for both sides. For example, Coca-Cola and Riot Games, Bentley Motors into PUBG MOBILE, Actimel or Wendy's in Fortnite.
Major fashion brands like Gucci, Nike, and Pansun launch virtual fashion items on Roblox to reach Gen Z. The approach not only boosts brand awareness among new audiences but also drives direct sales of products.
The key is creating a bridge between active players of the game and a promoted brand. If made right it can lead to performance results like in the case below.
TrapPlan Case Study: Burger King x Call of Duty
To capture the attention of a new audience Burger King supported streamers’ Dr. Disrespect's captivating appearance as a character in the game.
TrapPlan engaged 141 of the most enthusiastic content creators who are also members of the Call of Duty: MW II club to spread the word about the campaign.
Within one week we got:
- 300x lives on Twitch
- 141x Discord announcements
- 141x X (ex Twitter) posts
That led to:
- 1,430,000 views
- 17,752 clicks
- 3,012 online whopper kit orders
Campaign Budget: €45,000
Creating own games
Sometimes, instead of cooperating with existing games, brands can invest in the creation of their own game. This can provide more flexibility for organic product integration and encourage players to make purchases. However, there is still a risk of launching a game that will not become the next hit among players.
Only large brands can afford such a significant campaign because it requires high-volume investments in game development and promotion.
However, Louis Vuitton took such a risk twice: in 2019, by launching a retro-styled "Endless Runner," and in 2021, with "Louis The Game," which also included an NFT collection.
Targeting the gaming audience
It's not necessary to build a gaming experience. Sometimes, brands can target gamers through relevant messaging and channels, like Heineken, who simply created a video that translates how their beer can be part of players' gatherings.
Numerous non-gaming brands use gaming influencers to reach new audiences. Here, the same principles as with influencer marketing are applied: the organic integration of the product into content that influencers' viewers like to watch drives awareness and direct sales.
Why you should work with influencers to promote your brand?
TrapPlan Case Study: Adidas Members Week
Adidas Members Week is a limited-time promotional campaign exclusively for members of the Adidas Members Club. Through the campaign, Adidas aims to engage and reward its loyal customers while attracting new members to the club.
TrapPlan selected 19 Twitch Creators who highlighted the benefits and exclusive perks of the Members Club, including bonuses and insider tips available to each participant.
Within one week we got:
- 133x lives on Twitch
- 19x Discord announcements
- 19x X (ex Twitter) posts
That led to:
- 549,000 views
- 9,714 clicks
- 1,728 New Members of the Adidas Club
- €17 campaign CPA
Campaign Budget: €30,000
What is the future of gaming marketing?
Gaming audiences are widely presented online and highly engaged. With the rise of Fortnite and Roblox marketing through games become even more accessible, easy to implement and track. Twitch's active audience reaches over 1,8 million users who can watch almost 65K creators on the platform.
In a world where traditional ads become less effective, brands are looking for engaging experiences. And gaming, by its nature, is a fun way of interacting with the audience. Do you also want to try making a promo in this way? Reach out to the TrapPlan team to create the next top-performing case study!
