6 Brands Targeting GenZ Through eSports - Winmo
The article highlights six brands, including Jones Soda and Acer’s Predator, that are actively targeting GenZ through eSports by sponsoring events, partnering with gaming organizations, and investing in digital marketing to capture the attention of young gamers who are deeply engaged in competitive gaming and streaming platforms.
Advertisers are signing up for eSports to compete for GenZ’s attention. Here are brands on the watch list:
Creators of TikToks, enjoyers of energy drinks, and masters of memes—GenZ is the first generation to grow up on eSports. Gaming competition is so fierce that parents have literally enlisted tutors to up their kids’ Fortnite skills.
Last year, Winmo released a report detailing key players in the rapidly growing eSports space. Now, a new group of advertisers is signing up to compete for gamers’ attention, either with league sponsorships, game tie-ins, or ads on streaming platforms. These insights can help you qualify them for partnership opportunities.
Some brands have partnered directly with eSports properties, while others target eSports gamers as a demographic. Ad sellers and sponsorship sellers catering to a GenZ audience, as well as agencies specializing in youth marketing, should take note.
1. Jones Soda: Launches new flavors, sponsors eSports race amid global pandemic
Jones has become a corporate sponsor of The Race All-Star Esports Battle, a virtual event created after major motorsport cancellations due to the pandemic. The race’s inaugural week had a combined total of 12.1 million views on The Race’s YouTube channel.
Since hiring marketing VP Maisie Antoniello last year, Jones Soda has continued building out its marketing leadership and product lines, including a CBD-infused expansion. Executives plan to make marketing investments throughout 2020.
Jones currently relies heavily on earned and social media to reach millennials, GenZ, and teenagers, but may branch out to new media channels under the new marketing team. Sellers of paid social, OTT, and podcast ad space should reach out.
WINMO INSIGHT: Jones’ social audience composition supports its eSports play, with a majority in the 18 to 24-year-old range and indexing high for gamers.
2. Acer’s Predator brand: Expands partnership with Envy Gaming, ups digital spend
Acer has expanded its partnership with Dallas-based Envy Gaming. The Taiwanese computer-maker is known for its Predator gaming line, which is the official computer and monitor partner for Envy Gaming’s Dallas Fuel. Future plans include the Predator Gaming Lounge at Envy headquarters for local watch parties, tournaments, and K-12 seminars covering eSports.
WINMO INSIGHT: In the past two months, digital ad spend has spiked significantly for Acer’s Predator brand, with most ads placed directly. Ads have appeared on sites such as gamespot.com and minecraft.gamepedia.com.
3. Axe leads Unilever’s foray into eSports
At the end of 2019, male grooming brand Axe released its first-ever eSports campaign. Developed by 72andSunny, the campaign, “What’s Your Move,” consisted of a 30-second video ad starring a talking Axe can declaring “Behold, the world ender,” when sprayed—a popular line from League of Legends.
Axe’s parent company, Unilever, tested new ad formats like audio streaming ads on Spotify. Their 2019 media spend was concentrated in the first half of the year, and this is expected to continue in 2020.
Axe’s target audiences are male millennials and Gen Z, particularly teenagers. Their recent decrease in TV spend is expected to continue as they shift funds to digital and experiential mediums. The multi-year partnership with League of Legends includes the Mid-Season Invitational (Q2) and All-Star Event (Q4).
WINMO INSIGHT: Mark Lodwick is the Brand Director for Axe.
4. Bumble teams up with girl gamers
Late last year, Los Angeles’s eSports company Gen.G teamed up with dating site Bumble to create the all-female professional Fortnite group, Team Bumble.
The gender angle makes this partnership interesting. The female gamer market is a growing segment often neglected by marketers, which Bumble is targeting through its eSports partnership.
Bumble spent roughly $4.9 million on measured media last year, according to Kantar.
5. BMW reaches future luxury car owners through eSports
BMW launched a partnership with five gaming organizations around the globe, including Cloud9 in the United States and Fnatic in the U.K.
“In the long term, eSports is our biggest footprint,” said Stefan Ponikva, head of BMW Brand Experience Shows & Events. “The younger generation, born digital-first, doesn’t really care about TV or traditional advertising. eSports is our tool to reach them.”
The move aims to get the attention of gamers involved in titles such as League of Legends, Fortnite, and FIFA, and includes social, content collaborations, and branding exposure.
WINMO INSIGHT: This play should help BMW reach the 18-24 year old demographic, and ad buys in GenZ- and Millennial-leaning publications may follow.
6. Abercrombie & Fitch focuses on digital channels
Abercrombie & Fitch taps into the eSports world through Twitch, the popular live streaming site synonymous with online gaming.
A&F’s Twitch spend reflects an overall shift from the brand. According to iSpot, they haven’t allocated a national TV budget since late 2017.
The company spends on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify, and is expected to continue this focus to drive eCommerce activity.
WINMO INSIGHT: For media sellers looking to reach A&F, The Richards Group is their primary agency of record.
You might also like the list of 100 Sponsorship Brands Planning Marketing Now.
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