Do not start with in-game advertisement in 2024!
As a gaming for brands agency, we are fully dedicated to helping brands invade and leverage the opportunities of game culture. Doing so succesfully comes with a few do’s and don’ts. The most important one? Don’t start with advertising.
Now we understand if you do not immediately take our word for it, so let’s see if some other experts might help us convince you.
First, get to know Willis
Or in fact, any 13 year old with a Fortnite account and a gaming device. However, your first conversation partner could just as easily be your 43-year-old sister-in-law with a PHD, a GeForce RTX 4090 and a Discord username you’ve never heard of.
Point being: gaming is all about culture. So your entry point, as a marketeer, should be understanding the broad basics of that culture. You do so by simply talking to those that are deeply invested in the community. Don’t know any? Allow me to introduce you to Pieter Doove .
If you skip this step, you’ll quickly learn that gamers have a trade union, that happily torpedoes the ROI of your campaign if you diminish a gamers experience instead of adding to the culture. Don’t become the Kendall of game culture.
Then, consult with Seth
We might have given you the impression that the gaming community isn’t receptive to marketing within their respective worlds. But luckily for you as a marketeer, Jutta Jakob and the great folks at Newzoo have proven quite the opposite. Apart from researchers, we know a few marketing pioneers that can tell you all about receptiveness of brand stories in game culture as well.
But receptiveness can only be transformed in actual results if you add something to the community instead of just looking for the benefits of its mass reach. Once you’ve built some credibility and brand love, the community will gladly grant you permission to amplify your message within its domain.
And finally, return to David’s principles
Modern creative leaders, following in the footsteps of David or Joe Pulizzi, emphasize the importance of creating value, smiles and experiences.
David's legacy lives on in his successors, who still act according to his rule of thumb. But if you want to know all about creating the best experiences and content in the domain of gaming, you might want to have a coffee with specialists like Kevin Loos , Rik toe Water and Stephanie Whitley . We’d be happy to introduce you to all of them.
But, what about Byron?
We don’t think any of the above steps conflict with his key lessons. Even more so, whether you are looking for chances to underline distinctiveness, or are mostly looking to attract new customers, the world of gaming will provide you many options.
Which brings us to our last specialists
The people that truly understand gaming and view it from a broader digital innovation perspective. The ones that ensure that the value you provide is amplified to the right audiences. Those that create synergy between impact and experience by understanding both. Those people are called Julia Rast or Harry D Homeijer and are your final necessity to success.
So, let it be clear. We love in-game advertising when done right, but it should never be your starting point.
Are you thinking of entering the world of gaming with your brand? And do you want to stay up to date on the latest trends and developments? Then make sure you follow us on Linkedin!
