Gaming is a key advertising medium for brands.

Some say it’s bigger than music and movies. Contextualizing, the super-talented actor Andy Serkis, summed it up this way: “Every age has its own mythology, and video games are a huge part of our culture. People enjoy video games just as much as other people enjoy the cinema or the theater.

Gaming is becoming more mainstream than just entertainment – ​​one can buy shares in Roblox, Activision and Global X shares on Easy Equities.

Here’s a channel that’s barely started yet, it’s growing and in many ways most brands are playing. According to Statista, South Africans spend around ten hours a week gaming, and Newsu estimates that 24 million of us play video games.

Most noteworthy, however, is the $314 million GWI estimated the industry generated last year. If you haven’t already, now is the time to consider gamification in your brand’s communications toolkit. Regardless of the final path you take, any thinking about the future of your brand and consumer behavior should take gaming into account. To help with this mindset, there are four things you need to consider to get your brand in the game.

Relevance is not the same

Being relevant is at the core of what we do every day in creative systems. And we know that relevance is not something that can be widely applied or easily replicated. This means that there is no such thing as a “quintessential player” profile. There is no one size fits all.

Instead of complicating it, it makes it simple. As for us “music lovers”, rock fans, piano fanatics, Spotify loyalists and SoundCloud rappers, gaming is no different.

A gamer is anyone who plays video games. Any game, anywhere, anytime can make you addicted. Crush the candy, survive the invasion
A future open world surrounded by machines or concerts in a battle royale race; There is something for everyone in gaming. This means there is something for every brand.

Being able to identify which audience and community your brand will connect with in the gaming world is paramount. Know who your players are, what they want, and where your brand can play a meaningful, value-adding role. In this way, it is a simple fit in this complex world.

Choose the right brand

Identifying who your audience is and what works for them is the starting point. But ultimately you have to choose which part of the game universe you want to capture. Most of the time, your audience will lead you there and you just have to follow the signs. But sometimes it’s not that simple. As more and more brands get into this, it can have a wild west feel if you’re not careful (there’s a game for that, by the way).

Brand safety is the most important first element to consider. This covers everything from abuse, kids viewing your content, being a streamer or influencer and so on.

Performing brand safety assessments, setting up risk protocols, and conducting in-depth analytics on who you plan to use gives you control over your brand and how it’s perceived.

Go beyond the purchase

We have already defined who the players are (everyone) and where they are (everywhere). Being relevant to them requires us to do what we call “beyond the purchase” in creative systems. It’s about considering the entire ecosystem that our products and audiences belong to and finding the right fit for them.

Gamers live apart from their phones, PCs and consoles. They go to events (think ComicCon and not just ComicCon at the same time), eat out (think Red Bull and Debonairs pizza with local eSports), and are willing to trade online (think digital currency).

Branding with gamers doesn’t mean rewriting your plans, but incorporating games into your existing complex and communities. Basically, it’s just another channel with another set of viewers. But that’s exactly why treating it with respect, creativity and positivity will pay off the best for your brand.

have fun! (but not on your terms)

Everyone can see when brands are trying too hard to be cool. People can tell if something is an ad, a sales pitch, or a waste of time. Often, brands come to new channels and behave like brands there. No one invites them, no one wants them and they make it difficult for everyone. Don’t be a brand.

Be a brand that is fun as defined by your community as fun. Don’t stop. Add, don’t make it harder – they have a boss fight for that. It makes it more natural to be a brand that fits seamlessly into their gaming experience and doesn’t put your brand front and center.

The opportunities and possibilities in the game are immense. Brands that are willing to understand, lead, and see the bigger picture at play can increase relevance and accelerate growth. Finally, players want to do the same thing – to reach the highest level.