Gaming is one of the fastest growing and ever changing sectors in the digital industry.
As the internet forms a connection between more people, games are becoming an increasingly powerful driver of consumer engagement.
Multiple industries are realising the value of gameplay in forming communities, incentivising loyalty and immersing users into their digital strategies at a functional level beyond-clicks.
How Games Drive Brand Engagement
For many businesses, gaming now constitutes a significant pillar of digital marketing strategy.
Companies innovate and find ways to integrate with your audience such as: working with game developers, sponsoring esports events, etc.
Branded Games
Certain brands have even produced their own games to help market a product or service.
They are simple games, fun to play, and super sharable, which makes them a great way of generating awareness about your brand.
For Coca-Cola and Mcdonald’s, games have been integrated into their marketing campaigns to make consumers feel good about buying their products.
In-Game Advertising and Product Placement
Another effective method is in-game advertising with significant consumer interaction.
Brands advertise in these games through billboards or generated items, branded objects, and even sponsored events.
Integrated advertising feels natural, unlike regular ads that traditionally disrupt the flow of a game.
However, some Tiranga games are designed to test in-game advertising and product placement.
For instance, sports games such as FIFA and NBA 2K show virtual ads for real-world brands that can gain access to an audience of engaged fans.
Esports Sponsorships and Partnerships
The new field of esports, or competitive gaming, is sweeping the world and attracting audiences in numbers that rival some traditional sports competitions.
Esports brands are a new marketing channel, and many top companies have started to see the potential in esports.
Well, that’s the reason why it is very easy to earn money while gaming online.
This is because they also fund tournaments by brands such as Intel, Red Buland l, and Nike, reaching an audience of young people.
They bring consumers deeper into the experience with interactive experiences that improve user engagement.
Twitch and YouTube Gaming Influencers
Influencers on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube are some of the most influential personalities in gaming, and they have an incredible reach over their audiences.
These influencers became brand partners, offering a more organic and less CTA-driven approach to game marketing.
Influencer relationships also lead to higher engagement and brand loyalty, be it through sponsored streams or reviews for giveaways.
The interactive, chat-imbued live stream experience also ups consumer connection and engagement.
Case Studies: Successful Game-Driven Engagement Campaigns
We have gathered here some of the brands that used gaming to engage their consumers successfully.
Nike and Fortnite Collaboration
As with the Nike/Fortnite example, we have seen many successful examples of in-game branding.
Nike brought sneaker-inspired character skins in its iconic Air Jordan for this campaign.
These skins were available for purchase through the game store, wherein players could use them to personalise their in-game characters with fashionable branded apparel.
The collaboration created buzz and got both Fortnite players themselves and sneaker enthusiasts talking about it: a win-win for the two brands.
Burger King’s ‘Sneak King’ Game
Burger King tried a different tactic with gaming, releasing its own video game (an Xbox October 2006 title), Sneak King.
It was sold at a discount in Burger King restaurants, providing customers with an engaging experience that furthered the brand.
Burger King The game involved players stalking people as the Burger Man mascot in order to “deliver food”.
The game was very basic, but it went viral and helped boost customer engagement as well as footfall into the store.
Now, that’s it all about the methods that games drive consumer engagement online. Hopefully, this guide has been an assistance to you.
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