Introduction

Since the pandemic, consumers spend more time than ever before on devices such as smartphones and computers. This has led to  video games becoming an integral part of mainstream culture and daily routines. According to YouGov data, the next-gen gamers cohort is an important advertising audience as they are often young and tech-savvy, with the ability to create connections with followers and become purchase influencers. This is primarily driven by the shared interest of gaming, but also thanks to other factors such as humour, entertainment, and personality traits. Mintel research suggests that overall, frequent gaming has decreased since the pandemic, with older Millennials moving on to more social activities. However, this trend is reversed in Generation Z and Younger Millennials who respectively spent 23% and 31% more-time gaming frequently in September 2022 vs May 2021. Given these audiences have stayed engaged post-COVID-19, the prospect for the long-term success of the gaming industry with these generations is promising.

The challenge

 The shift towards a cookie-less environment means that traditional advertising and data-gathering methods are becoming less effective. Gathering valuable first-party data has become paramount, and this is where gaming audiences enter the picture. The challenge lies in understanding how to effectively tap into this vast and engaged community.

The approach

While companies can harness the potential of gaming audiences in various ways and across multiple media channels Merkle implemented a Paid Social campaign for a luxury retail client.

Using our expertise and connection with media owners, we identified Reddit and Twitch to be instrumental to the awareness phase of the campaign, as these platforms are popular for gaming communities to gather and engage with gaming-related content and topics. These platforms offer a declared interest in gaming, rather than an inferred interest available on other networks.

Activating across the premium high-impact placements on Twitch allowed us to create an unmissable mass awareness event, complemented by the niche targeting capabilities of Reddit allowing direct community engagement by targeting relevant subreddits. This allowed us to expand the brand’s usual luxury retail audience effectively and authentically to gamers.

Finally, we leveraged Meta’s sophisticated solution to capture leads and additional first-party data.

The results

Overall, the campaign far exceeded its objectives. The strategic planning and execution allowed for the collection of first-party data leads, surpassing  the initial target by 278%.

This campaign also achieved a cost-per-lead that was 70% more efficient than their business-as-usual activities. The activation activity across Reddit proved particularly successful, achieving 200% higher CTR than the platform benchmarks, as well as 25% increase in organic mentions of the brand on Reddit.

Conclusion

The success of this campaign underscores the need for companies to tap into gaming audiences for customer outreach. To do so effectively, businesses should immerse themselves in gaming culture, leverage diverse channels and platforms, create value through partnerships and exclusive content, prioritise first-party data collection, and measure success comprehensively. By embracing gaming, brands can connect with a passionate and engaged audience, expanding their reach and fostering meaningful experiences and moments in this thriving market.