The gaming industry is perhaps the most lucrative in the world, as it’s now worth more than the film and music industries combined. It’s not a global powerhouse with more than 3.32 billion video game players, as of 2024, and a projected in value of around $665 billion by 2030. While gaming’s main purpose is to entertain people, it can also be utilised by brands to grow their audience.
Retail is one of the industries that can best benefit from using gaming as a digital marketing trend, as there are many ways that they can find success. Running targeted ads, cross-promotion and product placement can have massive effects on a business and make them into household names. Gamers are a range of ages, so it provides a very open market that can be great for targeting any specific age group.
Getting involved in the gaming industry is something you should definitely consider if you’re a retailer searching for a distinctive yet successful digital marketing strategy. For a better understanding of this marketing strategy, please read this guide.
Digital Marketing Techniques in Gaming
Product Placements
In-game advertising has been a key strategy for retailers over the past two decades who are looking to capitalise on the rapidly-growing industry. These types of product placements are usually subtly included within a video game to not be overbearing but still grab the attention of gamers.
Some examples of this include Monster Energy in Death Stranding, Subway in Uncharted 3 and Vans in Tony Hawk Underground. These products will be in the back of the mind of gamers for hours after they see it in the game.
Cross-Promotion
Collaboration with established game developers can enable brands to connect with the gaming community and reach a unique audience. We’ve seen many retail brands make their way into video games, such as Nike being a mainstay feature in many sports games like EAFC, WWE2k and NBA2k.
Gamers can add Nike apparel to existing characters or create characters in these games, which could influence them to purchase the same thing in real life. This adds a deeper level of consumer engagement that other forms of promotion can’t offer.
Esports
Competitive gaming has become its own beast over the past decade, as more huge brands are beginning to get involved with the lucrative industry. With the rise of Twitch and YouTube live streaming, it has allowed Esports competitions to be streamed to millions of viewers worldwide which makes it a great promotion opportunity for retailers.
Esports teams will have their own jerseys made from sports retailers like Nike, Adidas and Puma. They will also have sponsors on the jerseys, such as ASOS, Herman Miller and G-Fuel. Even sports teams like Manchester City have created their own Esports team to capitalise on the monetary gain.
Gaming Influencers
Gamers make up some of the most powerful influencers in the world, as they have a unique audience that often spans globally. Retailers can work with gaming influencers to strategically position their brand’s message on their content to attract their target audience. This can help with building a connection, as fans of these content creators might be more tempted to purchase the products if they are endorsed by them.
Generating a buzz about the brand should be an essential part of their digital marketing strategy, which is why gaming influencer involvement has become a very valid technique for retailers to use. A branding agency in Manchester can be a very safe investment for retailers looking to generate buzz through gaming marketing.
Industry Events
Retailers can attend industry events like PAX, TwitchCon and E3 to showcase their products to an audience that might not be familiar with them. Opening the door to as many new audiences as possible can help generate more leads and sales, so the gaming industry offers a very unique opportunity to do so. It can also be a great way to gather feedback and build relationships with gamers and industry professionals.
Adding gaming aspects to business functions has been shown to increase customer acquisitions by 700%. If retailers are able to latch onto the right type of gaming audience, it could be the thing that boosts them to be an industry leader.
Conclusion
The gaming industry presents untapped potential for retailers seeking to expand their reach and engage with a passionate audience. Many games have niche audiences, so retailers can target the specific games that will best reach their target audience. For example, mens full tracksuit brands can get deals to be included in popular sports games to get more eyes on the product.
There are multiple ways that retailers can take their digital marketing in the world of gaming, as not only can they get their product in the games themselves but can also work with influencers and esports franchises to help with promotion. Retailers can take advantage of all the available benefits and have the chance to make unimaginable profits.
Featured Image Courtesy : Pixabay
