It’s a Gamer’s World

The world of gaming has grown to such an extent that now all brands can engage with audiences in more interactive and immersive ways than ever before. With over 3 billion gamers worldwide, it's a place where creators, casual players, young, old, tech-savvy, and tech novices come together.

Last week, Design Bridge and Partners London hosted an event that brought together existing clients and new prospects to explore the opportunities available to brands in the world of gaming.

Ben Thrasher, Strategy Director, opened the event with an overview of the world of gaming, its history, the current state of play, the audiences, and some of the brands doing interesting things in this space. Followed by a panel discussion led by Matt Boffey, UK Chief Strategy Officer, with panellists Rodrigo Samwell, CCO ESL FACEIT Group, the world’s largest esports company, influencer TommyRage of TwoAngryGamers, and Marta Swannie, Design Bridge and Partners’ Creative Partner, who leads the team behind the work for brands including ESL, DreamHack and Intel.

Key takeaways from the event highlighted opportunities for all brands, whether in or out of the category, and dispelled some of the myths within the world of gaming:

– Everyone is a gamer. Whether you’re a hardcore player on a PC, or a casual player on your mobile, there are now over 3 billion gamers around the world, which cut across every group and demographic. – New audience growth segments are no longer as stereotypical as we once thought. For example, grandparents and new mums are amongst the fastest growing gamer segments. – Gaming offers a unique opportunity for brands in how they can connect with audiences in this space. There’s opportunity for far higher engagement, better emotional connection and a higher quality of attention. – For many brands, it’s no longer a question of if you should engage in the world of gaming, but how. For publishers and e-sports brands, it's about creating inclusive and inviting worlds, while for out-of-category brands, it's about developing meaningful experiences that support these worlds and the audiences within them. Brands need to engage with gamers audience-first — be relevant, credible and distinct – to stand out from the crowd.

It’s a gamer’s world – and a world of opportunity for everyone. It’s time for all brands to get involved and press play.