The future of brands, IP and advertising in gaming

On 25 November, as part of our Moore Kingston Smith Media Summit, we hosted a video games session on ‘The future of brands, IP, and advertising in gaming (and beyond)’. Here, we were joined by chair George Osborn (Video Games Industry Memo) and panellists Lou Jones, Head of Campaign Strategy at YRS TRULY, Max Deane, Licensing Manager at FuturLab and Erik Londré, CEO at Karta, for what was a far-reaching and truly engaging discussion. Below are a few of the main points to come out of the session:

– The audience for video games is huge but it is fragmented. Brands, advertisers and IP holders will be most successful in reaching the right audiences if they align to games and game communities that are an authentic fit with their properties.

– There is an “ocean” of opportunity in games for brands, but you need to know how deep you want to dive. Understanding whether you want a light partnership, a deep IP integration or something in between will help you make the most of the medium.

– Partnerships are truly important in games. Players and developers want their favourite games and spaces to be respected. So knowing your brand’s “red lines” but being willing to let go of control over some elements will help you reach audiences effectively.

– User-generated content platforms like Roblox provide a real opportunity to reach audiences with games on a faster timeline than other forms of in game activations. But you still need to make sure the brand and experience meet expectations.

– The audience for games is truly diverse. Understand the range of people you can reach, while also knowing who you really want to speak to. A clear message will inevitably exclude some people. That’s necessary for success.

– Finally, we’re still only at the beginning of understanding the true value of games as a space to reach audiences. But brands and advertisers always want to meet people where they are. Succeeding in games and the community spaces surrounding the medium is crucial for reaching audiences in a digital age.