Small companies and big global brands like PepsiCo and Mastercard are increasingly spending their ad budget on esports sponsorship and in-game advertising to reach consumers. The opportunity? Companies can reach hybrid audiences who prefer gaming over movies and music for entertainment. Advertisers also gain highly valuable user data and increase consumers’ engagement with their brand through a different experience. And all that is achieved for a fraction of what it would cost to advertise at traditional sporting events.
Game on
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Fans pack an arena at the 2019 League of Legends World Championship finals in Paris. Online viewers for the event reached tens of millions. The world’s largest esports competitions can offer more than $30 million in prize money. PHOTO BY ESPORTZ NETWORK/REUTERS