Big brands have begun fully embracing strategic partnerships with popular mobile, console and PC video games.
Their goal is to reach new audiences and engage consumers in their brand.
In Q1 of 2021, gamers had downloaded roughly 1 billion titles every week. Total Q1 consumer spending in the gaming sector hit $22 billion. Even as global economies began opening up, consumers have been faithfully gaming and purchasing in-app.
Big brands have noticed. In-app advertising and direct-sales in mobile games is the next frontier for brands. As consumers have begun interacting more with mobile games, many millions of “eyeballs” are glued to screens daily.
Shopping apps have seen how gaming can help brand interaction. They’ve begun including game-like features to keep consumers on their app, playing and purchasing goods.
Conversely, mobile games have begun selling branded skins and digital items within their games. For example, Louis Vuitton features in-game skins for the hit game, League of Legends. The items are wildly popular among gamers and has served to elevate brand awareness for Louis Vuitton. Helping to secure future hard merchandise sales.
The next level of in-game commerce will involve brands selling their real merchandise inside of mobile games. Soon, companies like Louis Vuitton may be able not only sell digital skins — in hopes their branding efforts translate to real sales — but could sell the actual products the avatars are suited in, right to the gamer.
If gamers love the Louis Vuitton branded skins, they’ll soon be able to click to purchase the actual item for real life use. However, the technology to accommodate this branding and sales channel has only just been developed.
This in-game eCommerce technology will soon be available for game developers and brands globally. It has the potential to elevate the mobile game industry into a trillion dollar behemoth.
Read more about gaming and big brand partnerships HERE