Gamer brand fandom Assessing partnership suitability between games and entertainment brands

The 20,000 foot view

Entertainment partnerships in games are booming, with games companies being approached with opportunities from all directions. This increased level of opportunity puts pressure on the available time and resources to properly evaluate each proposal. Simultaneously, the continuous influx of opportunities, coupled with ongoing games release deadlines, make it hard for games companies to step back and apply macro frameworks for partner assessment and prioritisation effectively. 

Key Insights

• Games companies            measurement and prioritisation frameworks to            brand collaboration success amid an            of brand partnership approaches
• Entertainment brands            a framework to better focus            brand partnership testing efforts in            ecosystems
• Beside positive            sentiment, negative sentiment also needs            be considered. The closer the            the more tribal / controversial            response to a partnership may           
           of gamers are fans of IP universe brands compared to            who dislike them, making it the most suitable category for brand partnerships in games
• Sports brand            is the most tribal, with            gamers being fans of the            sports brands, and            disliking them
• Disney has            highest fan penetration among gamers            simultaneously having the lowest negative                      
• Though among            the Pokémon brand has a            fan penetration            than G.I. Joe            also has a higher rate            negative sentiment            versus            making it            suitable for brand partnerships overall
• Console gamers            the highest entertainment brand fan            compared to PC and mobile           
• Games aficionados            most valuable gamer segment) have            highest brand fan penetration, highlighting            importance of cross-entertainment partnerships for            companies and brands alike
• Sandbox and            world players have the highest            fan penetration rates across all            sectors, but first-person shooter (FPS)            could provide a bigger opportunity,            the genre’s size
• Puzzle games            an opportunity for music brands            artists, creator tools, and festivals)            to the favourable overlap and            brand partnership competition from other            sectors

Companies and brands mentioned in this report : Adele, BTS, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, DC Universe, Disney, FaZe Clan, FC Barcelona, G.I. Joe, Harry Potter, James Bond, LEGO, Lord of the Rings, Los Angeles Dodgers, Marvel Cinematic Universe, New England Patriots, New York Yankees, Pokémon, Real Madrid, Spider-man, Star Wars, Taylor Swift, Transformers