"The opportunities for partnerships between brands and the gamer industry are high when we talk about the Generation Z audience. They expect from brands a more complete content experience, an expansion of their gaming experience, and when that happens there is a lot of engagement power between the brand and the consumer. We had two recent examples on CBLOL where brand activations were genuine, fully placed in the context of the game and the competition. When KitKat creates a line of specialty flavored chocolates based on League of Legends, this has a very big importance for game fans, and makes the brand achieve a different type of engagement beyond the product itself,” explains Caco Antunes, head of esports at Riot Games.
"In the same way, when Mastercard creates an innovative format, where the real problem of forest preservation can be experienced within the game, the brand creates an innovative and much more engaged dialogue for bring the community to discuss the topic, and it becomes an important interlocutor for the cause for that audience," added Antunes.
The Nestlé brand recently launched new flavors for a special line inspired by League of Legends. The unique flavors, available only in São Paulo, bring ingredients and combinations that make reference to some elements of the game, such as Baron, Red Buff, Blue Buff, Kai’Sa and Poro. The action also reinforces the partnership between KitKat and CBLOL started in the first half of this year.
“We asked the League of Legends community what sweet the game would be and KitKat was the most cited brand. So we managed to establish a very genuine relationship. Being a partner of Riot Games for almost a year strengthens this bond, being able to position the brand in various types of games,” explains Patricia Nacamuta, KitKat marketing manager.
Mastercard, sponsor of CBLoL since 2020 and global partner of Riot Games since 2018, took a special action to draw attention to environmental awareness. On September 5, the day after the CBLOL final, the brand launched the special ‘Play for the Jungle’ match to commemorate Amazon Day. In it, ten influential gamers faced an unprecedented challenge in the League of Legends. Jungle – the game's jungle – was unavailable. The area is considered critical on the map, where players fight monsters that give additional resources and powers. The objective was to provoke the reflection that protecting forests is fundamental to saving the planet.
“The commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive digital economy is one of Mastercard's pillars. We want to make sure that people, communities, businesses and the planet can thrive, but we also need to draw people's attention to the importance of preserving forests for our lives, without which there is no possible future,” says Sarah Buchwitz, Vice -President of Marketing & Communication at Mastercard Brasil.
“So we took the opportunity to connect – through jungle – the virtual and the real world, so that the LOL community could listen, learn and take action. It was one more opportunity we had to speak to an essential audience, the generation that has the power to change the world,” she adds. Red Bull, a Riot Games partner since 2019, has already brought League of Legends champion characters to their cans. Gillette, a partner since 2018, has also used the CBLOL exhibition to launch products.
Source: Exame
