International advertising agency, We Are Social, bolsters their global strategy in the gaming sector
We Are Social, a renowned international social media creative agency, is taking a bold step into the esports industry. The move comes as gaming becomes a core business offer for the agency's clients.
The agency, which employs around 1,000 people globally, has already made a name for itself in the non-gaming sector, working with brands such as Uber Eats, Vodafone, Lidl, and Renault. Now, it aims to build on this success in the esports sector.
According to We Are Social's Digital Report for 2021, the average daily time spent playing video games on a gaming console is one hour and 12 minutes. This data indicates a growing interest in gaming, presenting an exciting opportunity for brands to engage with this audience.
Esports: A Rapidly Growing Market
Current trends in esports marketing and collaboration between brands and developers highlight several key points. Mobile esports is growing fastest, with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 27.6% from 2025 to 2035. This growth is fuelled by smartphone penetration and affordable internet, especially in emerging markets like India and Southeast Asia. Developers are optimizing mobile gameplay and tournaments to expand their reach.
Sponsorships and advertising dominate esports revenue, growing at a 45% CAGR. Brands such as Red Bull, Nike, and BMW heavily invest in team sponsorships, tournament branding, influencer collaborations, and branded live streams. Programmatic ads and targeted marketing on platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming are enhancing monetization.
VTubers (virtual YouTubers) are emerging as a novel marketing channel. Using virtual avatars rather than real identities, VTubers attract growing viewer interest. This has led brands in sports, food, and alcohol sectors to expand influencer spending on VTuber collaborations, blending gaming content with virtual personas.
Collaborative Esports Campaigns
The esports ecosystem benefits from multidisciplinary collaboration between game developers, brands, and advertising. This collaboration includes digital campaigns and integrated in-game activations, which smooth fan engagement and brand visibility.
Regarding specific successful campaigns, one notable example is Global Pride's annual parade on Animal Crossing. Although this example was not detailed in the search results, it is a notable case of brand and developer collaboration on a socially impactful event. Such campaigns leverage popular gaming platforms to celebrate inclusivity and diversity, engaging the gaming community beyond traditional esports competitions with live events and virtual parades.
In sum, esports marketing in 2025 is characterized by platform diversification (mobile and virtual), growing brand partnerships built around influencer and digital advertising, and creative use of gaming worlds for social engagement, exemplified by campaigns like Global Pride's Animal Crossing parade.
We Are Social's expansion into esports aims to connect brands and developers with gaming communities worldwide. By understanding the trends and opportunities in this rapidly growing market, the agency is well-positioned to help brands navigate the esports landscape and engage with this increasingly valuable audience.
[1] Newzoo. (2021). Global Esports Market Report 2021. Retrieved from https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/global-esports-market-report-2021/
[2] We Are Social. (2021). Digital 2021: Global Overview. Retrieved from https://wearesocial.com/blog/2021/01/digital-2021-global-overview
[3] Niko Partners. (2020). Niko Partners Q3 2020 China Esports Report. Retrieved from https://www.nikopartners.com/reports/q3-2020-china-esports-report/
- The agency's expansion into esports indicates a shift in their interest, aiming to capitalize on the booming technology sector and the rising popularity of gadgets like gaming consoles and smartphones, vital for esports.
- In coordination with esports developers, We Are Social aims to use technology to engage global gaming communities, leveraging trends such as mobile gaming, sponsorships, and innovative virtual influencers like VTubers.
