After more than two years of living in a world powered by virtual connections, it’s easy for many to attribute the rise of gaming culture to this reliance on digital engagement. But gaming isn’t a new phenomenon, and as highlighted at the recent IAB Playfronts event, many of today’s most sought-after audiences have lived their entire lives with gaming as a core portion of their entertainment menu, right up there with TV, movies, and music.
Read on to explore three reasons why today’s advertisers should consider using multiscreen content to reach gamers and elevate their brand’s message.
Gamers Cross Traditional Audience Lines
According to the Entertainment Software Association, 67% of American adults are video game players.1 With more than two thirds of the U.S. population falling within this audience, it’s clear that there is no one-size-fits-all description for a gamer. They represent a multi-generational audience group of which 45% were women in 2021, up from 41% in 2020.2
Recently, 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18+ who use at least one form of gaming, streaming TV, live TV, or esports (competitive multi-player video games played for spectators) were surveyed to learn more about their gaming habits. A commanding 84% of respondents ages 18–34 engaged with gaming on a weekly basis, along with 72% of those ages 35–54 and 46% of those aged 55+.3 From Gen Z to Baby Boomers , gamers present advertisers with the opportunity to cater their messages to a variety of highly engaged audience segments.
Gamers Love TV, Too
According to Comcast viewership data,4 video game system users spend nearly eight hours per day viewing TV, which includes both live TV (89% of total viewing time) and DVR and video on demand content (11% of total viewing time). For this audience segment, cable TV makes up 67% of their viewing, with the majority of the content they watch falling outside of news and sports programming.4
With this active audience already tuned in to their TVs, brands can reach these gamers where they are with customized campaigns promoting new releases, platforms, apps, and merchandise.
Gamers Use Multiple Devices at Once
Scrolling on a phone, tablet, or laptop while simultaneously watching content on another screen is fairly common, but it’s practically second nature for gamers. In fact, a survey found that 91% of gamers watch TV with another device in their hands, which they are often using to play some sort of game.3 This trend is even more prominent within the 97% of esports viewers who reported watching TV with another device in their hands.3
Twice as many screens creates twice as many opportunities to use brand-safe, premium inventory on live, on demand, and streaming TV in 66 unique markets. Ready to start getting your message in front of the gaming crowd? Explore Effectv’s solutions for reaching gamers and driving measurable outcomes for your business.
Sources:
1. “2021 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry.” Entertainment Software Association, 13 Jul. 2021
2: “Distribution of video gamers in the United States from 2006 to 2021, by gender.” Statista, Jul. 2021
3. “The Engagement Game: How Gaming Has Transformed Entertainment Consumption.” Activision Blizzard Media, 04 Apr. 2022
4. Comcast Aggregated Viewership Data. Full Footprint. Q1 2022. Target is Video Game System User.
