We all know that gaming has been a big thing for a while now and it is an exciting space in the region, given the investments in e-sports and the growing number of players, especially in Saudi and Egypt.
Of course, brands want to be part of this. But we also know that players are demanding, highly engaged and hyper-connected audiences who immediately sense and share any inconsistency when brands want to join the party.
I was lucky to be a juror of the inaugural Entertainment Lions for gaming at Cannes Lions. I want to share the main themes and trends we saw and that brands can leverage and illustrate them with winning work, I loved.
What do marketers need to build successful brands in gaming?
Embrace the growing democratisation of game development. Creation modes are the new UGC.
A couple of years ago, if brands wanted to alter the gameplay, they had to go through a long and expensive negotiating process with game developers.
Today, more gaming companies invest heavily in game-creation tools.
For example, Roblox was initially designed as a game creation platform and now invests in AI tools to accelerate this process; Fortnite adds an Unreal Editor functionality to its creative mode, plus other tools that evolve quickly (mods, custom maps).
However, to be successful, brands need to embrace new type of talent and partners – not only strategists and creatives but also game designers who can build genuinely great experiences on gaming platforms.
Case: Super Wendy’s World
How can brands win at gaming?
Another thing that will help brands to win is understanding the broader ecosystem around gaming. Altering the gameplay is one of many ways to connect with players. Gaming is much more than the game itself – it’s also community, content creators, and additional layers of content outside the game. Winning examples include Mcdonald’s Unbranded Menu.
Case: Mcdonald’s Unbranded Menu
What’s next for gaming advertising in 2023?
Games became cross-generational connectors. Games were also a tool for connection, but most of the time, they connected people of the same generation.
I remember when I was a kid playing my Dendi, Sega, and PS, it was not easy to explain to my parents what I was doing and why.
Today’s millennials are the first generation who played video games as kids and now have kids also playing games.
Case: Ready Player Mom
What does the rise of gaming culture mean for the future of marketing?
DEI and safety become more critical. Because games are now a new reality of how people communicate and spend time, destructive behaviors must be addressed to make it safer and more inclusive.
Case: Okay Groomer 
By Sandro Gelashvili Head of Creative Works at Google Dubai
