Cannes Lions 2024: Gaming came to play

At Consoles & Community: Why Brands Can’t Afford to Ignore Gaming on Stagwell’s Sport Beach, Gale CEO Brad Simms asked panelists this very question to get to the heart of why gaming is still sometimes misunderstood.

The ‘teenage-boy-in-the-basement’ stereotype that remains so prevalent despite the well documented diversity of gaming audiences serves as the perfect example of the misconceptions that persist when it comes to gaming. Similarly the multitude of ways to activate within gaming—from mobile, to console, to PC, to streaming—means that gaming advertising experiences with vastly different outcomes, executions and levels of investment are often grouped together, which can act as a barrier for brands looking for an entry point into gaming that makes sense for their objectives.

The key to shifting these perceptions lies in education—working hand in hand with brands and agencies to help them better understand the breadth and depth of the gaming ecosystem and the expansive opportunities within it. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to gaming, and that is precisely what makes the space so exciting for brands. 

Gaming’s superpower has long been its ability to capture attention, and this was the topic of discussion at the iion Gaming Roundtable: Why Gaming is the Attention-Centric Media Frontier.

Gaming audiences are highly engaged, with gaming offering a leaned-in and immersive entertainment experience. In-game advertising activations that deliver interaction rather than distraction help put the player at the heart of the experiences so brands can capitalize on gaming’s unique strength.

Measuring player engagement, and specifically attention, remains critical in helping brands evaluate success. The gaming industry is continuing to evolve and meet marketers where they are when it comes to measurement—using metrics and terminology that are meaningful and clear, so that the full extent of gaming’s superpower can be better understood and valued.