“To effectively reach younger audiences in-game, always ensure your ads are contextual and appropriate for the environments in which they appear. Ads should resonate with younger players, comply with Age Appropriate Design Codes, and adhere to advertising self-regulatory principles by being free from violence, unsafe environments, disturbing content, and suggestive themes.”
This was some of the advice that Jessica Whatson, Head of Gaming Innovation & Delivery at SuperAwesome, the leading kidtech company powering the youth digital ecosystem, shared during Anzu's panel at the IAB Gaming Upfronts in London earlier this month. The panel was moderated by Nerissa MacDonald, EVP Global Sales at Anzu. Two gaming experts from leading agencies—Charles Crotty, Head of Innovation at Digitas, and Bukky Moemeke, Platform Experience Director at Wavemaker—also shared their experiences of bringing brands into the gaming world to help them connect with younger audiences.
Young People Are Spending More and More Time Gaming
There are currently around 618 million gamers under the age of 18, representing 20% of the total gamer population. According to the latest report from Anzu and SuperAwesome, which was unveiled at the event, with each new generation, time spent gaming grows. This was the core message of the session: gaming is an essential media channel for younger generations, and by not being present within the gaming community, brands are losing out on a massive chunk of this valuable audience.
Importantly, the message was not that gaming is the only place where young people can be found but that it is one of many spaces where younger generations choose to spend their time. To effectively reach these audiences, gaming should be a consistent part of your media plan, alongside other channels like social media and streaming, where young people spend time.
However, gaming's unique advantage over these other channels, which was discussed during the panel, is its exceptionally high attention levels and how these translate to brand metrics. According to the report, young audiences demonstrate a strong affinity for interacting with brands during gameplay. They effectively recall the brands they encounter in-game, and report increases in brand affinity following these interactions.
Nerissa mentioned that this attention also translates to “a strong halo effect, which positively influences brand perception. According to our research, 55% of under-18s report a boost in brand affinity, indicating that when they encounter brands in games, they love them. Jess agreed, following up with, “Many brands struggle to nail the cool factor when they’re trying to reach younger audiences, and gaming is a place where that exists. Simply by being within gaming, you’re automatically adding that cool factor to your brand. This is echoed across all our brand lift studies. You have an automatic brand uplift because you’re associated with the platforms they hang out with their friends in, they’re making social connections in, and they’re learning about the world in”.
Why Brands Are Missing Out
Despite these opportunities, many brands hesitate to connect with younger audiences through gaming because they are unsure how to do so compliantly and brand-safely. Jessica Whatson emphasized that much of her work, along with the SuperAwesome team, involves guiding brands on how to advertise compliantly and ethically when targeting kids.
Charles Crotty from Digitas pointed out that brands have been advertising to young audiences for decades, and gaming should be treated similarly to other digital channels. Brands should follow the same best practices for gaming as they do for other digital platforms—especially when it comes to intrinsic in-game advertising, which offers IAB-compliant formats, advanced reporting and targeting, and brand safety precautions, just like traditional digital channels.
Bukky Moemeke from Wavemaker added that this hesitation from brands is not new; the industry has historically taken a long time to adapt to new channels. By not incorporating gaming into their plans, brands are missing out on reaching an audience that actually wants them to be present in these virtual spaces. Research shows that 75% of young people in the US and UK believe ads enhance their gaming experience.
She later expressed her frustration with those who continue to deliberate about gaming, saying to the audience, “Sometimes it’s just as easy as just do it! People have been talking about omnichannel for years. Why are we ignoring the next channel just because it’s a bit more effort on the plan? We can be quite time-poor as planners, but when we’re looking at the results that we’re seeing from gaming in terms of attention, it’s a no-brainer to make it a part of your plan, especially now that it doesn’t have to be a huge activation every time and you can run some of this stuff programmatically.”
Reaching Players Before Their Loyalties Lock
The report also highlights the challenges brands face if they fail to connect with young audiences during their discovery phase. According to the report, brand loyalties tend to solidify by age 16, meaning that young people have established brand preferences that are unlikely to change. If brands do not reach their audience earlier—while they are still open to discovering and adopting new brands—they risk missing the opportunity to become part of their consideration set. Moreover, the costs of acquisition, the influence of households, and the overall impact of a late entry into the Loyalty Lifecycle become evident.
This finding underscores the value of participating in gaming, whether you are a tech company, a fashion brand, or even a food and beverage manufacturer. By getting involved early, brands are not just promoting a product—they are building relationships. When young consumers see your brand integrated into the games they love, it becomes part of their experience, helping to create lasting impressions.
Those early connections can yield significant rewards as these young audiences grow and their preferences evolve. Your brand can become a familiar presence in their lives, influencing their choices as they transition into adulthood. Gaming is not just a channel for reaching kids today; it is a powerful means of establishing a brand presence that will resonate as they become the consumers of tomorrow.
Watch and Learn: Take the Next Step
Don't miss out on learning how to effectively reach young audiences through gaming. Watch Anzu's IAB Upfronts session in full below and download the free report to start building stronger connections today.