Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, and Anzu, the world’s most advanced intrinsic in-game advertising platform, today announced a strategic partnership designed to help brands capitalize on the fast-growing gaming market. Stagwell and Anzu will collaborate to innovate new formats for bespoke in-game experiences for brands and bring Anzu’s cutting-edge in-game advertising solution to more companies worldwide.
As of 2024, there are over 3.3 billion gamers worldwide. Anzu enables advertisers to reach those gamers across mobile, PC, console and gaming metaverses with non-disruptive IAB-compliant ad formats that become part of the gameplay, appearing in locations where you would expect to see ads in the real world, like around sports stadiums, alongside racetracks, and on the sides of buildings. Backed by Sony Innovation Fund, Emmis, NBCUniversal, and other prominent investors, Anzu has brought measurement standards in-game and run award-winning campaigns for some of the world’s leading brands, such as Samsung, PepsiCo, and P&G.
The Stagwell network is on the forefront of immersive experiences, leading award-winning gaming activations and marketing for brands such as Blizzard Entertainment, MilkPep, Wells Enterprises, and more. Through its investments in technology, Stagwell has also created a first-of-its kind shared augmented reality platform, ARound, in use across three of America’s biggest professional sporting leagues.
This partnership will elevate both companies’ offerings in immersive gaming experiences. Stagwell’s clients will leverage Anzu’s platform for executing, measuring, and optimizing programmatic intrinsic in-game ads. Further, the Stagwell network of 70+ agencies worldwide – beginning with its digital transformation network Code and Theory – will collaborate with Anzu to develop new ad formats, content innovation, and dynamic activations.
“Consumers are clear: they crave immersive experiences over traditional ads and reward brands that activate authentically in gaming worlds. By combining Stagwell’s creative and digital prowess with Anzu’s cutting-edge tech, we are well positioned to transform how brands engage with this ever-expanding gaming audience,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO, Stagwell.
“Gaming, with its vast scale, attention-rich environments, and brand-safe 3D worlds, has all the ingredients to become a multi-billion-dollar ad medium,” said Itamar Benedy, Co-Founder and CEO of Anzu. “The collaboration with the Stagwell worldwide network and the creative minds at Code and Theory, combined with our unique technology, represents a significant leap forward for in-game advertising. This partnership will elevate the creative approach to advertising within games and push the boundaries of what’s possible in this medium.”
“At Code and Theory, we believe the future of brand engagement lies within the realms of immersive experiences. Our partnership with Anzu signifies a pivotal moment where creativity and technology converge to redefine in-game advertising. Together, we're not just placing ads; we're crafting seamless, authentic moments that resonate deeply with the gaming community, turning interactions into unforgettable experiences,” said Craig Elimeliah, Chief Creative Officer at Code and Theory.
Anzu joins a growing list of Stagwell’s unique technology partners, including Nexxen, MNTN, Google Cloud, and more, all dedicated to helping clients drive transformational outcomes with brand performance thinking.