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“To me, there’s no tighter relationship between gaming and sports,” says Craig Elimeliah, Chief Creative Officer of Code and Theory. While sports took center stage at the Cannes Lions International Festival for Creativity, and Stagwell’s SPORT BEACH, it’s clear from dozens of our interviews with senior marketers that gaming is also on the world leaderboard and becoming an essential platform for reaching digital-first consumers.

Everyone’s a Player

While the concept of a “gamer” conjures up the archetypical image of an teenage boy, 50% of people who identify as gamers today are women, Activision Blizzard’s Claire Nance reminded marketers on stage at SPORT BEACH. To counteract this pervasive stereotype, Nance suggests redefining “gamer” as “player,” a more comprehensive term she says better reflects the heterogenous gaming demographic. As gaming technology advances and becomes more accessible, the barriers to entry, such as the need to purchase an expensive console, no longer exist, enabling more people to pick up gaming and become “players,” further diversifying the gaming audience.

The Rise of the Gaming Generation

As younger generations age, gaming has evolved from a niche hobby to an essential part of the modern entertainment mix and a nascent platform for advertisers. Yet, “we’re still not seeing brands and agencies lean in [to gaming] with as much focus as we would expect,” notes Brad Simms, CEO and President of GALE, whose agency has helped companies like MilkPEP and Bomb Pop reach untapped consumers through gaming. There are 3.4 billion unique gamers globally.

Why has gaming become so pervasive? Nance says a generational shift is underway. “When you look at geriatric millennials, this is the first generation that really grew up with gaming as a kid and has taken it through into life and into adulthood. As geriatric Millennials and GenX are starting to have children, they’re introducing gaming to their kids.”

Leveling Up to Immersive Experiences

“As a device guy I’ll tell you that experiential gaming is the future,” says Ajit Sivadasan, Global Head of Online Sales, Digital Marketing & Platform at Lenovo. Not too long ago we witnessed a massive shift in gaming from the 2D world to the 3D world. Now, immersive experiences are all the rage, bridging the physical world with the digital world in ways previously unimaginable. Gaming is the optimal platform to integrate AR, VR, and XR technologies, creating an interactive and hyper-realistic universe for gamers to engage with and explore. The technology is advancing rapidly. Itamar Benedy, CEO and Co-Founder of Anzu, believes that “in 5 years from now, people will move most of their internet-based interactions to a 3D World.” Thus, now is the time for brands and marketers to not only embrace gaming, but to become early adopters of these immersive technologies, shaping the future of this evolving industry and capturing the attention of consumers globally.  

Creative Excellence Across In-Game Advertising Scores High

“Gaming is a place where ads should not be disruptive…they should actually be additive to the experience part of the game,” Elimeliah notes. Companies like Stagwell and Anzu are transforming the in-game advertising experience for players, ensuring that ads are immersive and creative.

Anzu, in partnership with Stagwell, recently shared insights into creative best practices for intrinsic in-game advertising, where following these practices can significantly enhance brand lift performance and drive brand awareness. “This research shows that non-intrusive and authentic ads can captivate attention and enrich the gaming experience, but only if approached in the right way and with an appreciation for how the gaming audience prefers to interact with brands,” says David Sable, Vice Chair of Stagwell.

Creative excellence is essential to the marketing around gaming as well. For the launch of Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo IV, 72andSunny created “Cathedral of Diablo,” a dramatic and cinematic campaign featuring a 160-foot-long mural of Diablo scenes painted across the interior of a French Gothic cathedral. “It’s a different world now than when it was when I first started doing video game advertising. There was a time when you would put out a 15-second trailer for a niche market,” says Tim Wolfe, Group Creative Director of 72andSunny. “Slowly and steadily, as gaming itself became more mainstream, its communications became more mainstream, advanced and crafted.”

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1. YOU CAN’T SPELL BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION WITHOUT CREATIVITY: The future of the CMO is always a hot topic at Cannes. Marketing leaders are tasked with driving initiatives as impactful as their C-Suite peers. Good news—CMOs’ creative problem-solving skills equip them well. Emerging from the Creative Business Transformation jury room, Michael Treff, CEO of Code and Theory, emphasizes: “Business transformation must work across most company functions, or it isn’t truly transformation.” Looking ahead, Treff says marketers will miss out if they assume AI is the only opportunity for business transformation. “There are seismic changes in human behaviors happening…and ontological questions for a lot of businesses in categories that are going through disruption. What is the meaning of a financial services institution? What is the role of institutional education? What is the future of media?” Hear more from Treff here.  
2. ATHLETES AS RENAISSANCE ENTREPRENEURS: “As an athlete, I was always being told to just play basketball,” said NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony at Stagwell’s SPORT BEACH, discussing the challenges of breaking into the exclusive wine and spirits industry. Now, “I’m kicking the door down and saying…give us a chance, let us come in and be creative, and let’s make magic.” Athletes like Anthony are diversifying into industries such as fashion, media, and philanthropy, proving pivotal in creating new economic opportunities. “We’re not made to be one-dimensional, we’re human – we’re made to do so many things,” said LSU Tigers basketball star and rapper, Flau’jae Johnson. Athletes are not just being sponsored by brands; they’re shaping them, suggests alpine skier and Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin, who advised brands on stage that equity-based collaborations are “one of the most surefire ways to create a really authentic connection and partnership” with this new class of renaissance entrepreneurs. But don’t just chase the biggest names. Both Johnson and Mark Kirkham, CMO of Pepsi International, spoke on stage about the need for more “grassroots” partnerships, or brands partnering early with up-and-coming stars. Watch all sessions from SPORT BEACH here.
3. DEBUNKING MARKETING’S EMERGING TECH PROBLEM: “Entertainment is a reflection of culture,” says GALE Managing Director, Creative and Entertainment Lions Jury President Geoff Edwards. So as culture changes and moves, so entertainment changes and progresses, and the category evolves as well. With consumers rebelling against intrusive ads, the focus on branded entertainment at Cannes has been on the rise in recent years. “But getting entertainment right requires more than being entertaining,” Edwards reminds us. Successful entertainment finds narratives that are captivating and uniquely convey the brand’s message. And the impact of technology in this realm is profound, with each year introducing new platforms, partnerships, and ways to experience content. “When it’s done well, [entertainment] is the most powerful force on Earth. Plus, it changes every year, because the entertainment industry changes every year. Technology, film, episodic, documentary, live experiences, gaming and music make this an exciting and interesting category.” Learn more from Geoff here.

ALL THE ACTION, NONE OF THE SWEAT

Relive every moment from Stagwell’s SPORT BEACH at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – without moving an inch. Stream mainstage sessions and interviews from the Content Studio on YouTube here. 

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Download the Official SPORT BEACH App 

Stay in the loop on all things SPORT BEACH 2024 by downloading our app today. The app allows you to view events, create your personalized schedule, browse the star-studded speaker line-up, and find all the information you need. There is even an AI-powered chatbot to help you make every moment count.

Three Quick Things: Our Cannes Lions Predictions

Brace yourself for discussions around the festival with our quick primer on the three trends (not named AI…) that we expect to dominate Cannes Lions this year. Click the image below to read the article.

SPORT BEACH Play-by-Play 

Get the download on today’s activities on the beach – stop by, say hello, and maybe break a sweat. You can always view the full SPORT BEACH schedule here.

• Runner’s World x Saucony Monday Run Club | 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM | Off-site | Shake off the jet lag with a 3-mile loop through the heart of Cannes, led by Runner’s World’s Runner-in-Chief and Team Saucony.
• Breakfast Hosted by the Ad Council: What CMOs Need to Know About The Mental Health Crisis | 9:00 AM -10:30 AM | Sky Deck | Join SPORT BEACH and Hearst for an exclusive look at the Ad Council’s Mental Health Initiative, featuring Heidi Arthur, Rich Dorment, Todd Haskell, Ryan Linder, and NFL great Brandon Marshall. 
• Pickleball Clinic with Patrick Mouratoglou | 9:30 AM -10:30 AM | Main Court | Sharpen your pickleball skills with legendary tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has coached greats like Serena Williams and Holger Rune.
• Dirt is Good: Resilience as a Key Success Driver | 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Stage | Join Unilever in conversation with Real Madrid great Roberto Carlos and legendary tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou to discuss resilience and its correlation to success in life, sports, and business. 
• Let’s Get Loud: The Sound of Sport, from Fans to Brands | 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Court | No matter what sport, what city or what country, the sound of sport is unmistakable – and essential to the experience as a fan. Learn how brands are supporting this element of sport, and how its evolving for an elevated consumer. 
• The Future of Winter Sports Competition | 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Stage | Five-time Olympian Shaun White will be joined by business partner Jim Miller to discuss snowboarding’s growing cultural prominence and provide a sneak peek into some exciting snow-based news. 
• It’s a Win-Win: Why Sponsorships Make Sense | 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | Stage | Hear from top brands on why their sports partnerships make sense, and how they measure KPIs. Lioness goalkeeper Mary Earps will bring the athlete POV, digging into how brands can best leverage athletes to bring these partnerships to life for fans. 
• Guinness x Sport: Building Vibrant Communities with The Premier League and Guinness Six Nations | 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Stage | Hear the perspective of an iconic brand (Guinness) & athlete (Frank Lampard) on how to capture the infectious passion of football and rugby to bring communities together and how Guinness is using sport as a creative force for good.
• #UnitedbySnapdragon: Manchester United and Qualcomm Level Up | 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM | Stage | Join Manchester United legend Eric Cantona and Qualcomm CMO Don McGuire ahead of the Snapdragon brand’s debut on the front of Manchester United’s kit for the upcoming season. 
• Whose Job Is It Anyways? Driving Equity in Sport | 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Stage | This panel will explore the specific role brands can and should play as we drive for equity in sport, featuring WNBA legend Sue Bird in conversation with State Farm, Marriott and Amazon.
• We Play Different: Alex Honnold x The North Face | 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Stage | This conversation will delve into how the “Playing Different” mantra dictates how both The North Face and Honnold approach exploration.
• The Halfway Line: The Brands & Athletes Driving Women’s Sport Forward | 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Stage | The greateast female ski racer of all time Mikaela Shiffrin and Mark Kirkham from PepsiCo will share their perspectives on how we can cover more ground for women in sports today.
• Business of Sports w/ AJ Andrews | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Content Studio | Join ReachTV’s AJ Andrews as she takes a deep dive into the trillion dollar business of sports. From athletes to executives, each guest will share their unique business perspective on how sports has evolved beyond the game. 
• Open Play x Epidemic Sound | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Court | Join us to wrap up your first day of Cannes with Open Play, soundtracked by Epidemic Sound, including a live guest DJ and musical guest from their catalogue of royalty-free artists.
• Cocktails with BxP | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Fan Zone | Cocktail reception hosted by Stagwell’s Brand Performance Network. Please note, this event is invite only.
• Clio Sports Honorary Awards Dinner | 7:30 – 10:30 PM | Main Court | Please note, this event is invite only. 

On the Mainstage: Navigating Emerging Tech with Chairman and CEO Mark Penn 

Off the beach, Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn will take the Rotonde Stage on the Cannes Lions Innovation track for a keynote on how marketers can apply contrarian thinking to navigate emerging technology hype. Get all the details here. 

Catch other speakers from across the Stagwell network around the festival today: 

• 72andSunny’s Damaune Journey at Playing to Win: Made on Culture @ Culture Mix | 1:00 PM | Culture Mix Cannes | Learn More.
• Code and Theory’s Dan Gardner at ADWEEK House: You’re Using AI for That, Right? Delivering Creative Excellence with Artificial and Human Intelligence | 2:00 PM | 3.14 Rooftop | Explore the balance between data-driven decision-making and emotional connection. | Register

Stay Connected

Team Stagwell is on the ground at Cannes, ready to cover the Palais, fringe stages, and maybe even a yacht or two, bringing you the latest insights from the festival. Keep up with the latest, and reach out if you have questions or requests.

• Email the Stagwell Team
• Follow us on LinkedIn
• Follow us on Twitter 
• Follow us on Instagram 
• Stream SPORT BEACH content on demand on YouTube

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1. ALL ROADS WILL LEAD BACK TO SOCIAL: At Cannes, two key discussions will shape future investments in the social media space, where ad spend is set to surge in 2024, led by TikTok (anticipated to grow 38%) and Instagram. First is the future of social video. As the popularity of bite-sized videos diminishes and Gen Z gravitates towards longer-form content (although this mainly just means 90-second videos), expect significant discussions about new monetization and creative opportunities in social video. We’ll also be keeping an eye on how marketers view the viability of “challenger” platforms like TikTok, which have built incredible momentum in recent years but face a shifting regulatory and consumer landscape in the U.S. and abroad. Learn more about what social-savvy brands can do to prepare for the future in this blog from Movers+Shakers CEO Evan Horowitz.  
2. BRANDS WILL GET SCHOOLED ON THE RIGHT ATHLETE SPONSORSHIP PLAYS: Today’s athletes are multi-hyphenate leaders and aspirational figures who excel in business, media, nonprofits, and more, far beyond their achievements on the field. As the Cannes spotlight turns to sports, be sure to attend SPORT BEACH panels such as “It’s a Win-Win: Why Sponsorships Make Sense” with Channel Factory and Relo Metrics, and mainstage events such as “The Rapid Evolution of Athletes as Brand Builders” with the NFL. These sessions will guide brands on shifting from a brand ambassador approach to a true partnership mindset when collaborating with athletes. By involving athletes in product development, marketing strategies, experiential initiatives, and impact-driven projects, brands can benefit from their unique perspectives and vast audiences. Brush up on this shifting dynamic by streaming our SXSW 2024 talk, “Athlete as a Brand: Creating Authentic Connections.” 
3. MARKETERS WILL TRULY PLUG INTO GAMING: Marketers are no longer overlooking gaming and e-sports, which boast 3.3 billion gamers globally and will reach $4.3 billion in global ad revenue this year. With immersive consumer experiences now a priority for brands, gaming is the perfect market. Keep an eye out at Cannes for insights emerging from campaigns that win big at the Entertainment Lions for Gaming and Brand Experience & Activation categories. Their success will demystify the nascent big-C creative and performance media opportunities. You also won’t want to miss Stagwell’s GALE in conversation with Lenovo, Activision Blizzard, and the National Women’s Soccer League at SPORT BEACH on Tuesday on the future of consoles and community. One other thing to track: 2023 was a big year for the convergence of gaming, marketing, and branded entertainment, as massive titles like the Super Mario Bros. movie and “The Last of Us” translated into branding opportunities galore. Brush up on the insights with National Research Group’s whitepaper, “Why Video Games are the New Frontier for Hollywood.” 

Follow the Buzz from SPORT BEACH

Join us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube as the Stagwell network hits the ground at Cannes Lions and brings to life SPORT BEACH, our flagship activation home to 50+ of the most renowned athletes, brands and cultural icons coming together around the power of sport and its massive global impact on business and culture. 

Learn more and register at https://www.sportbeach.com/. 

ABOUT GALE

GALE is a Business Agency. Founded in 2014, the agency currently has offices in New York, Singapore, Toronto, Denver, Los Angeles, London, Austin, Kansas City, and Bengaluru. GALE has received top industry awards including Ad Age’s A-List, Ad Age’s Data & Analytics Agency of the Year, Adweek’s Fastest Growing Agency, the Grand Effie and Adweek’s Breakthrough Media Agency of the Year. 

Frontiers in Focus

Want to explore more of the frontiers of marketing? View more of our work on the cutting edge of AI and immersive brand experiences here. 

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Bomb Pop is the most popular ice pop that nobody can remember. GALE’s mission was simple: get tweens to remember the brand’s name. The team brought the favorite summertime snack into the virtual world of Restaurant Tycoon 2 in Roblox, where Roblox restaurant owners could serve eight virtual Bomb Pop flavors to their customers. Gamers served 48.5 million Bomb Pops — making it the #1 selling food item in Roblox history. 

Our Approach to Transformation

Introducing the Bomb Pop Update in Restaurant Tycoon 2. For two weeks, Roblox restaurant owners could serve virtual bomb pops to their hungry customers and earn limited edition gear to upgrade their restaurants – turning Restaurant Tycoon into a red, white, and blue bonanza, and making restaurant owners within the platform our very own virtual brand ambassadors, interior designers, and architects. In the process, using our limited-edition items, players completely transformed the restaurants into gaming lounges, family style buffets, and even high-end beach clubs with an average of 28 minutes engaged across the experience.  

Our Impact

Time spent was 133% beyond Roblox branded experience benchmarks. We also had over 500,000 unique users enlist as virtual bomb pop distributors who sold over 48.5 million bomb pops, making it the most sold food item in Roblox ever. Even more significantly, sales in the real world were also up with an immediate 28.6% increase. We proved that the virtual world can spur epic real world business results.

Wondering where to begin with immersive experience implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

ABOUT COLLE MCVOY

Colle McVoy (CM) is a full-service creative agency that builds enduring relationships between forward-thinking brands and people. We believe this time of rapid change is filled with opportunities, so we constantly strive to push the boundaries of creativity, pressure-test best practices and create new brand futures. As a Certified B Corporation, we believe a better future means we have a responsibility to use our expertise as a force for good to benefit all people, communities and the planet.

Frontiers in Focus

Want to explore more of the frontiers of marketing? View more of our work on the cutting edge of AI and immersive brand experiences here. 

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We’re sure you’ve heard about JOMO (the joy of missing out). Here’s the reality: It’s one thing to miss out, it’s an entirely different thing to find the joy in it. 

To reinforce La-Z-Boy’s new platform, Long Live the Lazy, Colle McVoy’s creative technology team designed and fabricated “The Decliner,” a first-of-its-kind recliner allowing owners to AI-generate a cancellation excuse via SMS simply by pulling the handle. 36,000+ people signed up for a chance to win their own Decliner just in time for National Lazy Day as part of the earned creative brand act. 

Our Approach to Transformation

For a chance to put their feet up with AI assistance and La-Z-Boy style, people were asked to submit the most creative excuses they’ve ever used to protect their JOMO. And, influencers created content to amplify attention to the contest. The innovation was a technological hack—with 225 lines of code directing the AI server and 344 lines for each fabricated chair. An indicator of sorts had to be fashioned to let people know requests were processing, which took the form of an LED-lined puck at the handle base. The tech choices needed to be as reliable as the chairs themselves and couldn’t disrupt La-Z-Boy’s comfort and durability standards.

Our Impact

Colle McVoy drove 1.1B media impressions across 317 placements in the likes of USA Today, Better Homes & Gardens, Architectural Digest and more. People definitely put their feet up, juicing La-Z-Boy’s website traffic by 200% and increasing brand sales by 50% during the first weekend of the campaign.

The La-Z-Boy Decliner has gone on to win several awards, including Best in Technology at the 2023 PRWeek Awards and Best in Research & Consumer Insights in MediaPost’s Planning & Buying Awards. Nearly 13,000 cancellations have been sent by Decliner owners, giddy with AI-assisted JOMO. 

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

For realtime insights, follow us on LinkedIn

Stagwell is a contender for Network of the Year at The 2024 Webby Awards with 23 nominations

With nominations across categories including Marketing, Innovation, Health & Wellness, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more, Stagwell and its agencies are on course to take home big wins at the 28th Annual Webby Awards, the leading international award recognizing excellence on the internet. Twelve Stagwell agencies are up for consideration in the People’s Voice vote: 72andSunny, Code and Theory, Doner, Instrument, GALE, PRophet, Rhythm, Left Field Labs, Movers+Shakers, Anomaly, Allison, HUNTER and Mediacurrent. Every vote counts—click through the nominations listed below to cast your vote.

Voting takes less than ten seconds:

1. Click through the links to each nomination
2. Create an account
3. Click VOTE

Voting closes on April 18.

72andSunny

Advertising, Media & PR

Wisp: Anti-Choice Ads — Online Guerilla & Innovation

Wisp: Anti-Choice Ads — Video Ad Shortform

United: Believing Everything Changes — Best Media Strategy

Social

Wisp: Made By Choice — Public Service, Social Impact & Activism

NFL: The Table Read — Sports

Anomaly

Video

Johnnie Walker Red Carpet Strides — Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Code and Theory

Advertising, Media & PR

YETI: Map The Gaps — Products & Services

YETI: Map The Gaps — Best Use of Online Media

Amazon: Ads That Work As Hard As You Do — B2B Campaign

Apps & Software

Scout by Sutter Health: A Powerful Tool For Building Resilience in Today’s Youth — Health, Wellness & Fitness

Doner

Advertising, Media & PR

The NIL Student Nurse Initiative — Health, Wellness & Pharmaceutical

The NIL Student Nurse Initiative — Best Partnership or Collaboration

Social

Hungry Howie’s: The Missing Slice — Public Service & Activism

GALE

Advertising, Media & PR

Chipotle: Doppelganger — Best Use of Data Driven Media

Video

MilkPEP: Wood Milk — Comedy

HUNTER

Advertising, Media & PR

Lactaid: Kelis Partners With Lactaid to Get You to Drink Real Dairy — Best Influencer Endorsements

Instrument

Websites and Mobile Sites

Catona Climate — Corporate Social Responsibility

Figma: Shortcut by Figma — Business Blog/Website

Microsoft: The hidden power of feelings — Health & Wellness

Microsoft: The future of work is neurodiverse — Responsible Innovation

Left Field Labs

Mediacurrent

Movers+Shakers

PRophet

Apps and Software

PRophet Influence: Koalifyed — Marketing & Content Management

Rhythm

Allison

Originally Released On

PRNewswire

CONTACT:

Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com

Originally Released On

PRNewswire

CONTACT:

Jess Santini jess.santini@assemblyglobal.com