Unilever has tripled its marketing investment in the gaming sector over the past three years, leveraging partnerships with platforms such as EAFC, Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft to engage new consumers for its Personal Care brands.

It comes after a 2024 study from YPulse revealed that teens in the US and Canada are spending more time gaming than watching TV, with 68 per cent agreeing they find video games more entertaining than TV shows or movies.

Similarly, Newzoo's 2023 report states that Gen Z audiences spend an average of just over 12 hours a week on video games, more than the time they spend watching TV, and catching up fast on the 13.9 hours they spend on social media.

But it's not just Gen Z that are drawn to the immersive entertainment that gaming offers. According to a study from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the age of the average US gamer has increased from 29 in 2004 to 36 in 2024. It's estimated that there will be 3.1 billion gamers worldwide by 2027.

Moreover, the 2023 Global Gamer Study revealed that 45% of gamers are women.

"Gaming is the new social playground," said Unilever's Global Head of Sport & Entertainment Partnerships & Personal Care Media Lead, Willem Dinger. "We're making the most of gaming's growing appeal - particularly among Gen Z and women - to get our brands in front of new consumers. And as engagement in gaming continues to rocket, we're deepening our relationships with those consumers through new marketing approaches and channels."

Unilever's own research shows that 70% of gamers are actively interested in personal care products, with 45% buying premium deodorants and body sprays, versus 35% of non-gamers.

In response to these trends, Unilever launched UPLAY in 2020 to get their brands on the frontline of gaming culture. Unilever's Personal Care brands have worked in partnership with leading platforms, creating custom content that captures gamers' attention. Unilever's Personal Care brands sponsored the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and worked with FIFA World X Roblox to launch an obstacle course game, Rexona Obby, during the tournament. Axe launched the 'Power Up Your Game with Axe' campaign during the FIFA e Finals 2023. In 2022, Axe co-created a branded map in Fortnite. Lifebuoy worked with Minecraft creators and influencers to co-create a playable world where gamers were encouraged to collect plastic from a virtual River Ganges.

In June 2024, Unilever Personal Care signed a partnership deal with EAFC. Both Rexona and Axe activated media sponsorships with EAFC during the 2024 UEFA EUROs.

"We are seeing great success with our gaming strategy, and that's why our commitment to the gaming space has expanded so significantly in recent years, driven by the recognition of esports as a key cultural engine," said Dinger. "Gaming is on the cusp of shifting to a central source of entertainment and technological advancements will continue to propel that progress. We believe there's so much more we can achieve in gaming - and we're just getting started."