We Are Collider brought together senior marketing leaders from some of the world’s most influential brands including LEGO, Mars, Pernod Ricard, Danone, Charlotte Tilbury, Formula 1, Universal Music Group, SoundCloud, Diageo and more for an exploration into the fast‑evolving world of gaming culture and its impact on modern marketing. Hosted at The Cinema at Selfridges, the session unpacked why gaming has become the dominant cultural operating system of our time, attracting over 3.4 billion players worldwide and now eclipsing the film and music industries combined.
This event will show you how to do both:
How to connect with gaming audiences authentically in-game.
How to harness the psychology of play outside of games to design richer, more participatory brand experiences in any category.
What We Build
From immersive fan spaces to creator collabs and cultural stunts, we design experiences that:
Expand your universe
Deepen loyalty
Spark culture
Travel across platforms
Let's Talk
If your game deserves to be felt, it deserves to live outside the console.
Let’s build something unforgettable.
Over the morning, speakers from We Are Collider’s strategy, behavioural science and experiential teams, alongside industry leaders from Riot Games, Universal Music Group and Benefit Cosmetics, revealed what truly motivates gamers, how gaming ecosystems are reshaping global entertainment, and why thinking with a connection - rather than campaign - mindset, are central to meaningful brand engagement.
Authenticity is non-negotiable: Gamers smell marketing from a mile away
We Are Gaming. We Are Collider.
Gaming culture thrives beyond the screens
The opportunities that gaming brands often miss
Tapping into
Event Takeaways
Gaming Culture
Why brands need a play-first mindset
Gaming is no longer a marginal entertainment category, it’s a cultural force shaping how people interact, learn, self‑express and belong. Across the event, one message consistently surfaced: brands that win in this space are those that respect the culture, understand the psychology behind play, and design experiences that feel meaningful, not manufactured.
Gaming audiences quickly reject anything that feels shoehorned in or purely decorative – a logo dropped into a world isn’t enough. They respond when brands contribute something of value to the experience, showing they understand the culture they’re entering rather than trying to impose their own.
Expect sharp thinking, bold ideas, and real-world examples from brands who are already making moves in the gaming and experiential space.
This isn’t just about selling to gamers - it’s about connecting through play.
Attendees heard practical insights on how brands can enter gaming cultures with respect, design experiences that feel genuinely playable, and build long‑term strategies that go far beyond one‑off activations.
The message was clear: gaming isn’t a channel, it’s a cultural lens, a mindset and a behaviour that is actively reshaping how consumers connect, discover, shop and belong. For brands, the opportunity is vast, but only if they show up in ways that feel authentic, valuable and culturally fluent.
Read on for the key takeaways.
Brands have a choice: show up where gamers play or bring the power of play into their own world.
And gaming culture is showing us how to build it.
Consumers are tuning out. The old rules of engagement aren’t just tired - they’re broken. In a world of infinite scroll and ad fatigue, attention isn’t the prize anymore. Connection is.
That could mean meeting audiences in the spaces – and games – they already play in or borrowing the mechanics and mindsets that make gaming so compelling to reimagine your own brand experiences.
Whether you’re just starting to think about gaming and the power of play or looking to level up your approach, this event will show you how to unlock the cheat codes from gaming for deeper engagement, cultural relevance, and lasting loyalty.
Gaming has matured into one of the most dominant global behaviours spanning demographics, mindsets and motivations. It’s no longer a youth niche or a subculture; it’s a mainstream cultural engine influencing how people spend time, form communities, learn, shop and express identity.
This event will show you how to do both:
How to connect with gaming audiences authentically in-game.
How to harness the psychology of play outside of games to design richer, more participatory brand experiences in any category.
Whether you’re just starting to think about gaming and the power of play or looking to level up your approach, this event will show you how to unlock the cheat codes from gaming for deeper engagement, cultural relevance, and lasting loyalty.
Gamification works - When it's ethical, behaviour-led and truly valuable
Gamification taps into deep psychological drivers: mastery, novelty, autonomy, curiosity, reward, and purposeful challenge. But it must be ethical – respecting agencyautonomyagency, intent, transparency and wellbeing.
Community Is the Real Currency Not Reach, Not Impressions
Gaming culture thrives beyond the screens
The opportunities that gaming brands often miss
Gaming communities are passionate, loyal, and socially connected. People don’t just return to games for gameplay, they return for people. The social layer (Discord, Reddit, Twitch chat, in‑game hangouts) is where cultural belonging is built.
This event will show you how to do both:
How to connect with gaming audiences authentically in-game.
How to harness the psychology of play outside of games to design richer, more participatory brand experiences in any category.
Whether you’re just starting to think about gaming and the power of play or looking to level up your approach, this event will show you how to unlock the cheat codes from gaming for deeper engagement, cultural relevance, and lasting loyalty.
Think like a game designer – not a marketer
Successful brand experiences in gaming borrow directly from game design: intuitive onboarding, progressive challenges, reward loops, mystery, mastery, and sensory immersion. We Are Collider’s MARVELS behavioural science framework (Magic, Adequacy, Relevance, Value, Exchange, Labeling, Sociality) translates this into brand‑experience design.
Winning in gaming requires long‑term strategy, not one‑off activations
Gaming culture thrives beyond the screens
The opportunities that gaming brands often miss
The biggest failures come from treating gaming as a tactical moment. The biggest successes come from consistent, evolving participation – with Red Bull cited as the benchmark for long‑term value creation.
Press Start on Your Gaming Strategy
Gaming culture thrives beyond the screens
The opportunities that gaming brands often miss
Gaming is now a core cultural operating system, not a hobby
From the psychology of play and the science behind gamification, to the rise of persistent virtual worlds, eSports fandom, digital goods and creator‑driven community spaces, the event offered a deep dive into the opportunities now available for brands willing to participate rather than advertise.
Let Talk
Whether through gamified loyalty ecosystems, immersive real‑world activations, eSports partnerships, or persistent virtual worlds, the opportunity is now too significant (and too culturally influential) to ignore. The brands leading the way aren’t those shouting the loudest; they’re the ones collaborating, experimenting, iterating and building long‑term relationships with communities who expect more than advertising. They expect brands to play.
If you’re exploring how to authentically tap into gaming culture, evolve your brand experiences, or design meaningful interactions rooted in behavioural science, we’d love to continue the conversation.
Speak to our strategy or experience teams, ask us about SONAR – our behavioural‑science‑powered gamer profiling tool – or explore how we can help you build long‑term, culturally fluent experiences that resonate with today’s most engaged audiences.
Marketers who still see gaming as “kids, consoles and stereotypes” are already behind. Gaming behaviours are now the foundation of digital culture, from social interaction to shopping to fandom. Brands must understand gaming through a wider lens than just channel, as it is now intrinsic to culture.
Why this matters
Treat gaming behaviour as a signal of broader lifestyle patterns, not a vertical
Build strategies around participation, not passive content consumption
Recognise that gamers are multi‑generational and cross‑sector, far beyond “Gen Z in bedrooms”
Integrate gaming insights into broader brand planning, not side projects
What this means for brands
Trust is incredibly low: 72% of gamers actively distrust traditional advertising*. The community is culturally literate, hyper‑alert to inauthenticity, and ruthless in calling it out.
Yet, when brands get it right, the opportunity is extraordinary. Gamers actively want to engage with brands that add value: 67% are more likely to consider a brand that supports their favourite streamer, and 79% of Twitch users want long‑term relationships with brands, not fleeting moments. Product placement, when culturally relevant, is even seen as additive – 55% say it makes games feel more realistic. Done well, authenticity unlocks not just acceptance, but genuine fandom.
This is a sophisticated audience with its own humour, norms, lore and expectations. Brands that show up without respect, relevance or meaningful participation risk not just being ignored, but ridiculed.
Why this matters
Don’t parachute in with logos. Earn the right to participate
Collaborate with the community, don’t control it
Show long‑term commitment, not one‑off activations
Bring something of value that enhances the gaming experience
What this means for brands
Done well, gamification can increase conversion by around 50% and boost engagement by 150%. Done poorly, it feels manipulative and can actively damage trust.
Why this matters
Focus on intrinsic motivation (curiosity, skill‑building, achievement), not gimmicks
Keep experiences simple but layered, “easy to start, hard to master”
Create meaningful reward loops, not empty point‑scoring
Follow ethical design principles by being fully transparent, prioritising user wellbeing, giving people clear and easy ways to opt out, and avoiding any manipulative mechanics.
What this means for brands
Most brand campaigns focus on visibility; gamers value belonging. Brands that help strengthen communities, rather than interrupt them, win deeper loyalty and long‑term emotional equity.
Why this matters
Build for social connection: team challenges, cooperative tasks, shared missions
Respect and mirror community rituals, humour and language
Create IRL spaces that honour the culture (e.g., Riot’s chicken-shop takeover)
Design experiences for people to share, and give them social currency for doing so
What this means for brands
Brands too often default to campaigns about games, rather than experiences that feel like games. Gamers expect interactivity, world‑building, narrative and agency – not content pushed at them.
Why this matters
Replace “audience” thinking with “player” thinking
Design multi‑sensory, multi‑level experiences that reward progress and discovery
Make every touchpoint part of the world (invites, locations, challenges, rewards)
Build experiences people want to spend time in, not just glance at
What this means for brands
Short‑term activations create spikes; ecosystems create sustained impact. Gamers reward brands who invest in the culture over time, not those who simply show up once.
Why this matters
Develop multi‑year ecosystem roadmaps, not isolated stunts
Blend eSports, UGC, creator partnerships, in‑game presence, IRL experiences and social platforms
Secure internal media investment early – treat gaming as a major media channel
Plan for iteration: test, learn, evolve, just like game developers
What this means for brands
We Are Collider brought together senior marketing leaders from some of the world’s most influential brands including LEGO, Mars, Pernod Ricard, Danone, Charlotte Tilbury, Formula 1, Universal Music Group, SoundCloud, Diageo and more for an exploration into the fast‑evolving world of gaming culture and its impact on modern marketing. Hosted at The Cinema at Selfridges, the session unpacked why gaming has become the dominant cultural operating system of our time, attracting over 3.4 billion players worldwide and now eclipsing the film and music industries combined.
Over the morning, speakers from We Are Collider’s strategy, behavioural science and experiential teams, alongside industry leaders from Riot Games, Universal Music Group and Benefit Cosmetics, revealed what truly motivates gamers, how gaming ecosystems are reshaping global entertainment, and why thinking with a connection - rather than campaign - mindset, are central to meaningful brand engagement.
Attendees heard practical insights on how brands can enter gaming cultures with respect, design experiences that feel genuinely playable, and build long‑term strategies that go far beyond one‑off activations.
The message was clear: gaming isn’t a channel, it’s a cultural lens, a mindset and a behaviour that is actively reshaping how consumers connect, discover, shop and belong. For brands, the opportunity is vast, but only if they show up in ways that feel authentic, valuable and culturally fluent.
Read on for the key takeaways.
From the psychology of play and the science behind gamification, to the rise of persistent virtual worlds, eSports fandom, digital goods and creator‑driven community spaces, the event offered a deep dive into the opportunities now available for brands willing to participate rather than advertise.
This event will show you how to do both:
How to connect with gaming audiences authentically in-game.
How to harness the psychology of play outside of games to design richer, more participatory brand experiences in any category.
Whether you’re just starting to think about gaming and the power of play or looking to level up your approach, this event will show you how to unlock the cheat codes from gaming for deeper engagement, cultural relevance, and lasting loyalty.
Gaming has matured into one of the most dominant global behaviours spanning demographics, mindsets and motivations. It’s no longer a youth niche or a subculture; it’s a mainstream cultural engine influencing how people spend time, form communities, learn, shop and express identity.
Gaming is now a core cultural operating system, not a hobby
Marketers who still see gaming as “kids, consoles and stereotypes” are already behind. Gaming behaviours are now the foundation of digital culture, from social interaction to shopping to fandom. Brands must understand gaming through a wider lens than just channel, as it is now intrinsic to culture.
Why this matters
Treat gaming behaviour as a signal of broader lifestyle patterns, not a vertical
Build strategies around participation, not passive content consumption
Recognise that gamers are multi‑generational and cross‑sector, far beyond “Gen Z in bedrooms”
Integrate gaming insights into broader brand planning, not side projects
What this means for brands
Authenticity is non-negotiable: Gamers smell marketing from a mile away
Gaming culture thrives beyond the screens
The opportunities that gaming brands often miss
Trust is incredibly low: 72% of gamers actively distrust traditional advertising*. The community is culturally literate, hyper‑alert to inauthenticity, and ruthless in calling it out.
Yet, when brands get it right, the opportunity is extraordinary. Gamers actively want to engage with brands that add value: 67% are more likely to consider a brand that supports their favourite streamer, and 79% of Twitch users want long‑term relationships with brands, not fleeting moments. Product placement, when culturally relevant, is even seen as additive – 55% say it makes games feel more realistic. Done well, authenticity unlocks not just acceptance, but genuine fandom.
This is a sophisticated audience with its own humour, norms, lore and expectations. Brands that show up without respect, relevance or meaningful participation risk not just being ignored, but ridiculed.
Why this matters
Don’t parachute in with logos. Earn the right to participate
Collaborate with the community, don’t control it
Show long‑term commitment, not one‑off activations
Bring something of value that enhances the gaming experience
What this means for brands
This event will show you how to do both:
How to connect with gaming audiences authentically in-game.
How to harness the psychology of play outside of games to design richer, more participatory brand experiences in any category.
Whether you’re just starting to think about gaming and the power of play or looking to level up your approach, this event will show you how to unlock the cheat codes from gaming for deeper engagement, cultural relevance, and lasting loyalty.
Gamification works - When it's ethical, behaviour-led and truly valuable
Gamification taps into deep psychological drivers: mastery, novelty, autonomy, curiosity, reward, and purposeful challenge. But it must be ethical – respecting agencyautonomyagency, intent, transparency and wellbeing.
Done well, gamification can increase conversion by around 50% and boost engagement by 150%. Done poorly, it feels manipulative and can actively damage trust.
Why this matters
Focus on intrinsic motivation (curiosity, skill‑building, achievement), not gimmicks
Keep experiences simple but layered, “easy to start, hard to master”
Create meaningful reward loops, not empty point‑scoring
Follow ethical design principles by being fully transparent, prioritising user wellbeing, giving people clear and easy ways to opt out, and avoiding any manipulative mechanics.
What this means for brands
Community Is the Real Currency Not Reach, Not Impressions
Gaming culture thrives beyond the screens
The opportunities that gaming brands often miss
Gaming communities are passionate, loyal, and socially connected. People don’t just return to games for gameplay, they return for people. The social layer (Discord, Reddit, Twitch chat, in‑game hangouts) is where cultural belonging is built.
Most brand campaigns focus on visibility; gamers value belonging. Brands that help strengthen communities, rather than interrupt them, win deeper loyalty and long‑term emotional equity.
Why this matters
Build for social connection: team challenges, cooperative tasks, shared missions
Respect and mirror community rituals, humour and language
Create IRL spaces that honour the culture (e.g., Riot’s chicken-shop takeover)
Design experiences for people to share, and give them social currency for doing so
What this means for brands
This event will show you how to do both:
How to connect with gaming audiences authentically in-game.
How to harness the psychology of play outside of games to design richer, more participatory brand experiences in any category.
Whether you’re just starting to think about gaming and the power of play or looking to level up your approach, this event will show you how to unlock the cheat codes from gaming for deeper engagement, cultural relevance, and lasting loyalty.
Think like a game designer – not a marketer
Successful brand experiences in gaming borrow directly from game design: intuitive onboarding, progressive challenges, reward loops, mystery, mastery, and sensory immersion. We Are Collider’s MARVELS behavioural science framework (Magic, Adequacy, Relevance, Value, Exchange, Labeling, Sociality) translates this into brand‑experience design.
Brands too often default to campaigns about games, rather than experiences that feel like games. Gamers expect interactivity, world‑building, narrative and agency – not content pushed at them.
Why this matters
Replace “audience” thinking with “player” thinking
Design multi‑sensory, multi‑level experiences that reward progress and discovery
Make every touchpoint part of the world (invites, locations, challenges, rewards)
Build experiences people want to spend time in, not just glance at
What this means for brands
Winning in gaming requires long‑term strategy, not one‑off activations
Gaming culture thrives beyond the screens
The opportunities that gaming brands often miss
The biggest failures come from treating gaming as a tactical moment. The biggest successes come from consistent, evolving participation – with Red Bull cited as the benchmark for long‑term value creation.
Short‑term activations create spikes; ecosystems create sustained impact. Gamers reward brands who invest in the culture over time, not those who simply show up once.
Why this matters
Develop multi‑year ecosystem roadmaps, not isolated stunts
Blend eSports, UGC, creator partnerships, in‑game presence, IRL experiences and social platforms
Secure internal media investment early – treat gaming as a major media channel
Plan for iteration: test, learn, evolve, just like game developers
What this means for brands
Gaming is no longer a marginal entertainment category, it’s a cultural force shaping how people interact, learn, self‑express and belong. Across the event, one message consistently surfaced: brands that win in this space are those that respect the culture, understand the psychology behind play, and design experiences that feel meaningful, not manufactured.
Gaming audiences quickly reject anything that feels shoehorned in or purely decorative – a logo dropped into a world isn’t enough. They respond when brands contribute something of value to the experience, showing they understand the culture they’re entering rather than trying to impose their own.
Press Start on Your Gaming Strategy
Whether through gamified loyalty ecosystems, immersive real‑world activations, eSports partnerships, or persistent virtual worlds, the opportunity is now too significant (and too culturally influential) to ignore. The brands leading the way aren’t those shouting the loudest; they’re the ones collaborating, experimenting, iterating and building long‑term relationships with communities who expect more than advertising. They expect brands to play.