Brands can now show up in gaming through ads, creator partnerships, custom experiences and game integrations. More options also mean more confusion about how to build a strategy that works as one.

At GamesBeat Insider: Brands & Games, Overwolf Ads sponsored a panel with TMA (Omnicom), and H&R Block on what a 360 gaming strategy actually takes.

Featuring:

• Nathan Lindberg, VP of Brand Partnerships, Overwolf
• Sami Barnett, Head of Gaming, TMA (Omnicom)
• Andrew Martinson, Sr. Marketing Manager of Media and Strategy, H&R Block
• Alex Lee, GamesBeat (moderator)

What the Panel Covered

• The four pillars of a 360 strategy
• Always-on versus custom integrations
• Where programmatic fits
• How to sell gaming inside your company

Key Takeaways

• Start with your audience. They already play games, so go where they spend their time.
• Let the goal pick the pillars. Media for reach, creators and partners for credibility, events for relationships, social to keep it going.
• Earn the right to play. Be additive, speak their language, and skip the fake gamer slang.
• Complement the game. Interrupting it is the fastest way to lose the player.
• Prove the ROI. Third-party tracking and IAB standards let CMOs and CFOs follow the funnel.
• Use programmatic for reach. Creators and tentpole moments build the relationship on top.
• Sell the problem, not the category. Lead with the brand's goal, then be patient.

Spotlight: H&R Block

Andrew runs gaming at H&R Block. His case for the channel is simple: that is where the audience spends its time.

• TV alone reached 60% of 18 to 24 year olds
• Layering in gaming and cinema lifted reach to 72%
• It took a decade to go from first pitch to in-game integrations, rewarded video, display and a Discord presence

Watch The Leaderboard Insights Podcast with H&R Block.

About Overwolf Ads

Overwolf is a world-leading gaming platform empowering brands and advertisers to reach over 113 million monthly users across hundreds of the world's biggest titles.

Ranked by Comscore as the #2 Biggest US Gaming Property, winner of ADWEEK's Top Ad Tech Company, Digiday's Best Gaming Ad Tech and The Drum's Best Platform/Tech Partner of the Year, Overwolf is trusted by global brands and agencies such as McDonald’s, Universal Pictures, H&R Block, Netflix, Dodge, Publicis, WPP, Omnicom, Dentsu, Havas and more.

For more information on Overwolf, visit www.overwolf.com/ads.