[Marketing Week] Bob Koigi: Gaming goes mainstream

Gaming, long stereotyped as a pastime for teenagers, is now firmly mainstream, and the audience looks nothing like it did two decades ago. Adults over 50 account for nearly 30 percent of U.S. gamers, up from just 9 percent in 1999. Women represent 47 percent of all players, with Baby Boomer women actually outpacing men in participation

This demographic broadening aligns with a booming business model. Mobile gaming alone is projected to nearly double, from $97.8 billion in 2024 to $196.4 billion by 2032.

Brands and agencies are paying attention. Dentsu’s latest report, Gaming, Your Marketing Cheat Code, warns against viewing gaming as a niche sponsorship play for youth audiences. Instead, the consultancy urges a “fandom-first” strategy, treating gaming as a cultural layer where identities and communities are formed.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has also introduced a Gaming Measurement Framework to standardize ad formats and metrics, aiming to boost advertiser confidence. With more than 80 percent of U.S. internet users identifying as gamers, the IAB argues gaming is no longer an optional channel but a core part of the digital media mix.

Technology companies are equally expanding their stakes. Samsung Electronics is scaling its gaming mobile platform into Europe, giving Galaxy device owners instant access to premium games.

As brands weigh these opportunities, one reality is clear: the evolution of gaming into a gender-balanced, cross-generational pastime has made it too big and too diverse to ignore.

Campaigns of the week

With the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Premier League season, Guinness has unveiled its most ambitious sports campaign to date, celebrating its second year as the Official Beer and Official Non-Alcoholic Beer of the Premier League.

The Finish Your Diploma campaign, launched in 2010 by the Ad Council and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF), has released new public service advertisements (PSAs) to celebrate 15 years of empowering adults to complete their high school equivalency, such as a GED or HiSET.

Dove and Ciara have released a reimagined version of the childhood classic The Hokey Pokey. The song, traditionally about moving body parts in and out, has been reframed as an anthem encouraging women to embrace their skin without hesitation or apology.

Agencies and accounts

Dentsu agency Carat has successfully retained the Vodafone Group media buying account across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), securing a further three-year contract starting 1 January 2026.

Brandon, the results-obsessed, creatively integrated marketing agency, has announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Idahoan Foods, the market player in premium dehydrated potato products.

ARK Agency has been appointed by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) to lead the development of a global campaign promoting Canada as a destination for international students.

Partnerships and acquistions

Accenture has acquired Superdigital, a U.S.-based social and influencer agency known for pioneering short-form, platform-native creative and high-impact community engagement strategies.

Nexstar Media Group, Inc. and TEGNA Inc. have announced that they entered into a definitive agreement whereby, subject to regulatory approvals, Nexstar will acquire all outstanding shares of TEGNA for $22.00 per share.

Nielsen, a global player in audience measurement, data, and analytics, has announced a two-year extension for TV measurement services in New Zealand, effective from July 2025 through until June 2027.

Captains of Industry

This week, Marketing Report interviewed Nicola Tillin, the Managing Director of The World Advertising Research Center, WARC, about how the global marketing intelligence company supports brands, agencies, and media owners in navigating an increasingly complex landscape.

Appointments

ACE has expanded its creative department with the appointment of Nina Mispelblom Beyer and Hannah Sterke. The pair joined from TBWA on August 1 and will contribute to ACE’s ambition to strengthen its role as lead agency for modern brands.

Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, has named Charlotte Farrington as its new Managing Director, effective immediately. Farrington, a respected figure in the UK creative industry, will report directly to Bill Scott, CEO of Droga5 London.

Other major news of the week

LIONS has opened entries for The Brief 2025, its annual competition that challenges participants to solve a real business issue for a charity partner. The competition is open to participants of any age and seniority, with the aim of connecting talent across the world to collaborate and produce work with purpose.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are the two most valuable and strongest football club brands in the world, according to a new report from Brand Finance, the global brand valuation consultancy.

Bob Koigi is the editor-in-chief of Marketing Report.One

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