Gillette Enters eSports With League of Legends IEM Championship Sponsorship

What Happened
Gillette becomes the latest CPG brand to tap into the increasingly popular eSports by announcing a global partnership with ESL, the world’s largest eSports company. As part of the partnership, the leading men’s grooming brand will serve as an official sponsor of the League of Legends IEM World Championship in Katowice, Poland later this month.

To offer eSports fans attending the championship, Gillette will set up an on-site design studio where they will have the opportunity to customize Gillette razor handles using 3D printing technology. Moreover, the brand will offer grooming services to all competitors throughout the opening weekend. The company will also host autograph session featuring xPeke, an eSports star player and Gillette’s newest Global Ambassador, who will also be featured in Gillette’s “Pursuit of Precision” content series.

What Brands Need To Do
By adding an eSports player to its roster of brand ambassadors typically filled by celebrity athletes, Gillette joins a growing number of brands, including Audi, Snickers, and Coca-Cola, in recognizing the popularity and cultural legitimacy of eSports. As companies race to capture the young, male-skewing eSports audience, brands, especially those seeking global recognition, need to start leveraging the massive reach of eSports events and platforms via sponsorships and ads.

Source: Yahoo Finance