Truly and 100 Thieves: Making a Mark on the Gaming Industry
Whenever I think of gaming, I think of guys sitting in their rooms, talking to their friends through headsets and playing into the middle of the night. What I didn’t know, though, is that it’s a huge industry that draws lots of revenue with all kinds of people taking part. There are even gaming organizations, like 100 Thieves, that are lifestyle and gaming brands, who’s fan follow in hopes that they win gaming events.
Hard seltzer, then, isn’t something I think about when I think of gaming, which is why I was shocked to find out that Truly Hard Seltzer is a sponsor of 100 Thieves.
Truly x 100 Thieves Partnership
In March of 2021, Truly Hard Seltzer became an official sponsor of 100 Thieves. Through the collaboration, the plan to co-branded content, social challenges, and giveaways, among many other things. As a part of this partnership, Truly also sponsors golf-related content and vlogs created by Matthew Haag, 100 Thieves’ Founder and CEO.
12 Days of Truly
After cementing their partnership, the brands began to work together on content and giveaways. One of the most popular was their “12 Days of Truly” collab, a giveaway during the holidays which played on the 12 days of Christmas, consisting of 12 days of giveaways. They gave away branded gaming gear and controllers, using the holidays to drive more interest in their brands.
This was a great collab idea for 100 Thieves, as gaming systems are a very popular holiday gift, and they can be very expensive. By creating a giveaway, they brought more traffic to their website and content, increasing not only their engagements and impressions, but revenue from new customers. It was also a great collab for Truly because they got exposure to a whole new set of customers, who would be turned onto their brand through the giveaway items.
The Purpose of the Partnership
These brands have partnered together to reach each others’ respective audiences. People who like gaming are avid fans of gaming, and people who drink hard seltzers are avid fans of hard seltzers; bringing two passionate groups together is a great way to get each brand exposed to new audiences who have similar characteristics to their existing ones.
I think it’s a clever collaboration. While many think gaming is something done in private or that you watch others do on Twitch, it’s more readily becoming something people get together to do. There are gaming events and competitions all over the country, and Truly becoming a part of it is a great way to reach a new market. They can join the fun and sell at these events, driving revenue and making new customers of those who wouldn’t have otherwise tried their products.
Gaming Collabs Are Here to Stay
As virtual reality and the metaverse continue to expand, gaming will mesh further with these industries, creating a virtual destination for fans of these activities. Though there are only 50,000 users on the metaverse, and while people still crave in-person interactions, the metaverse and gaming will expand our idea of what it means to interact with others, giving us more opportunities to meet new people without having to leave our homes. Already, games like Roblox have allowed for brands to create games and virtual lands within them, like Nike has with NIKELAND. This is a digital community for Nike fans, where they can come together to play games, some of which are physically active, aligning with the brand’s identity. Users are also able to create avatars and dress them in Nike apparel.
Though Truly’s collaboration with 100 Thieves doesn’t rely on the metaverse, it can be seen as a step in that direction. Truly may be able to create a virtual bar experience in the metaverse and other games, allowing their customers to feel connected with their brand while online. There are no limits to what can be done, and by setting a foot in the door of the gaming industry, Truly is getting a taste of what’s to come.
