Mike and Ike's new campaign, “We Got’chew,” celebrates the brand’s longstanding commitment to esports while also giving a playbook for connecting with younger consumers.

Three quarters (76.3%) of esports fans have made purchases in the last year directly related to esports, according to a May Niko Partners survey.

The opportunity to drive sales among younger Gen Z consumers is one reason why the global esports market is projected to reach $5.1 billion, according to Statista’s estimate reported in EMARKETER.

Sponsoring a community

Mike and Ike’s “We Got’chew” campaign renews a five-year partnership with esports company Dignitas, focused on Fortnite.

In the coming months, Just Born, Inc.'s Mike and Ike will sponsor community tournaments and watch parties promoted through Dignitas accounts on Discord and X.

Mike and Ike will also be a presenting sponsor for a major Dignitas Fortnite tournament, “Flavor Brawl,” held in October. This tournament will be hosted by esports streamer AussieAntics on his Twitch channel. The broadcast will include custom Mike and Ike brand integration, according to the company.

"For the past several years, Mike and Ike has been instrumental in powering our Fortnite ecosystem,” said Jacob Clements, vice president of partnerships at Dignitas, in a company statement. “The 'We Got'chew' campaign represents the pinnacle of our shared vision to super-serve our fans through high-quality competitive events and deeply integrated, in-person experiences."

What this means for retailers: Esports can give retail marketers unique ways to reach younger consumers through tournaments and other community events. Esports can also act as a gateway for retailers in their effort to grow younger digital-first audiences on Twitch and social media.

Influencing fans

Partnership beats every other way of showing up in esports. Some 47.1% of esports fans said their purchase behavior was affected by brands partnering with esports teams and athletes, according to the Niko Partners survey. Partnerships were more influential than sponsorships (affecting purchase behavior of 42.6% fans) and endorsements from the esports athletes or teams themselves (41.7%). Mike and Ike’s renewed deal with Dignitas puts the brand in the most persuasive slot available.

Another 27.2% of fans said they notice brand partners or sponsors, but their purchase behavior isn’t affected, per Niko Partners.

"We are incredibly proud of the legacy we've built alongside Dignitas,” said Deb Turoczy, senior manager of marketing activations at Just Born, Inc. “From our very first 'Flavor Brawl' to this massive five-year milestone, we remain dedicated to fueling the passion, energy, and sweet moments that define the Fortnite community."

What this means for retailers: The more involved retailers get with esports, the more influence they will gain with esports fans. Becoming a partner or tournament sponsor lends more authority to a retailer than an athlete endorsement or an ad on Twitch or X.

Esports fans’ purchases

Mike and Ike’s partnership builds a relationship with customers likely to make an online purchase. Online shopping (47.2%) topped all other spending categories for esports fans in Nico Partners’ survey.

Other top categories included restaurants (33.6%), in-game purchases (29.1%), convenience stores (23%), food delivery (19.4%), and retail stores (15.2%).

Esports fans linked purchases in several top categories with esports co-branding, including consumer electronics (32.9% of fans made this link), food and beverage (32.8%), and fashion and accessories (31.9%).

Food and beverage sits second among categories fans link to esports co-branding, which is the lane Mike and Ike has spent five years occupying.

What this means for retailers: Retailers without an esports presence should test a partnership with a top team, streamer, or tournament. Fans already spend across online shopping, convenience stores, and retail stores, and partnerships move purchase behavior more than any other form of brand presence.

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