Unilever’s partnerships with platforms like EAFC, Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft are helping our Personal Care brands engage new consumers where they play. Here’s how we’re aiming to win growth through gaming.

Unilever has tripled its marketing investment in gaming over the past three years
Gen Z consumers spend more time gaming than watching TV
70% of gamers are actively interested in personal care products
A 2024 study from YPulse reveals teens in the US and Canada are spending more time gaming than watching TV – and 68% agreed they find video games more entertaining than TV shows or movies.

NewZoo’s 2023 report backs up this trend, reporting that Gen Z audiences spend an average of just over 12 hours a week on video games, more than the time they spend watching TV, and catching up fast on the 13.9 hours they spend on social media.

It’s clear that the consumers of the future are drawn to the immersive entertainment that gaming offers. And its reach is far broader than you might expect.

According to a study from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the age of the average US gamer has jumped from 29 in 2004 to 36 in 2024, and the 2023 Global Gamer Study reveals 45% of gamers are women. With gaming now reaching a third of the global population, it’s estimated that there will be 3.1 billion gamers worldwide by 2027.

We have a long history of investing in diverse marketing integrations because for marketing to make an impact, we need to make sure our brands continue to show up where consumers play.

Gaming will be a vital gateway to reach them. That’s why at Unilever we’ve tripled our investment in the growing gaming sector over the past three years – and our Personal Care brands are taking the lead.

Marketing through gaming for a new audience
Marketing deodorants, shower gels or toothpastes via video games might seem an unconventional approach, but it’s rooted in compelling consumer insights.

Unilever research shows that 70% of gamers are actively interested in personal care products, and 45% buy premium deodorants and body sprays, compared with 35% of non-gamers.

“Gaming is the new social playground,” explains Willem Dinger, Unilever’s Global Head of Sport & Entertainment Partnerships & Personal Care Media Lead.

“We’re making the most of gaming’s growing appeal – particularly among Gen Z and women – to get our brands in front of new consumers. And as engagement in gaming continues to rocket, we’re deepening our relationships with those consumers through new marketing approaches and channels,” he adds.

In 2020, we launched UPLAY to get our brands on the frontline of gaming culture and built a community of more than 30 gamers within Unilever, to support marketing teams in working with streamers, creators, broadcasters and influencers in the gaming world.

Since then, our Personal Care brands have worked in partnership with leading platforms, creating authentic custom content that captures gamers’ attention – and it’s not just brand names popping up mid-play. We’re generating engaging content that adds value, tells a story and makes our brands an unmissable part of the game.

Here are a few examples…
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