Stagwell and Anzu Announce Strategic Partnership to Transform the In-Game Advertising Experience
Stagwell, the
challenger network built to transform marketing, and Anzu, the world's most advanced intrinsic in-game advertising
platform, announced a strategic partnership designed to help brands capitalize
on the fast-growing gaming market. Stagwell and Anzu will collaborate to
innovate new formats for bespoke in-game experiences for brands and bring
Anzu's cutting-edge in-game advertising solution to more companies worldwide.
As of 2024, there are over 3.3
billion gamers worldwide. Anzu enables advertisers to reach those gamers across
mobile, PC, console and gaming metaverses with non-disruptive IAB-compliant ad
formats that become part of the gameplay, appearing in locations where you
would expect to see ads in the real world, like around sports stadiums,
alongside racetracks, and on the sides of buildings. Backed by Sony Innovation
Fund, Emmis, NBCUniversal, and other prominent investors, Anzu has brought
measurement standards in-game and run award-winning campaigns for some of the
world's leading brands, such as Samsung, PepsiCo, and P&G.
The Stagwell network is on the forefront of immersive experiences, leading
award-winning gaming activations and marketing for brands such as Blizzard Entertainment, MilkPep, Wells Enterprises, and
more. Through its investments in technology, Stagwell has also created a first-of-its
kind shared augmented reality platform, ARound, in use across
three of America's biggest professional sporting leagues.
This partnership will elevate both companies'
offerings in immersive gaming experiences. Stagwell's clients will leverage
Anzu's platform for executing, measuring, and optimizing programmatic intrinsic
in-game ads. Further, the Stagwell network of 70+ agencies worldwide –
beginning with its digital transformation network Code and Theory – will collaborate with Anzu to develop new ad
formats, content innovation, and dynamic activations.
"Consumers are clear: they crave
immersive experiences over traditional ads and reward brands that activate
authentically in gaming worlds. By combining Stagwell's creative and digital
prowess with Anzu's cutting-edge tech, we are well positioned to transform how
brands engage with this ever-expanding gaming audience," said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO, Stagwell.
"Gaming, with its vast scale,
attention-rich environments, and brand-safe 3D worlds, has all the ingredients
to become a multi-billion-dollar ad medium," said Itamar Benedy, Co-Founder and CEO of Anzu. "The collaboration
with the Stagwell worldwide network and the creative minds at Code and Theory,
combined with our unique technology, represents a significant leap forward for
in-game advertising. This partnership will elevate the creative approach to
advertising within games and push the boundaries of what's possible in this
medium."
"At Code and Theory, we believe
the future of brand engagement lies within the realms of immersive experiences.
Our partnership with Anzu signifies a pivotal moment where creativity and
technology converge to redefine in-game advertising. Together, we're not just
placing ads; we're crafting seamless, authentic moments that resonate deeply
with the gaming community, turning interactions into unforgettable
experiences," said Craig Elimeliah,
Chief Creative Officer at Code and Theory.
Anzu joins a growing list of
Stagwell's unique technology partners, including Nexxen, MNTN, Google Cloud, and more, all dedicated to helping clients drive
transformational outcomes with brand performance thinking.
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