Around 90% of youth regularly playing video games, the gaming space has become a powerful, multi-channel avenue for reaching the next generation. For dairy, this is a key opportunity, as milk consumption typically declines when kids begin making their own drink choices. The growing competition in the beverage market further accelerates this shift, making it even more important for dairy brands to build relevance with youth. 

By strategically positioning themselves within the gaming ecosystem, milk brands can connect with youth where they spend their time, promoting milk as a natural choice for energy, focus and performance during gameplay. Read on to discover how your brand can redefine milk as the ultimate Performance Drink of Gamers. 

What’s the Value for Brands?

Gaming has surpassed TV, movies, and music as the top entertainment activity for youth, making it a key touchpoint for building brand affinity. Research shows gamers react positively to discovering real-life brands through gaming¹. It’s also an ecosystem primed for engagement and community-building. 

How MilkPEP is Reaching Youth Through Gaming

Youth have an impressive radar for disingenuity in marketing, so it’s important to show up authentically. We like to think that while gamers can be “reached”, success comes from a real value exchange. That’s the principle that leads MilkPEP’s strategy in gaming, which is to connect with young gamers through performance, and give them the experiences they want, powered by milk. 

This method led to the creation of Zany Ziplines – a first-of-its-kind Fortnite map concept requested by the Fortnite community, and The Milk Cup, a Fortnite series launched in 2024 with the largest women’s esports prize pool in North America at the time, to fuel change in gaming by addressing the opportunity and pay disparity between male and female pro gamers. MilkPEP also hosts the gonnaneedmilk Discord, a growing community of 6,000+, providing a welcoming space for game nights, prizes, and opportunities to provide input on what we build next. 

The Milk Cup stands out in the women’s esports ecosystem, offering the largest-ever prize pool for a women’s Fortnite competition at $250,000.

Inside Zany Ziplines, the unique milk-powered Fortnite map. 

Your Turn: How Brands Can Activate in Gaming 

For success in the gaming space, there are multiple avenues for milk brands to explore. While some tactics require higher effort, they yield more engaging and immersive experiences for gamers.  

 Low Lift Tactics for Reach:  

  • Social Ads 
  • Twitch/YouTube Ads  
  • In-Game Branding 
  • Pro League Sponsorships 
  • Branded Gaming Content 
  • Gamer Stream Sponsorships and Branded Social Content 

 

High Effort Tactics for Immersion: 

  • Create a Game, League, or Tournament 
  • Game Integrations 
  • Pro Esports Team Partnerships 
  • Gaming Event Sponsorships (e.g., TwitchCon) 
  • Long-term Amateur Esports League Partnerships 
  • Build a Discord Community 

 

By choosing the right mix of tactics, brands can both reach and engage with the gaming community, making milk top of mind for youth. For more on milk and gaming, check out the full MilkPEP webinar or connect with us at info@milkpep.org.   

[1] 2021 Gamer Generations, NewZoo