Advertising in and around video game content is both a nascent opportunity and one with vast potential.

In the US, 26.6 million people tune into esports on a monthly basis, and there are 177.7 million monthly gamers, according to Insider Intelligence. Brands are now pouring billions of ad dollars into in-game advertisements,
streaming ads, and sponsorships. Research and advisory firm Technavio predicts in-game advertising alone will grow to be a $3.54 billion market by 2025.

However, many corporations aren’t sure how to navigate this exploding space, so a new generation of ad execs is rising — professionals with the gaming expertise and marketing backgrounds to guide advertisers through this unfamiliar territory.

…
Chad Stoller, global chief innovation officer, UM
Stoller tracks changes in consumer behavior and new communications channels so advertisers can find new ways of reaching their audiences. And for the past five years, that’s included gaming and esports.

For example, he oversaw media and marketing for Travis Scott’s virtual concert tour in Fortnite, which recorded 13 million concurrent attendees and 28 million uniques over a three-day period. And he also arranged Spotify’s sponsorship of The Game Awards.

Besides his day-to-day work on campaigns, Stoller organizes summits to introduce advertisers to the leagues and the professional esports players they can work with.

Read the full list on Business Insider.