Dive Brief:

• Epic Games' popular online video game Fortnite has received more than 50 billion views on YouTube since it launched a year ago, more than travel-related content at 42 billion and fashion at 24 billion. Of those views, 600 million came from brands, and more than 80% were from non-gamers, according to the "How Fortnite Changed the YouTube Game" study by Tubular Labs.
• Blue Apron, Casper, 1-800 Flowers and Dollar Shave Club are among the brand sponsors on Fortnite. From June to September 2018, Dollar Shave Club sponsored nine video integrations, leading to 9.8 million views.
• The popular game lifted overall gaming brands' social video views by 30%, and the game was the subject of 2,000 sponsored videos, with only two-thirds coming from Epic Games or Fortnite-specific partnerships.

Dive Insight:

Fans have flocked to Fortnite for its easy-to-play format, immersive experiences and shareable moments, but the platform has also created a variety of opportunities for brands, influencers and publishers. Dollar Shave Club's ability to generate nearly 10 million views on its video integrations over three months demonstrates how advertisers can incorporate themselves into popular media like video games to reach younger audiences, which make up Fortnite's largest user base. 

Other brands have partnered with Fortnite to reach players through in-app purchases, including an Iron Man skin upgrade, which players could buy to resemble the Marvel character, according to Adweek. The game also featured an integration for the Thanos character from "Avengers: Infinity War" to promote the film, demonstrating how advertisers are now exploring innovative ways to reach engaged consumers via video games or livestreams.

Gen Z, which makes up a sizable portion of Fortnite's audience, are considered video gamers, with 73% of the age group owning game consoles, according to Nielsen data cited by Recode. These young consumers are not necessarily averse to ads, but research shows that they tend to prefer video ads over static, traditional spots, and they engage at a higher level when brands find unique ways to grab their attention. Video game developers are also becoming more receptive to in-game ads and promotions, with 49% viewing the deals as an "important monetization opportunity" and 21% saying they "enhance player progress," according to deltaDNA research.