Teenage and twenty-something boys spend their days in cramped rec rooms playing video games. That's the culture that we, teenage and twenty-something girls, must deal with when they come out of their caves and into the real world.
Adults are actually encouraging this kind of behavior. At least, some brands have embraced the medium as a marketing tool to reach their target 18-24 (plus or minus a few years) male audience.
As yesterday's New York Times pointed out, video gaming is now a sport and video gamers are now sport stars. Some of these nerdy new heroes have pretty high profiles in the virtual world of video games. Take Tom Taylor, also known as Tsquared, who has a $250,000 contract with Major League Gaming to play Halo 3 and carries a Sharpie around to give autographs. Starting January 1, the 21-year-old will be featured on Dr Pepper's 20-ounce bottles.
The brand-new labels are meant to get the attention of gaming fans and rope more people into the Dr Pepper franchise. It probably will succeed. Let's think about it: A no-name, floppy-haired kid who plays video games, suddenly becomes the face of a national soda campaign. Pimply, brace-faced boys—who would never be Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning or Michael Phelps—now have a new dream of sports superstardom. One that's much more attainable.
The campaign would be pretty weak in the post-advertising age if it stopped there. Bottle-cap codes drive an online promotion for tournament challenges and prizes. Additionally, MLGpro.com, a site where fans can watch competitions, and GameBattles.com, its sister site where they can follow the teams, both feature Dr Pepper banner ads. Expected, but it's talking to the right audience.
Dr Pepper isn't approaching its advertising in a different way—it's using its traditional product and digital promotions. However, the brand is redefining the character used to deliver the message, acknowledging the different behaviors and desires of its audience. That'll get them to notice. I'm sure Hot Pockets and Doritos promos are soon to follow.