Play to Win: How Brands Are Cracking the Code with Young Consumers
In Part 1 of our Qulture newsletter, we explored how brands are showing up inside the gaming worlds Gen Z and Millennials love by creating immersive experiences that feel like play, not promotion.
But not every brand has the resources to build a virtual world or design an in-game activation. The good news? You don’t need to.
Beyond gaming, young consumers are engaging around gaming culture. They watch creators like Kai Cenat and iHasCupquake stream on YouTube and TikTok. They hang out on Discord, talking strategy and swapping memes. They buy game-adjacent merch that signals their interests, from Fortnite hoodies to Minecraft Crocs. In fact, 68% say any brand can make gaming merch, and 57% follow gaming influencers.
That’s your opportunity. You can engage this gaming obsession without going full metaverse. In this edition, we’ll share three smart, low-lift ways to connect with these audiences through the content, platforms, and products they already love.
Sponsor Real World Experiences Inspired by Games
Bringing gaming into the real world can activate the same sense of challenge and purpose young consumers crave in digital play. Beauty brand e.l.f. recently appeared in World Reborn, a new adventure-activism game that promotes confidence and empowerment among young girls. As part of the launch, e.l.f. created two real-life quests tied to the game’s themes, turning abstract values like self-belief into actionable, IRL brand missions that resonate with their core audience.
Create Products That Celebrate Gaming Passion
Young consumers don’t just play games, they wear them, live them, and want products that reflect their passion. Enter Godmode: a new beauty brand co-founded by artists and gamers including Rina Sawayama and Chloë Grace Moretz. Blending gaming, music, and fashion, the brand is inspired by the creativity of digital communities, offering bold color and high-performance formulas. It’s a beauty line built for the gaming generation that did not require a direct connection to a virtual world.
Make Content That Mirrors the Gaming Mindset
Sometimes, meeting gamers where they are means turning everyday content into play. Walmart’s “Walmart Unlimited” is a gamified mini-series where viewers can shop real products in immersive, story-driven episodes. While it lives in a virtual environment, it’s not about building a metaverse, it’s about creating shoppable entertainment that taps into gaming behaviors. For brands, even short-form social content that riffs on game culture can earn relevance with Gen Z & Millennials.
Events
“Fragrance Secrets “
Earlier this month The Qulture Club’s “Fragrance Secrets” event brought together industry insiders for cocktails at The Chelsea Hotel and an illustrious panel on what’s working now in fragrance—and what comes next.
Some key insights from our event include:
Bespoke layering elevates personalization and frames fragrance as a luxury ritual and part of the wardrobe, just like clothing and make-up
Elaborate and Heritage narratives reinforce emotional value and boost perceived quality
TikTok teasers drive broad awareness while invite-only activations sustain exclusivity
Emotional luxury scents remain resilient and mood enhancing during downturns
Our panelists
Alina Roytberg - Co-Founder & Brand Director at Fresh inc
Gwen Flamberg - Beauty Director at GRAZIA USA
Emma @Perfumism - Top PerfumeTok creator
Thank you to our fantastic panelists and everyone who joined us for an insider look at fragrance innovation. Stay tuned for details on our next event for The Qulture Club.