Mtn Dew surveils Twitch streamers in new stunt with image recognition technology

Mtn Dew is out with a new marketing stunt that uses technology capable of locating its products within gamers’ live streams. The effort is a collaboration with Twitch and the latest from Mtn Dew that puts the esports community front and center. Gamers who make Mtn Dew products visible in their streams will be identified by a technology operating through MTN Dew’s Twitch page. Once the product is located, the gamer will be invited to enter into a chance to have their channel amplified by the brand. Those selected for rewards may be featured on the Mtn Dew Twitch page, the Twitch home page or have Mtn Dew subscribe to their channel. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs The technology at the heart of the stunt, provided by production studio Unit9, appears similar to facial recognition, but instead of identifying human countenance, it seeks out Mtn Dew’s logo and packaging. In press materials, Mtn Dew framed the technology as powered by AI, although the brand declined to provide more information on how exactly AI is incorporated. Regardless of the precise technology, the effort is the latest from a CPG brand to use innovation as a way to court younger consumers. Intuit earlier this month used generative AI to create selfies and personalized auras for Gen Z social media users. Doritos also recently used a form of AI in its own gaming stunt focused on quelling the sound of chips crunching. Doritos and Mtn Dew are both owned by PepsiCo. Gamers have become a target audience for Mtn Dew over the last several years, thanks to its caffeinated drinks having long contributed to the tradition of staying up all night to play video games. The brand operates a gaming-centered arm, Mtn Dew gaming, replete with a rewards marketplace and suite of social media channels. It also periodically releases “Game Fuel,” a limited-edition energy drink for the esports community. Moreover, Mtn Dew seems to understand what drives gamers: The lure into its stunt is the possibility for gamers to amplify their channel, receive subscriptions and grow their own fandom on Twitch. The campaign is dubbed “Mtn Dew Raid,” a nod to a type of gameplay in which numerous players come together to complete an objective. It will run from Dec. 1 through Dec. 8.

Mtn Dew surveils Twitch streamers in new stunt with image recognition technology

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