American Eagle's partnership with Twitch to create a docuseries focusing on some of the platform’s biggest streamers, is the latest example of brands finding their footing in the gaming world in an effort to connect with Gen Z audiences.

The apparel retailer started leaning into Twitch after seeing gaming show up more in consumer insight data. “Gaming is the newest, shiniest toy among Gen Z passion points,” said Craig Brommers, chief marketing officer at American Eagle. “We are about youth culture and wanted to dip into this.”

Each episode will focus on how a streamer came to be on Twitch, with them getting dressed head to toe in American Eagle at some point in the video. The second episode in the five-part series will focus on Sydney Parker, known to her fans as Sydeon. Parker went to school for a career in nursing but realized she could make a living gaming and cosplaying on Twitch. She now has 294,000 Twitch followers and has worked with brands including StockX, OPI and Beats headphones.

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Twitch is still a test-and-learn ground for American Eagle marketing, but Brommers is bullish on gaming’s place in the retailer’s overall marketing strategy. “When we look at the numbers, the time spent and the engagement Gen Z has around gaming and related digital acititives can’t be ignored,” he said. The goals for the docu-series are organic views, building American Eagle’s association with gaming, and featuring certain clothing items to see how well Twitch impacts sales. 

American Eagle announced the series last year when it became an official marketing partner of /twitchgaming, a Twitch channel where creators make original programming around what’s happening in the gaming space. As gaming’s popularity has grown, more brands have been finding ways to show up on Twitch. Last month, Honda started a new variety show channel called “DreamLab” to connect with younger car buyers. Late last year, State Farm hosted an NBA 2K stream featuring the real Jake from State Farm.

Like other marketers, Brommers believes gaming is here to stay as part of the modern marketing mix. His advice to other brands interested in entering gaming is to do their homework on various platforms and games to find where their target audience is playing. The next is to build a value-add experience. “What’s something that isn’t a roadblock to gameplay, but is more a surprise and delight for players?” he said.

This also isn’t the brand’s first time working with Parker. She was featured in an American Eagle YouTube video last December. Parker joins an impressive roster of influencers working with American Eagle, including TikTok megastar Addison Rae, tennis player Coco Gauff, and actor Michael Evans Behling. “In my mind, talent amplifies everything,” Brommers said. “Gen Z appreciates that influencers work with brands, but those fans have a strong BS meter. The relationships that are transactions are duds, but authentic partnerships can help both sides.”

"It's great to see that American Eagle and /twitchgaming are leaning into celebrating a diverse group of Twitch creators and their communities," Sydeon said in a statement announcing her episode. "Twitch is such a unique space, and people don't always understand the kinds of close-knit relationships and experiences you can have while streaming.”

Future episodes in the series will focus on Twitch streamers Arsenal, Alexandra and Andrea Botez of Botez Live, and Nate Hill.