GameStop nerds out with IYKYK-style ads about gaming culture

Gamers are a passionate bunch who appreciate authenticity perhaps more than most. GameStop, the gaming retailer, hopes to do them proud with a new campaign from Seattle creative studio World Famous Inc. that leans into IYKYK comedy. A trio of 15-second spots present scenarios designed to bring a knowing smile to gamers everywhere. The scenes are a funeral, a house party and a bedroom—with all of the characters exhibiting familiar gamer nerdery that threads the needle between leaning into stereotypes while transcending them as well. The tagline at the end feels both metaphorical and literal. The approach of celebrating the community feels right, and the spot are pleasantly bright and amusing—even when the subject matter is a little dark. “We wanted to connect with the gaming audience in an authentic way and genuinely excite them,” Chris Volckmann, managing partner at World Famous Inc., told Ad Age. “These folks bleed pixels and their best times are playing and being connected to gaming culture. They are a culture of super smart creative and communal people who love to come together—even if it’s just to kick each other’s ass in a game. So we decided to celebrate them and give them a voice. And let them know there’s a place for them.” The “House Party” spot below goes beyond gaming into collectibles, which is also a significant part of the GameStop business. The goal with the casting was to reflect the “modern” GameStop customer, Volckmann said, with different ages, genders and backgrounds—and to move away from the basement-dweller stereotype of gamers. “We embraced an improvisational approach to the comedy, letting the talent really make these roles their own and experiment within the framework of the scripts,” he added. “Casting was a blast. Many laughs were had.” A spot called “Single Player Love” treads a well-worn path, though with amusing results. “We knew the magic of this campaign lay in the specificity and understanding of the cultures we’re depicting,” said Volckmann. “This resulted in embracing an ‘if you know you know’ approach and not being afraid of having an edge.” The spots will be cut into 1:1 and 9:16 versions for Instagram, TikTok and other social platforms. Candice DiScuillo, VP of performance marketing at GameStop, said she’ll be looking at various metrics as the campaign rolls out—not least of which is simple delight among the target audience. “Success is creating something our fans enjoy—something you can’t help but not skip,” DiScuillo said. “We’ll be tracking traditional metrics like ad recall, consideration, purchase intent and Google search, as well as reach and frequency, ultimately aiming for stronger brand consideration and sentiment.”

GameStop nerds out with IYKYK-style ads about gaming culture

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