Why traditional brands are venturing into esports

MANILA, Philippines — Before big logos and bigger activations, mobile esports spent years making the case that it was at par its PC and console counterparts. Early deals were transactional, centered on proof that a phone-first title could earn its place alongside PC and console mainstays.

“In the early days, sponsorships were about proving our credentials in esports, especially as a mobile title,” said Adrian Cher, global head of partnerships, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Esports at Moonton Games.

In the early years of esports, partners willing to invest in tournaments were few, let alone on a mobile esports title. Usual brands that would take a second look would be smartphone manufacturers and telco providers, while traditional brands often kept their distance, convinced the target market was too narrow and not worth the investment.

“One misconception we often hear is that esports audiences are niche or hard to reach. In reality, MLBB connects with a massive, global audience, 110 million monthly active users and over 1.5 billion installations,” said Cher.

The turn came as MLBB built a world around the game — part competition, part culture. Collaborations with different global franchises like Star Wars, Transformers, Kung Fu Panda, SpongeBob SquarePants, Naruto, and even motorcycle manufacturing company Ducati broadened its footprint beyond the norm of esport partnerships.

“[Previous collaborations] position MLBB squarely within popular culture. For non-endemic brands, these crossovers signal that MLBB is where young audiences already spend their time engaged, social, and emotionally invested,” explained Cher.

With many brands hoping to tap into the youth market, MLBB has certainly gotten the attention of traditional brands, as with the M7 World Championship having Visa, Red Bull and the National Basketball Association (NBA) as first time partners, brands you don’t usually think of as sponsors for an esports tournament.

“Brands are recognizing that esports fans are highly interactive. They watch, share, discuss, and participate across multiple platforms. This makes them an incredibly responsive and connected audience. For the M7, we’re excited to have global giants like the National Basketball Association (NBA), Visa, Red Bull and Realme onboard. Their involvement shows the confidence these brands have in what we do, our reach, engagement, and ability to deliver real outcomes. We do more than just put brands in front of that audience. We create 360-degree experiences that actually engage the audience, give them value, and connect them to the brand in meaningful ways.,” said Cher.

Many fans weren't surprised when Red Bull was announced as a partner, as the energy drink brand has been a staple in esports tournaments, though this would be its first venture into mobile esports. NBA's partnership seemed to have been born from the shared competitive and fan-culture that MLBB has built over the years, and Realme being a top mobile brand was expected. What stumped many fans was the announcement that major global credit card brand Visa was coming in as an M7 partner.

But for Visa, venturing to esports was a no-brainer.

“Visa has long recognized passion pillars key to unlocking opportunities across diverse audiences, particularly with ‘next-gen’ consumers or those who are in the millennial and Gen Z demographic groups. It made strategic sense to tap into gaming — an emergent passion pillar that cuts across income classes, age groups, genders, and geographies,” said Nico Leviste, Visa Philippines head of marketing.

With the Philippines home to tens of millions of young, mobile-first consumers and an estimated 82 million mobile gamers, Leviste frames the move as both brand building and category shaping — and not just for the M7.

He added, “We are proud to support the development of esports talent locally and across the region through the promotion of one of the biggest esports stages in the world. This is an exciting space for us, and beyond M7, we look forward to unlocking opportunities with various partners through gaming.”

As the M7 nears its conclusion this coming weekend, fans will be treated to the ultimate experience with the upcoming M7 Carnival, a unique gaming zone that positions MLBB and its partners not just for visibility but for a different audience experience.

“Opportunities like the M7 Carnival show how our partners have the platform to go beyond traditional sponsorship and create experiences that truly engage fans. By bringing their brand into the heart of the event, they're connecting with the audience in ways that are authentic, memorable, and exciting. Rather than isolated brand placements, partners are able to create immersive experiences that connect with fans before, during, and beyond the tournament. And that's exactly the kind of engagement that turns visibility into real impact,” said Cher.