• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, October 1, 2021

Dentsu Group has reorganized and integrated the gaming expertise throughout the network under a new global umbrella unit called Dentsu Gaming.

The move comes as the number of gamers globally reaches an estimated 3 billion this year, the company said.

The new offering will provide in-game advertising and other services, such as game production studios and related IP development functions for brands. Commerce, consumer promotions, native game integrations, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), talent activation and esports are also positioned as core capabilities.

Dentsu Gaming comprises experts In Japan, the Americas, EMEA, and APAC and has appointed regional leaders to run the operation.

The Americas operation is being led by Dan Holland, senior vice president, Dentsu Gaming lead, Americas. Holland, based in Nashville, has been with Dentsu for nearly a decade. Previously, he was senior vice president, product solutions and before that global head of strategy. Earlier, he oversaw Dentsu content unit The Story Lab.

The new gaming operation sits within Dentsu's Content Business Design Center In Japan and also has units within agencies Carat, Dentsu X, IProspect, Isobar, dentsumcgarrybown and Merkle.  

Other agencies and holding companies are also making gaming a priority.

WPP participated in an investment round of funding for Anzu.io, an Israel-based ad-tech startup specializing in integrating advertising into video games. And late last year, the companies struck a deal whereby WPP and its agencies will utilize Anzu’s in-game programmatic ad technology to reach gamers across all gaming platforms.

These platforms include mobile, PC and console. The partnership also encompasses an in-game advertising solution for esports tournaments, reaching gamers outside the home.

Last November, Omnicom’s DDB Worldwide said it is launching DDB FTW (as in “for the win”) a specialized esports and gaming network agency.