Game Promotion Gets a Boost with Indian Celebrity Endorsements

American TV star Dana Plato is credited with being the first celebrity to be associated with a video game. The game in question, Night Trap, kickstarted a trend we are all too familiar with now. From rummy games to battle game characters, celebrities are endorsing video games in a big way. From King Khan’s love for card games like cash rummy to top cricketers like Rohit Sharma endorsing a fantasy sports league, celebrities and gaming are proving to be the dream team.

Companies have always roped in celebrities to increase their brand recall among potential customers. You may feel tempted to use the same shampoo brand as used by your favourite movie star. But in the case of gaming, the excitement goes beyond brand loyalty. By integrating celebrities into the gameplay and characters, game promotion in India has become even more dynamic and interesting.

Strong Endorsement Demands

The presence of celebrities in advertisements is very common. It was observed earlier this year that 32% of all advertisements telecasted had a celebrity in it. Movie stars are the most popular choices, accounting for 75% of this presence. Sports athletes and TV stars are distant next, with a 14% and 11% presence, respectively.

Ecom-gaming happens to be the product category with the most celebrity presence in endorsements. One of the major reasons for this is that the gaming industry is pushing for unmatched growth in the years ahead. Although India is home to more than 450 million gamers, their full potential is yet to be tapped. With only 12-15% of these gamers opting for real money games on rummy app, the revenue prospect in the industry can grow significantly.

Besides, esports and livestream companies are looking at their brands as recognisable properties as well. Apart from regular customer spending, esports events have the potential to become popular entertainment/sporting properties like Big Boss and the Indian Premier League. Similarly, for livestream companies, ad spends made now can strengthen their ad revenue potential in the future.

One of the best ways to tap all these potentials is to rope in recognisable faces so that real money gaming specifically resonates with the wider audience. This explains the strong presence of celebrities in the gaming scene.

Strong Presence of Indian Celebrities in Gaming

The action-packed Esports Premier League (ESPL) roped in Bollywood action hero Tiger Shroff. The company believed that his high-adrenaline persona matched the ESPL gaming experience. Another movie star, Ranveer Singh, is already known for his strong affinity towards sports, mainly through his endorsement of the English Premier League. Therefore, choosing him for the endorsement of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) was a natural choice.

Celebrity associations do not stop with making appearances in advertisements. Popular actress Deepika Padukone appears as a playable character in a battle game. Hrithik Roshan has agreed to the same while endorsing a popular battle royale game. This has been done many times in the Western world – from Billie Eilish’s appearance in Fortnite to Gary Oldman’s voice in Call of Duty.

Years ago, in 2013, John Abraham became the face of the mobile game, Drag Racer. More recently, Akshay Kumar has done the same with his mobile game, Fearless and United Guards (FAU-G). A wordplay on ‘Fauji’, the Indian word for a soldier, FAU-G is a patriotic alternative to the internationally popular PUBG.

The Importance of Celebrity Endorsement

Several studies and surveys have revealed that the presence of celebrities and social media influencers increases the appeal of the advertisement and makes the brand more familiar. By showcasing celebrities, gaming companies gain the trust of the gamers, boost the perception of legitimacy and see an increase in overall social acceptance.

A survey among Xbox and PlayStation gamers shows that advertisements influence the purchasing decisions of 57% of the respondents. The same percentage of respondents also enjoy watching advertisements with their favourite celebrities in them. In India, the Bollywood seal of approval has helped a variety of products to establish themselves in the market. In this regard, gaming is no exception.

Popular rummy platform, RummyTime adds a touch of quirk to its Bollywood connection, posting witty movie and pop culture-based memes on its social media handles. Thus, apart from straightforward celebrity endorsements, a reference to their dialogues, mannerisms and famous poses also has good marketing value.

It’s Showtime

The growth of online gaming in India has been relentless. Despite the harsher tax regime, the market grew by 23% in FY24. Galloping at a CAGR of 20%, the industry is accommodating new gaming platforms, developers and studios every day.

To get the marketing edge amidst the competition, getting associated with a popular and recognisable face is the recommended thing to do. Gamers in India should expect to see many more of their familiar celebrity faces endorsing and popularising online games in the days and years to come.