General Mills cereal brand becomes first sponsor of Yahoo eSports show

By Vince Bamford

- Last updated on GMT

Yahoo launched its eSports platform in March this year
Yahoo launched its eSports platform in March this year

Related tags Advertising

General Mills’ Reese’s Puffs cereal has become the first sponsor of a new weekly Yahoo show covering competitive video gaming.

Yahoo Esports Live, an hour-long live show that launched yesterday (September 12), features custom branded segments and video advertising for the cereal brand. The sponsorship extends the ‘You Either Love Them or You’re Wrong’ campaign for Reese’s Puffs

The launch comes six months after Yahoo extended its sports coverage with the Yahoo Esports portal featuring reporting, video commentary and stats for games including League of Legends, Defense of the Ancients 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

As a leader in the emerging eSports space and an experienced player in live programming, Yahoo was the obvious choice for our new campaign for Reese’s Puffs​,” said Reese's Puffs marketing manager Devin Kunysz

We’ve found a unique way to connect with our audience around the new Yahoo Esports Live, so that we’re able to not only entertain and engage fans around our brand, but drive results for our business​.”

Live coverage

As part of this activity, Reese’s Puffs will also sponsor Yahoo’s coverage for the live stream of eSports tournament ESL One New York 2016 from October 1 to 2.

 “Consumers are more engaged with live content than ever and, with this new programming across Yahoo Esports, we’re giving users more of the shows they want while opening up opportunities for advertisers​,” said Yahoo chief revenue officer Lisa Utzschneider.

Reess Puffs

We have a focused strategy around live video and General Mills recognized the power of this medium to connect with their audience, especially millennials who come to Yahoo Esports for their latest updates and analysis​.”

Yahoo Esports Live comprises two 30-minute segments:  Late Night League, which focuses on recent eSport news in the style of a late night talk show; and Tilted, a roundtable discussion.

Growing interest in eSports

A growing number of food and drink brands are tapping the opportunities offered by eSports-related marketing. These have included Doritos, Coca-Cola, Red Bull and – as reported by this site last week​, protein bar manufacturer Quest Nutrition.

Quest will help to support 75 students at Robert Morris University who compete in games including League of Legends, Counter Strike, DOTA 2, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm.

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