American coffee and doughnut company Dunkin’, also known as Dunkin’ Donuts, has teamed up with Twitch Rivals North America for a series of custom activations.
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In addition to being named the official fan fuel of the competitive gaming series, Dunkin’ will feature in exclusive challenges, rewards, and events during Twitch Rivals’ tournaments throughout 2021. The first of which kicked off on Wednesday with the Twitch Rivals: VALORANT Series 1, a three-day round-robin tournament featuring a $50,000 (~£35,309) prize pool.
Keith Lusby, Vice President of Media and Partnerships at Dunkin’, commented on the landmark deal in a release: “We’re always looking for new and unique ways to connect with our fans and we’re excited to tap into Twitch’s existing Rival’s fanbase to engage a passionate audience of dedicated gamers. As the official fan fuel of Twitch Rivals, we unlock unparalleled opportunities for Dunkin’ to reach and reward both streamers and viewers.”
Twitch Rivals viewers will be able to predict competition outcomes using custom stream extensions to win prizes including gaming consoles, gift cards, and more in the Dunkin’ Challenge. The coffee brand will additionally sponsor Twitch streamers in ‘Dunkin’ Runs’, along with being the premiere host of a Twitch Rivals tournament later this year featuring custom activations and competitions.
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Lou Garate, Head of Global Sponsorship Sales at Twitch, added: “Dunkin’ fuels the energetic communities on Twitch, making them a stellar match to keep our Twitch Rivals events fresh and unique. Together, we’ve established Dunkin’s presence within the gaming community and developed new, interactive experiences to enable our viewers and streamers to run on Dunkin.”
The deal, brokered by Publicis Sport and Entertainment and Publicis Groupe, marks Dunkin’s initial foray into the competitive gaming space.
Esports Insider says: It was 2006 when Dunkin’ launched its advertising campaign tagline ‘America Runs on Dunkin,’ and now, Twitch Rivals will run on the coffee brand through this agreement. Dunkin’s entry into esports suggests the strong tailwinds behind the industry after a breakthrough year are still very much in effect.