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Anzu has raised $9 million in new funding to grow the company and fuel sales and marketing activities on a global scale.
Anzu points out that the gaming industry is now larger than the music and film industries combined and is expected to reach approximately $257 billion by 2025. As a result, brands have recognised the potential of gaming and have finally begun to venture into gaming as an advertising channel. “Gaming is one activity that has exploded over the past year and increasingly an important advertising channel,” said WPP CEO Mark Read. “In partnership with Anzu, together with our agencies, we can make it simpler for them to reach the growing audience in the esports and gaming space.”
Anzu says its technology blends real-world ads into high quality video games, esports tournaments, and live streams, enhancing games’ realism and transforming game objects into valuable advertising opportunities. Its client list includes game publishers Ubisoft, Lion Castle, and Nacon and global brands Pepsico, Samsung, American Eagle, and Vodafone.
“We are excited to join this funding round and support Anzu, entering a new phase of growth in in-game advertising. The company’s gamer-first attitude will enable developers to access new business models and bring advertisers closer to gamer audiences without disturbing gameplay,” says Gen Tsuchikawa, CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Innovation Growth Ventures, Sony Innovation Fund.
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