The Gamification Renaissance
Is the new Gentle Monster x Tekken collab bringing it back? 👀
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Do you ever sit and think, wonder even, about how dripped out the villains always are? Whether in movies or games, they’re always the best dressed. Prada did an entire show paying homage to villains in the media, and it was beautiful. But this isn’t about them. This is about how Gentle Monster’s designers probably thought the same thing we did and made it easier for people to look just like their favourite villains. This is about the most recent collaboration between Tekken 8 and Gentle Monster but also about a much larger phenomenon sweeping the fashion industry: gamification. Let’s talk about it.
Gentle Monster x Tekken 8
Okay, so if you’re unfamiliar with either of those things, let me introduce you to Gentle Monster first. It’s a Korean eyewear brand most known for its diverse designs. Their stores usually look like exhibitions and change with each collection, so they’ve mastered experiential marketing that isn’t limited to time-bound pop-ups. The brand is also known for its various collaborations, like the one with Jenny from Blackpink and Mugler.
Their recent collaboration to make the headlines is, you guessed it, the one with Tekken. If you don’t know what Tekken is, you live under a rock or are Gen-Alpha and should not be here. Go to school. I’m partially kidding. But anyway, with this collaboration, Gentle Monster claims to seamlessly blend reality with the digital world, which I’ll get to in a bit.
The project is centred around one of the main antagonists, Kazuya, who is a dapper man. The glasses are called ‘Inferno’ and are inspired by Devil Kazuya… Which means he’s a not-so-gentle Monster (Yes, I do think I’m funny, and yes, I will work for your company if you ask me). They come in a package inspired by his signature gloves. So, in terms of branding, they’ve left no details out. The glasses remind me of literal hell, which, in this case, isn’t a bad thing. The red lenses, pointy frame and temples resembling horns? Chef’s kiss. They’ve also added an in-game skin so you and Kazuya can have your twinnnnnn where have you been moment.
Now, for the marketing, they’re using an AI filter, which supports the claims of blending AI and reality. I tried it, and it’s low-key a little misleading because of how it’s advertised instead of what it is. But that’s not that big of a deal because, in the end, it’s doing what it promised to do, blending digital with the physical. But it is like a Snapchat or an Instagram filter, and it’s just like a fun lil’ treat.
Are gamers beating the no-drip allegations?
It’s a question I never thought I’d have a positive answer to, but I do. They are, in fact, inching closer and closer to beating the no-drip allegations. And they’re being backed by some massive names in the industry, too. 👀 Now, generally, I wouldn’t ever want to speak about League of Legends, and I run the other way at the mere mention of it, but the collaboration with Louis Vuitton was one of the most talked about things for a while, and that’s actually how I heard of it the first time. I was in blissful oblivion before that. Louis Vuitton launched a capsule collection inspired by the designs imagined for the characters, and this collaboration became THE most talked about fashion x gaming collaboration. I still think it’s the most popular one.
However, closely following that collaboration is the Roblox x Gucci collaboration from 2021. This was when we were still going into lockdowns, and the restrictions were tighter, so online experiences became so crucial for people to experience something that they probably wouldn't have been able to otherwise, which really helped brand-consumer relationships.
But fashion and gaming aren’t a new relationship. Games like Covet, Stardoll and MovieStarPlanet have been around for a while. Remember Kim Kardashian’s game? And now we have Dress To Impress, a game that is making rounds on social media. Watching people eat, serve and slay only to get a single star makes for great viewing, albeit infuriating. Like please learn how to vote because the rankings really do get on my nerves as a former styling student. 😭
But my point is that, yes, the gamers have beaten the no-drip allegations, but it depends on who you call a gamer and who you ask.
So, why is it so popular?
The most obvious answer is that it expands the audience for both the collaborating parties and introduces each other to a new demographic. But for the said demographics, it’s a little different. For the audience it’s about nostalgia, accessibility and building community.
League of Legends, Tekken, and Roblox are all games that have had their renaissance recently, but they’ve been pretty constant in the cultural zeitgeist for a while. Ask millennials, and they’ll tell you about their experience with Tekken; Gen-Z can tell you about League of Legends and Roblox. And it’s this intergenerational nature of these games that helps build community not only on that platform but off it, too.
And during the lockdowns, the game characters sort of became an extension of ourselves. Because even if it was digital, they were still free to roam about, and we started living through them, especially with Sims and Animal Crossing. That was huge during the peak of lockdown. These collaborations were basically entry-level to entry-level products. So if you can’t buy it in real life just yet, at least your character looks slay, and you’ve started a relationship with the brands.
Closing thoughts
Gamification is amazing, and I’m a big fan of seeing two of my favourite interests coming together, but I do think we’re all going towards digital fatigue with how glued we are to our phones. I also don’t see why gamification has JUST to be digital. Do a monopoly-themed pop-up or use other tabletop games for your experiential marketing. A treasure hunt on your website or socials could be amazing if you want to keep it digital. The point is, whatever trend you see happening around you, you don’t have to do it the same way. Look for a different way to implement these trends, and who knows, you might just start a new trend yourself. 😼
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next issue covering latest marketing campaigns and strategies winning over Gen Z. Any questions/suggestions as to what we should cover next? Reach out to us and we’re always here to chat!
— Brought to you by Shaurya, Trends Reporter at The Z Link