Game On: How Monster Energy Electrified Engagement with Call of Duty on Snapchat

Fueling the Frenzy

Monster Energy, a leader in the energy drink category, aimed to boost awareness and brand favorability by leveraging their partnership with Call of Duty. The primary objective was to transfer the love gamers have for the Call of Duty franchise into brand affinity for Monster Energy, enhancing the gaming experience in ways that only Monster could offer.

To achieve this, Monster Energy partnered with Snapchat, targeting the gaming community, a key demographic. The challenge was to extend the Call of Duty experience beyond gameplay and create deeper connections with gamers through new, engaging ad formats only available on Snapchat.

Igniting Beast Mode

To drive strong engagement, Monster Energy utilized a multi-product ad strategy, featuring Snap Ads, Commercials in the Snap Select Gaming bundle, and an interactive Lens. This approach allowed them to deliver consistent messaging across various touch points within the Snapchat ecosystem:

Snap Ads provided full-screen, immersive experiences. Commercials in the Snap Select Gaming bundle reached users through unskippable ads in highly relevant gaming content. The Lens connected with the Camera, allowing users to interact directly with the Monster Energy brand in a playful, immersive way.

This diverse product mix proved effective, with users exposed to multiple ad formats showing a 162 Response Index, and the Lens driving over 4x ROAS norms. Targeting focused on energy drink consumers, gamers, and retargeting strategies, ensuring Monster Energy reached the right audience at scale.

The Monster Effect

The campaign delivered impressive results, generating over 3x ROAS compared to Snap/NCS CPG benchmarks. Monster Energy achieved a 2.2x sales lift by tapping into the Snap Select Gaming bundle, and 30% of the sales lift came from new or lapsed buyers, highlighting the campaign’s ability to reach an unduplicated audience.

The multi-ad format approach contributed significantly to these results, with users exposed to multiple formats responding at a much higher rate than those who only saw one. The campaign exceeded expectations, reinforcing the effectiveness of Snapchat as a platform to drive new buyers for CPG brands, particularly within the gaming community.

Key takeaways from this campaign include the value of contextual alignment with the Snap Select Gaming bundle and the discovery that energy drink consumers are highly engaged on Snapchat, making it a valuable channel for future campaigns.