Yahoo Lifestyle Louis Vuitton enters the esports arena
Tiffany & Co. (TIF) is the long-time artisan of U.S. Open tennis championship trophies. Now Louis Vuitton wants to give button smashing esports winners a taste of the good life.
Welcome to the big-time, esports.
The French luxury accessories house said Monday it is teaming up with League of Legends organizer Riot Games ahead of the sport’s world championships that kick off on in Berlin Oct. 2. When the overall team winner is crowned in Louis Vuitton’s backyard of Paris on Nov. 10, they will be awarded a Louis Vuitton-made trunk to hold the “Summoner’s Cup.”
It marks Louis Vuitton’s initial foray into the surging world of esports.
The two added there will be a one-off collection of League of Legends inspired merchandise announced soon.
“Louis Vuitton has been an innovator for over 160 years, as well as a long-time supporter of sporting events, which makes this partnership with League of Legends a natural fit,” said Michael Burke, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton. “It presents an unprecedented opportunity to bring our historical commitment to merging innovation and tradition with our spirit of adventure to a new generation.”
LV eyes younger customers
Hey, these eSports winners are pulling in big checks and will probably be in the market for some luxury goods swag. 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf hauled in $3 million in July for winning the Fortnite World Cup. A top player such as Giersdorf also has legions of fans globally who can be influenced by their favorite player’s style.
Why shouldn’t Louis Vuitton succinctly get in all their heads that its brand isn’t for old people, using a stylish trophy trunk to do so. That’s marketing 101 class.
Meanwhile, League of Legends has an insane viewership base worldwide. League of Legends streamed 33.1 million hours watched on its Twitch account from June 1 to Sept. 15, according to The eSports Observer. A lot more eyeballs will eventually be fixated on a Louis Vuitton trophy trunk come the championships.
All in all, nice win Louis Vuitton.
Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and co-anchor of The First Trade at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @BrianSozzi
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