Unilever and P&G search for young consumers

Unilever Plc  and Procter & Gamble  , the world’s top two  advertisers, are seeking out younger audiences by reallocating some 2021 spending away from traditional TV and into video games, streaming services and media programs operated by retailers like Walmart  and Tesco .

As they continue to look at their digital ad budgets and try to appeal to younger shoppers - who have during the pandemic convened around Nintendo Switch game consoles and in front of Netflix screens - the two consumer giants have turned to tie-ups with popular services like Hulu and HBO Max and games like Fortnite and Animal Crossing.

Shoppers of all ages also avoided big box retailers’ stores and placed orders on online platforms. Following a 25.7 per cent increase in 2020, retail ecommerce sales worldwide are expected to rise to $4.92 trillion in 2021, according to data firm eMarketer.

Unilever is “rethinking” how it spends its advertising budget as the prolonged pandemic has accelerated a shift in the way people shop and entertain themselves, Luis Di Como, Unilever’s executive vice president of global media, told Reuters. He said digital marketing at Unilever, which makes Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Dove soap, now accounts for roughly 45 per cent of its total media budget versus about 40% prior to the pandemic.

Unilever holds monthly gaming “master classes” for members of its marketing team, inviting professional video game players and industry experts to keep the company attuned to consumers, Di Como said.

A representative of P&G, which makes Tide detergent and Gillette razors, said its “plans are evolving” to reach people “where they are – including in places like streaming and gaming.”

“It seems a little riskier - I mean it’s test-and-learn at this point,” said Elizabeth Marsten, a senior director at marketing data firm Tinuiti. “But at the same time, how will you know if you don’t try? You’ve got to go where the people are and 20-year-olds don’t have linear TV.”