Maxibon is sponsoring Australian esports team Avant Garde in 2017.

Peters’ ice-cream brand Maxibon has announced it is sponsoring Australian esports team Avant Garde in 2017.

It’s describing the move as a significant one for major brands, as Maxibon is the first FMCG brand to enter the arena of competitive gaming.

Esports is essentially video game competitions where teams compete for prizes and money in stadium-style live settings with an audience of supporters. It is tipped to be a large opportunity for brands in 2017.

The Maxibon Logo will adorn the player jerseys of Avant Garde. 

Avant Garde is one of Oceania’s most popular esports team organisations. It will be competing for a share in millions of dollars in prize pools. Its League of Legends team is part of the Oceanic Pro League 2017, and competing for a place in the International Wildcard Qualifier, a pathway to the World Championships, which had a prize pool of US$5 million last year.

Avante Garde is also represented in the 2017 season for SMITE, following a successful 2016 competing in the final of the 2016 $100,000 SMITE Oceania Pro League and a place at the World Championships for $1.4 million.

“We’re pumped to be a part of the growing esports scene in Australia,” says Peters head of marketing Alicia Munday.

“Maxibon is already a huge part of the gamers snacking repertoire, so it was a great fit for the brand.”

The partnership was organised by Peters’ media agency Zenith, and Double Jump Communications, a gaming and technology specialist agency.

“Esports provides a meaningful avenue to reach a passionate audience and a blue ocean for FMCG brands. It’s the equivalent of getting in on the ground floor with the birth of World Series Cricket,” says Double Jump business director Paul Houlihan.

Here’s Avant Garde in action.

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Related: In sports, Hyundai A-League unveiled its 2017 rebrand last week »

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