Mentioned in this article Games: Fortnite

Blevins and Lupo are endorsing a yet-to-be-released Reese’s/Hershey’s mashup.

The deal signals Hershey’s first foray into video game sponsorship.

Blevins, and Fortnite streamers on the whole, continue to grow the scope of their marketability.

Hershey’s is leveraging the friendship of popular Fortnite Twitch streamers Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and Ben “Dr Lupo” Lupo to celebrate the launch of its new Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar with Reese’s Pieces at TwitchCon this coming weekend.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The two will stream live with Hershey’s on Tuesday.[/perfectpullquote]

Before Blevins and Lupo leave for San Jose later this week, the two will stream live with Hershey’s on Tuesday on their respective streams at 4:00 p.m. EST to promote the upcoming product. On Saturday, the two will be at the brand’s TwitchCon booth handing out the yet-to-be-released candy from 10:00-11:00 p.m. Financial terms were not disclosed.

As the brand makes its foray into marketing around the video game streaming platform, it has notably opted to join the growing mass of non-endemic brands that are partnering with influencers, as opposed to esports titles, teams, or leagues.

“TwitchCon is something that I look forward to all year because it gives me an opportunity to see what’s in the pipeline and meet up with some of the best the industry has to offer, like DrLupo,” said Blevins. “It’s exciting to see a brand like Hershey’s is getting into the gaming world. Snacking is an essential part of gaming, so partnering with Hershey’s at TwitchCon for the release of their new bar was a no-brainer.”

Related Report: Become an Esports Sponsorship Expert – TEO Esports Business Digest Q3 2018

PR Week reported that Hershey’s used esports marketing agency Ader to vet the streaming community in order to find the right influencers for this opportunity, and noted Chad Stoller, who serves as exec vice president and chief innovation officer at Hershey’s ad agency UM Worldwide, could be credited for the idea to use the Twitch streamers.

“What’s interesting about esports is it’s growing,” Charlie Chappell, Hershey’s head of media and communications planning, told PR Week. “We recognize that and how this community is very into this space. While we’re not endemic—we’re not making games or hardware—we fit into the culture.”

As more large, non-endemic brands look to activate in the esports sphere, the opportunities for influencers will inevitably grow as well. While currently Blevins is the primary personality reaping the benefits of brands looking to pave their way in esports, the inclusion of Lupo could be a sign that these sorts of deals may trickle down to other influencers as well.

Blevins power as an influencer has already garnered numerous high profile deals with both endemic and non-endemic brands alike. This Hershey’s deal joins a plethora of endorsements by Blevins in recent months that include Uber Eats, PSD Underwear, and Samsung, among others.