NEW YORK, April 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gaming is rapidly evolving from a branding channel into a measurable growth engine for advertisers—and a new campaign from Digital Culture Group (DCG) with Ghost Gaming and Zenni Optical is proving what that future looks like in practice.
The campaign demonstrates how culturally aligned, creator-driven gaming environments, powered by predictive AI, can deliver not just attention, but efficient customer acquisition at scale.
The February campaign delivered:
- $0.02 Cost Per Unique User (CPUU) outperforming industry benchmarks by 96%
- 56% Unique-Reach Efficiency
- 100% Viewability
- 30% * Lift vs January
In a market where gaming is often positioned as a branding channel, the campaign proves that culturally aligned, AI-driven activation can convert immersive attention into scalable revenue.
Turning Gaming Culture Into Measurable Growth
To power the campaign, Digital Culture Group, the award-winning AI ad tech innovator redefining how advertisers and agencies engage modern audiences, deployed its proprietary Audience Resonance Index™ (ARI) and PowerUp gaming activation module. Together, these tools decode a brand’s core audience and match it to a gaming profile, revealing the gamer segments, content environments, and inventory most likely to drive conversion before media is ever deployed.
Using ARI’s PowerUp, DCG identified Ghost Gaming x Zenni’s high-intent gamer segments, particularly casual and mobile audiences whose behaviors aligned with Ghost Gaming and Zenni’s eye-health narrative. Those predictive insights were activated through a mobile-first, in-game strategy featuring non-disruptive native placements integrated directly into gameplay, from immersive in-environment billboards to high-impact puzzle-based executions aligning with the gaming segments’ interests.
“Gaming isn’t a channel - it’s a passion point,” said Crystal Foote, founder and head of partnerships at Digital Culture Group. “We built PowerUp to decode why specific gamer segments are primed to convert before media dollars are spent. When brands understand emotional intent and cultural alignment first, efficiency follows.”
Through Ghost Gaming’s creator and community ecosystem, the campaign reached audiences in environments that command a disproportionate share of attention compared to traditional and digital media channels, bridging brand messaging with authentic player experiences and supplementing Zenni’s long-standing partnership and impactful acquisition channel.
“Authenticity is everything in gaming. When brands show up in ways that respect the player experience and align with culture, the community responds,” said Todd Harris, CEO of Ghost Gaming. “Partnering with Digital Culture Group allowed us to integrate our Ghost Gaming x Zenni partnership into environments where gamers already spend time. The results show that when gaming partnerships are built around culture and relevance, they can drive real business outcomes.”
For more than two years, Ghost Gaming has partnered with Zenni Optical to authentically position the eyewear brand with a core gaming audience. DCG was utilized to scale that foundation, expanding unique reach among gamers ages 18–34, driving promo-led new customer growth, and outperforming traditional demographic targeting by reducing wasted frequency and inefficient impressions.
“Empowering and supporting our Partner-led initiatives continues to be instrumental to the success of our program,” said Robb Chiarini, Head of Partnerships, Licensing & Events at Zenni Optical. “Our Partners can test, learn, and adopt at an incredible rate and scale - enabling a myriad of innovative campaign and activation capabilities to be realized.”
In an AI-saturated landscape, Digital Culture Group is positioning cultural intelligence and predictive resonance as the next competitive advantage, proving that deeper audience understanding drives stronger business outcomes.
About Digital Culture Group (DCG)
Digital Culture Group is an NMSDC and WBENC-certified ad tech company powering authentic audience connections through data, AI, culture, and innovation. We help advertisers and agencies uncover untapped insights, craft resonant strategies, and activate media that delivers lasting impact. Our evolving platform is built by bold thinkers and driven by an audience-first approach, fusing emotional intelligence with data precision to navigate an increasingly complex digital world. From enterprise brands to emerging disruptors, we deliver big-picture thinking and measurable results at every stage. Get in touch to learn more at hello@digitalculture.group.
About Ghost Gaming
Ghost Gaming is a global gaming lifestyle organization focused on community, creators, content, and competition. Based in Atlanta, Ghost Gaming works at the intersection of gaming, culture, and social impact, creating opportunities for players, creators, and fans to Belong and Thrive. https://www.ghostgaming.com/
About Zenni
Zenni pioneered the online eyewear industry in 2003 with a mission to make eyewear affordable and accessible for everyone. With complete prescription pairs starting under $10, Zenni offers adults and children the freedom to see clearly and express themselves through a wide selection of high-quality prescription glasses, sunglasses, protective eyewear, and non-prescription frames—curated with fashion, function, and style in mind. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the company has upended the traditional retail model to become the leader in U.S. online eyewear, with over 70 million frames sold worldwide. Zenni is proud to be the Official Eyewear of WWE, Monster Jam, San Francisco 49ers, Boston Celtics, Major League Fishing, Ghost Gaming, CrossFit Games, and more. Zenni has worked with designers and tastemakers on curations and collections, including Chase Stokes and George and Claire Kittle. For more information, please visit zenni.com/press.
Media Contact
Brittany Tibaldi / Nicole Fuchs
516-974-2216 / 917-386-7807
btibaldi@kcsa.com / nfuchs@kcsa.com
