Monster Energy placement in Game “Death Stranding”

7. November 2019
|In cases
|By Norbert Henning

Monster Energy partnered with Kojima Productions to feature its cans prominently in Death Stranding, a highly anticipated AAA video game developed by Hideo Kojima and released exclusively on PlayStation 4 (later on PC). This collaboration marked a bold move for the brand into the world of interactive entertainment, targeting a digitally native, global audience of gamers aged 18–35—our key demographic.

The product, was integrated directly into gameplay: placed visibly in the protagonist’s private room and consumable by players to restore stamina—offering both visibility and functional value. Death Stranding sold over 5 million copies by mid-2021, giving the brand recurring exposure in hours of immersive playtime across millions of users. On average, players spent 30+ hours in-game, with many interacting with our product multiple times per session, maximizing brand impressions in an organic, story-driven context.

The placement generated substantial media coverage, YouTube content, and social media discussion, further expanding reach well beyond the game itself. While some reactions were mixed, the boldness of the integration ensured brand recall. The undertake achieved a rare form of embedded advertising that went beyond product placement—it became part of the player’s survival toolkit.

Though the branding was eventually removed in the Director’s Cut (2021), the campaign’s lifecycle aligned with the game’s peak popularity. This activation demonstrated the potential of gaming as an experiential medium for brand integration, blending functionality, visibility, and storytelling.

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