For years, there have been numerous well-intentioned organizations that sought to address the mental and physical challenges esports athletes face daily. Earlier this year, Gucci went out and did something about it.
This year, via a partnership with the World Health Organization (credibility rising), Gucci launched the Gucci Gaming Academy. The GGA seeks to not only develop rising stars in esports, but do it the right way, with a mind towards good mental and physical health. The organization is also seeking to make a positive impact in the sport itself, creating a less-oppressive competitive environment than the one that holds the sport from achieving its true potential.
The Takeaway: Like Gucci’s NFT gallery for young and established artists, the Gucci Gaming Academy is not just an entity but a commitment to the future of an entire community and the sport they love.
Fashion. Forward.
How far can Gucci’s journey into gaming and web3 go? Sure, it’s fun to list Gucci alongside huge game publishers and hardware makers; perhaps a better comparison might be Red Bull. Once an energy drink that sponsored high-flying extreme sports, it would go on to invest wisely and grow its involvement year after year, until it became a leading voice in soccer, racing and other global sports.
It’s easy to imagine a time in the years ahead where Gucci’s name carries the same influence inside the gaming-esports-web3 space as it does on the catwalks of Paris and Milan. But how it will look is yet to be seen, and indeed, might not be revealed for years. Gaming and web3, after all, isn’t reflective of the current culture, it is creating the culture.
And that’s a place where Gucci feels right at home.
