Nestlé chocolate brand KitKat has extended its partnership with Riot Games’s League of Legends European Championship (LEC) and European Masters until 2023.
Moreover, KitKat’s partnership with Riot Games has been extended to include the League of Legends Continental League (LCL), the publisher’s top CIS League of Legends competition, alongside 12 European Regional Leagues (ERLs) for the upcoming summer split.
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As a result of the new partnership, the Nestlé brand will remain as a main partner for the LEC and EU Masters, with KitKat’s logo expected to remain prominent in the game during matches. KitKat only recently partnered with the LEC this year for its 2021 season.
Georg Fischer, Marketing Manager for KitKat Europe, commented: “It’s a pleasure to be working with a team that is truly passionate about esports. KitKat pursues a clear esports strategy in which the community is approached in a media-appropriate and authentic style on all relevant channels.
“The potential for non-endemic brands across esports and gaming is diverse and still largely untapped. We are very happy to bring the successful partnership with Riot Games to a new level.”
According to the release, KitKat’s ‘take a break’ activations, which were implemented during technical pauses and in-between games, are expected to continue as a result of the extension.
This is not KitKat’s first esports announcement in 2021. This year alone, the brand has already announced League of Legends partnerships with the CBLoL and Spanish organisation Vodafone Giants.
Zeynep Gencaga, Senior Business Development Manager for Esports EMEA at Riot Games, added: “After a creative entry into the scene through a pilot by supporting the LEC breaks, KitKat is now becoming one of the most important partners of esports in Europe.
“Following the extension of the partnership to European language broadcasts, this summer will showcase the partnership across 12 ERLs. It’s a pleasure to be working with the team over at KitKat, who are committed to creating meaningful moments and engaging content for our fans.”
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The full list of KitKat ERL partners includes the Baltic Masters, EBL (The Balkans), LFL (France), LPLOL (Portugal), NLC (Nordics, UK and Ireland), Superliga (Spain), Ultraliga (Poland), Belgium League, Dutch League, Hitpoint Masters (Czech Republic), PG Nationals (Italy), and the Greek Legends League.
Esports Insider says: KitKat has slowly become a mainstay League of Legends sponsor, particularly due to the number of partnerships it has secured over the last 12 months. It’s good to see Europe’s second-tier competitions gaining a valuable sponsor and hopefully this leads to more non-endemic brands following suit.