29 Sep Cloud9 and Kia Redefine Esports Partnerships
In the fast-paced world of esports, forging authentic and impactful partnerships is a true art form. It requires creativity, a deep understanding of the community, and, most importantly, the ability to prove success.
That’s why Zoomph is so proud to shine a spotlight on its customer, Cloud9, and their groundbreaking partnership with Kia. Their recent case study provides a masterclass in non-endemic brand integration, and Zoomph was the engine under the hood, providing the data and analytics to support their campaign.
“Our partnership with Kia has truly been a match made in heaven. Both brands have aspirations to inspire audiences in their respective industries and this alignment in mission has naturally generated authentic experiences for gaming fans worldwide,” said Jonathan Tran, President of Cloud9.
“Whether we’re championing Kia during the LCS finals or integrating them front and center into a show match, Kia is a key reason why Cloud9’s League of Legends team can continue delivering for our fans. Thank you for all of your support Kia and be on the lookout for more live event activations and exclusive experiences this year and next!”
Cloud9’s objectives were clear: elevate Kia’s brand awareness within the esports community, strengthen its connection with League of Legends fans, and showcase new models like the Kia EV9 to a younger, tech-savvy audience. The challenge, as with any non-endemic brand, was to make these activations feel organic and genuine to a community that values authenticity above all else.
“The Cloud9 and Kia partnership is a masterclass in authentic brand integration within the esports world,” says Dan LaTorraca, Marketing Director at Zoomph. Cloud9 didn’t just add a logo to a jersey; they crafted a meaningful, multi-faceted campaign that resonated deeply with their very passionate fans.”
“Their ability to activate around key moments – from the LCS Finals to a dedicated showmatch – and drive massive engagement is a testament to their strategic vision. We’re thrilled they leveraged Zoomph to track, measure, optimize and prove the ROI of their partnership.”
The results speak for themselves. The partnership generated over 1.6 billion total impressions and more than 400,000 engagements in 2024, with an impressive average engagement rate of 17%. These are not just vanity metrics; they are tangible proof of a successful, resonant campaign.
Bringing Activations to Life and Proving Their Value
Their campaign case study highlights three key activations that drove these incredible results:
- Cloud9 Kia Champions Arena Event 2025: A high-energy showmatch that blended competition with unique challenges, hosted on the official Riot Games arena stage. This event generated over 239,000 impressions and 5.4k+ engagements, creating a memorable experience that deepened Kia’s connection with fans.
- C9 x Kia Partnership Announcement Activation 2023: The launch of the partnership at the League of Legends World Championship, which included Kia’s debut on the official Cloud9 jersey. This initial activation alone delivered over 2.3 million impressions and 10,000+ engagements, laying the foundation for a powerful collaboration.
- Cloud9 Kia LCS Finals EV9 Integration 2024: A brilliant activation that saw the new Kia EV9 used to power a bespoke gaming experience for attendees at the LCS Spring Finals. This innovative integration resulted in over 235,000 impressions and over 400 live attendees.
The Zoomph Difference: Data That Drives Strategy
Behind every impressive statistic and successful activation is a powerful data and analytics platform. Zoomph is dedicated to helping its partners like Cloud9 not only execute these incredible campaigns but also measure their impact and value.
The Zoomph platform goes beyond basic metrics, providing deep insights into social media performance, audience demographics, and sponsorship valuation. For Cloud9 and Kia, this means:
- Real-Time Performance Tracking: Monitoring the success of their activations as they happen, from the partnership announcement to the LCS Finals event. This allows for quick adjustments and informed decision-making.
- AI-Powered Valuation: Quantifying the value of brand exposure on social media and live streams. This is crucial for demonstrating a clear return on investment (ROI) and proving the effectiveness of the partnership to stakeholders.
- Audience Insights: Understanding the “who” behind the numbers. Zoomph’s tools allow Cloud9 and Kia to peel back the layers of their audience, identifying consumer lifestyles, mindsets, and habits to ensure future campaigns are even more targeted and authentic.
The partnership between Cloud9 and Kia is a shining example of how innovative brands are leveraging esports to connect with new audiences. Zoomph is proud to be the data and analytics partner of Cloud9 that provides a powerful platform to measure their efforts, validate their strategy, and celebrate their incredible success in the esports landscape.
