A new campaign from Mastercard and Ribena Malaysia is rewarding gamers when they quench their thirst, with purchases of Ribena products eligible to be redeemed for gaming credits via the Mastercard Gamer Exchange. This innovative platform is a digital points conversion engine that can be easily incorporated into loyalty platforms to allow consumers to turn points into gaming credits instantly. 

Starting from 1 October 2024, any purchase of Ribena products over RM5 entitles consumers to earn points on the Mastercard Gamer Exchange platform, which can be redeemed for gaming credits across some of the world’s most popular gaming titles. Over 1 million Mastercard Gamer Exchange points are up for grabs until 30 November 30, 2024. 

Gaming is a serious business, with the global market expected to see revenues of US$282 billion this year, climbing to US$363 billion by 2027. It’s a sector that transcends demographic categories, with approximately 3 billion people globally considering themselves gamers – nearly half of whom are women, and with significant representation across all age groups. In Malaysia alone, revenues from gaming are expected to hit almost US$650 million this year, with the country being home to roughly 23 million gamers. 

Meanwhile, technological advancements such as increasingly powerful mobile devices and expanded internet coverage have significantly broadened access to gaming, with half of the industry’s global revenue coming from mobile games. This broadened access means gaming is no longer just the domain of those with dedicated consoles or desktop computers, creating a vast audience of more casual, mobile-only players.

Mastercard Gamer Exchange was developed to give this burgeoning market a simple, intuitive way to use loyalty points for a form of entertainment or passion that had been largely underserved by rewards programs. It was designed as a turnkey solution that could be integrated seamlessly by brands into their loyalty programs’ apps or websites, enabling their customers and program members to easily convert loyalty points into gaming credits. Furthermore, Mastercard Gamer Exchange encourages the use of points through bite-sized redemptions, given that gaming credits can be redeemed in smaller amounts and don’t necessitate accumulating large quantities of points before conversion. Once redeemed, gaming credits will be available on the selected gaming platform instantly. 

By catering to this massive universal passion, brands and businesses could become a first mover in engaging and building loyalty with this underserved segment of existing customers – and connect with a new, untapped segment of consumers.  

Ribena Malaysia in the spirit of pioneering new consumer engagement platforms, is the first fast-moving consumer goods partner on Mastercard Gamer Exchange globally. 

Rodney Tan, Marketing Director for Suntory Beverage and Food Malaysia said:

“As the #1 blackcurrant drink in Malaysia, Ribena is constantly looking at innovative ways to connect with a new generation of consumers and to ensure that our valued consumers have a rewarding and enjoyable moment. This partnership with Mastercard brings that purpose to life – with Ribena, gaming enthusiasts now get to enjoy that unparalleled Ribena blackcurrant taste, whilst rewarding themselves with gaming credits.”

Kaveri Khullar, Senior Vice President for Consumer Marketing & Sponsorships, Asia Pacific, Mastercard said:

“Mastercard has always aimed to connect people with their passions, such as sports, arts, music, and gaming. Mastercard Gamer Exchange – the world’s first reward points conversion engine for gaming credits – was conceived with the vision of bridging our partners’ loyalty programs with the global gaming community. With one simple, seamless solution, Mastercard Gamer Exchange establishes an entirely new category in rewards redemption, giving gaming enthusiasts a novel way to add gaming credits; offering game publishers and developers a new distribution channel – one that didn’t exist before; and providing brand partners with a fresh approach to connect meaningfully with this fast-growing demographic.” 

Dheeraj Raina, Vice President, Head of Marketing and Communications, Southeast Asia, Mastercard said:

“The partnership between Mastercard and Ribena, one of the most beloved consumer brands in Malaysia, is a gamechanger in consumer engagement. Mastercard is excited to be working with Ribena to help them deepen their engagement with this diverse audience. Mastercard Gamer Exchange is a recognition that gaming is a popular passion globally and specifically in Southeast Asia, and that rewarding gamers means rewarding an incredibly broad demographic of consumers and creating something meaningful for them.”

Mastercard has been at the forefront of creating unique offerings for gamers in Asia Pacific and around the world, being the first global partner of the world’s largest esports, League of Legends, in 2018.  Mastercard also partnered with banks to introduce co-branded League of Legends cards that offer cardholders discounts and cashback on in-game purchases and launched the Mastercard Gamer Academy to provide 10 gamers from around the world with the connections, mentorship and skill sets needed to pursue careers in esports and gaming.

For more details and full terms and conditions, please visit https://ribenagames.com/.