MIKE AND IKE® and Dignitas Renew for 5 Years With a "We Got'chew" Playbook for Non-Endemic Sponsorship

When a candy brand becomes the #1 non-endemic brand in the Fortnite ecosystem, that's not a fluke—it's a marketing playbook worth studying. And the food and beverage industry should be paying attention.

Just Born, Inc.'s MIKE AND IKE® and Dignitas—the esports vertical of New Meta Entertainment, Inc.—have renewed their partnership for another five years. To mark the milestone, the two brands are rolling out a national "We Got'chew™" campaign anchored by live events, community tournaments, and fan giveaways.

For a confectionery brand chasing Gen Z and younger millennials, gaming isn't a side bet anymore. It's where the audience lives.

A Five-Year Track Record in the Fortnite Community

The partnership broke ground in July 2022 as Dignitas' first-ever Fortnite-focused deal. Since then, MIKE AND IKE® has moved from logo-on-a-jersey sponsorship into something far stickier—literal and figurative brand integration into the day-to-day life of the community.

The highlights over four years read like a masterclass in experiential marketing:

• A dedicated MIKE AND IKE® lounge inside the Dignitas Fortnite House
• Co-hosting the 2023 Dignitas Fan Fest in Philadelphia
• The MIKE AND IKE® Flavor Brawl, now an anticipated yearly staple hosted by creator AussieAntics
• A UEFN Map of the Year nomination for Bugha's Endgame
• Billions of impressions in the Fortnite ecosystem and activations at 10+ major gaming events

The result: MIKE AND IKE® cemented as the top non-endemic brand—meaning a brand from outside gaming's native hardware, energy-drink, and peripheral categories—inside Fortnite.

Inside the "We Got'chew™" Campaign

The anniversary push is built to keep bridging the gap between digital play and in-person experiences. Here's what's on the calendar:

• MIKE AND IKE® Flavor Brawl Bootcamp: A two-day event at the University of Texas at Dallas' Comet LANding Center on August 8th, 2026, giving aspiring amateur Fortnite players structured coaching from Dignitas pro players.
• DIGFort Community Tournaments: Powered by MIKE AND IKE® and promoted across the DIGFort Discord and X accounts, culminating in a grand finals watch party. The first runs in late September ahead of FNCS Worlds on September 26–27th.
• MIKE AND IKE® Presents Flavor Brawl: The campaign's crown jewel—a major Dignitas Fortnite tournament in October, with AussieAntics returning to host and stream live on Twitch, plus custom MIKE AND IKE® branding integrated into a UEFN map.

Two quotes underscore why this renewal matters to both sides.

"For the past several years MIKE AND IKE® has been instrumental in powering our Fortnite ecosystem. The 'We Got'chew™' campaign represents the pinnacle of our shared vision to super-serve our fans through high-quality competitive events and deeply integrated, in-person experiences." — Jacob Clements, VP Partnerships, Dignitas

"We are incredibly proud of the legacy we've built alongside Dignitas. From our very first 'Flavor Brawl' to this massive 5-year milestone, we remain dedicated to fueling the passion, energy, and sweet moments that define the Fortnite community." — Deb Turoczy, Sr Manager Marketing Activations

Fan Giveaways and Digital Integration

To celebrate, Dignitas will run a co-branded giveaway awarding five participants premium MIKE AND IKE® products and Dignitas merchandise. The "We Got'chew™" Flavor Brawl Sweepstakes goes bigger, sending two fans on an all-expense-paid trip to experience Fortnite Worlds in person—equipped with POV cameras to capture and share the journey.

Why It Matters

For food and beverage brand builders, this partnership is a blueprint, not just a headline. Confectionery and snack categories skew young, and gaming has become one of the most efficient channels for reaching that audience at scale—with billions of impressions and repeat, opt-in engagement that traditional media struggles to match.

The strategic lesson isn't "sponsor a team." It's the depth of integration: a branded lounge, a named tournament series, creator-hosted broadcasts, LAN bootcamps, and experiential trips. MIKE AND IKE® didn't buy visibility—it built a recurring product ritual (the Flavor Brawl) that the community now expects.

Practical takeaways for operators and CPG marketers:

• Own a recurring event, not a one-off logo. Repeatable tentpoles compound brand affinity year over year.
• Lean on native creators. A host like AussieAntics delivers authenticity that a paid ad cannot.
• Connect digital reach to physical touchpoints. Lounges, bootcamps, and fan fests turn impressions into loyalty—and sampling opportunities.
• Commit for the long haul. Five years signals the ROI is real; short campaigns rarely build "staple" status.

As experiential and community-driven marketing reshape how younger consumers discover brands, gaming-adjacent activations belong on the F&B marketing roadmap—especially for anyone targeting the next generation of buyers.

Following the play-by-play on how F&B brands win attention? Explore how other brands are turning fandom into flavor with Wyndham Rewards' Route 66 candy collection and how CHIPS AHOY! turned snacking into a $25K mystery sweepstakes.

Is your brand ready to meet consumers where they actually spend their time? Tell us in the comments how you're thinking about gaming and experiential marketing.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.