Male Perceptions of Brand Sponsorship in Video Game Live Streams by Female Streamers

During the pandemic, the consumption of video game streaming platforms increased in contrast to traditional tele-vision programming, leading to an upsurge in advertising investment directed towards streamers, primarily male ones. However, the relationship between female streamers and brand sponsorship has been relatively underexplored. Despite generating views and followers, primarily from a male audience, their association with brands is intricate due to real-time gender self-presentation and gender biases within the male viewership. In this article, we delve into the perceptions of men aged 18 to 28 in Lima Metropolitana regarding brand sponsorship in the live streams of female streamers on Facebook Gaming. We adopted a qualitative approach and employed a semi-structured inquiry guide to identify instances of sexualization in the interactions between the brand and the male audience, who undermine the knowledge and skills of the streamers in the games.