From Logistics to Lore: DHL x ESL FACEIT Group Turning Esports Fans into Future Talent

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

DHL wants to be seen as the employer of choice for younger generations. For the last eight years they have worked with ESL FACEIT Group to tap into the esports community. In 2025, we created a refreshed culture-first talent strategy, with game-specific campaigns that turned fan engagement in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 into measurable recruitment action. Through premium storytelling, bingeable entertainment, and the continued presence of our award-winning mascot, the partnership proved that a deeply integrated esports activation can build brand affinity and drive real career consideration among younger audiences.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

This work sets a benchmark for esports partnerships by going beyond vanity metrics of viewership and impressions. While these are notable, our campaigns result in participation and direct business impact. DHL and EFG built a modern fan model where the brand earns its place through entertainment value, creator credibility, and community agency.

New benchmarks were established:

• Community co-creation as a core mechanic: Tales from the Lorekeeper didn’t ask fans to “react”- it let them direct the content, turning engagement into ownership.
  
   
• Sponsor-to-show: The Dispatch proves brands can produce content that fans will actively follow.
  
   
• Live action branding: CARGO demonstrates how a logo and brand design can evolve and offer physical engagement. 

Recruitment campaigns are rarely fun, and turning a brand into an attractive employer presents unique challenges, but DHL campaigns have become a staple with our fans, who are excited to see how DHL will show up at our events. Our partnership from last year has shown how esports can make a brand attractive to younger generations. DHL’s esports strategy is deliberately title-specific (Dota 2 & Counter-Strike), reflecting how modern fan communities segment like traditional sports leagues. This “community nuance” approach is a key reason the work outperformed traditional sponsorship.  

Objective

DHL’s long-standing partnership with ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) was built to do more than “show up” in esports. As one of the world’s largest employers (600k employees globally), DHL faces a steep challenge: winning the attention and preference of Gen Z and Gen Alpha talent while competing with tech-first brands like Google, Meta, and Microsoft.

The objective was to tap into gaming communities and create fandom that would become a talent driver for DHL- building loyalty, reaching new audiences across multiple game ecosystems, and authentically linking DHL to esports culture.

To achieve this, DHL and EFG set a specific goal: create community-first activations tailored to distinct fandoms (Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 are not interchangeable), while maintaining a single, consistent partnership idea- DHL as the brand that powers the moments fans care about and an innovative employer supporting young people. 

After eight years together we also faced a unique challenge of developing fresh and engaging campaigns that continue to amplify DHL’s presence within the Counter-Strike and Dota 2 community.

Strategy & Execution

We treat esports communities like modern sports fandoms which are identity-driven. The partnership strategy for 2025 was “culture-first, title-specific,” delivered through two new content designed to engage while maintaining consistent employer-brand intent:

1. Premium Storytelling for Dota 2: Tales from the Lorekeeper delivered a first-of-its-kind animated series embedded in Dota’s universe- content fans actually want. An interactive voting mechanic gave the community real agency over the narrative, amplified by esports personality SirActionSlacks driving traffic and participation to a central campaign hub.
   
    
2. Bingeable Entertainment for Counter-Strike 2: The Dispatch reframed DHL through an “Office-style” mockumentary about a fictional DHL Esports Logistics Division. Using nostalgia, humor, and top CS2 talent including beloved esports commentators and hosts, Machine, SPUNJ, JustHarry, Hugo, Freya, stunna,with a combined following of nearly 750k the series created episodic momentum and conversation.

Our final tactic was focused around sustained brand affinity through our living asset, CARGO. Winning us last year's Best Gaming and Esports Partnership, our 7.5ft mascot continued his world tour, returning at our key events to reinforce familiarity and onsite energy.

Organizations

• EFG

• DHL & Bright Partnerships 

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Our featured talent includes:

  • SirActionSlacks- A high-energy Dota 2 personality known for comedic hosting

  • chaotic interviews
  • and deep community engagement.

  • Machine- A polished and charismatic esports host and interviewer

  • best known for anchoring top-tier CS events with professionalism and wit.

  • SPUNJ- A former pro turned analyst who delivers sharp

  • strategic Counter-Strike insights.

  • JustHarry- A fast-talking CS caster celebrated for his humor

  • and energetic play-by-play commentary.

  • Hugo- A dynamic CS commentator known for hype-driven casting 

  • Freya- A versatile esports host and interviewer recognized for her confident stage presence and player interactions.

  • stunna- A charismatic CS desk host and former player who offers a more laid-back style with insightful analysis

Credits

Philip Michels
Senior Manager
EFG

James Messer
Senior Partner Manager
EFG

Moritz Stuhldreier
Senior Partner Manager
EFG

Eduardo Mendes
Director, Partner Marketing
EFG

Tarek Nehme
Senior Marketing Manager
EFG

Stavros Savvopoulous
Marketing Manager
EFG

Tom Underwood
Marketing Manager
EFG

Francisco Diniz
Marketing Manager
EFG

Dirk Behrend-Ucak
Senior Global Sponsorship Manager
DHL

Monika Rasche
Senior Global Sponsorship Manager
DHL

Oliver Lane
Account Manager
Bright Partnerships