Addressing and communicating with the consumers of the future – Bonjour ALPHA
"Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything" that's how Steve Jobs introduced the launch of the first iPhone in 2007. And he was right – introducing the iPhone has created a whole new market and industry that has influenced, enriched and changed our everyday lives. Children and preteens born from 2010 onwards represent Generation Alpha - the future. They have a fundamentally different relationship and understanding with and of digital and mobile devices than any generation before them.
Gameloft communicates with all generations and has left its footprint as a developer and publisher of mobile games in the digital environment. It actively helped shape this digital revolution discussed in 2007 (Gameloft was the first developer to offer a mobile game in Apple's App Store). Gameloft for brands, Gameloft's internal sales house for in-game advertising, develops interactive and innovative solutions for clients and partners in the digital and app-driven ad market – and has done so for over 10k campaigns. Since autumn 2022, clients and partners can also rely on COMBO! The Gaming Media Network- a prestigious alliance with the top publishers with a robust portfolio of games reaching many generations, including the Gen Alpha.
For Generation Alpha, children born between 2010 and 2024, a digital environment and ecosystem is somewhat old news and no longer a "revolution." This generation plays, learns, and communicates digitally; for them, interactivity and responsiveness are part of their lives. The Covid-19 pandemic has (had) a significant impact on Generation Alpha: many used games as a communication medium and for social sharing – all generations, families and friends maxed out their shared time through games. With multiplayer games, no matter where players are, they can play together in the virtual and open gaming world, where everything is possible. In addition, children increasingly use video games to grow and nurture their creativity. They build virtual worlds and create them according to their needs. Kids and preteens appreciate learning new things, improving their skills, and working together as a team while playing.
When companies or creative agencies plan their next campaign addressing the youngest generation, they should have this in mind and tailor appropriate actions and interactions accordingly. On a side note – polls show that 66 percent of Generation Alpha play games with their parents, so kids are not the only ones consuming ads at that moment (Sources- McKinsey' True Gen'; Newzoo, GI Games & eSports; GWI; McCrindle). In-game surveys in Gameloft's Games also show that the platform's environment, context and creativity symbiosis increase the effectiveness and performance of the campaign: the Click-Through-Rate is twice as high – compared to an advertisement on social media channels or YouTube.
Mobile devices are Gen Alpha's favourite environment. Therefore, companies and brands must turn to the most appealing platforms for their audience. Naturally, gaming platforms are the entertainment medium of choice in Generation Alpha. Consulting agency McCrindle predicts that this generation will include more than two billion children, teens and young adults by 2025, making them the most populous generation in history. So now is the time for companies and campaign planners to consider how they are positioning themselves in in-game advertising and how they can best tailor their campaigns and ads to meet the needs of Generation Alpha.
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