IAB PlayFronts Recap – The mobile advantage

As the gaming industry continues to grow and evolve, in-game advertising presents a tremendous opportunity for brands to establish more engaging and interactive connections with their target audiences. We're proud to be at the forefront of this movement. Earlier this month, Casey Campbell, our Managing Director -North America, took the stage at the IAB PlayFronts in NY and shared valuable insights during our segment entitled Mobile Games - The value of engagement.

As one of the world's leading mobile game developers, Gameloft knows the value of immersive experiences and how to create meaningful connections with our audience. Check below the four main takeaways from our segment IAB PlayFronts.

Mobile Gaming Audience

Mobile gaming has played a significant role in the widespread popularity of the gaming industry and its significance in contemporary culture. By breaking free from stereotypes that had long restricted the industry, mobile gaming has opened up gaming to a broader audience. Thanks to the accessibility of free-to-play mobile games and the convenience of touch-screen controls, gaming has become more inclusive, and now, anyone can be a gamer.

There are 3.2 billion players worldwide, and among all gaming platforms, mobile gaming is the most popular, with players spanning multiple generations, from children to grandparents. This level of inclusivity was unheard of previously. With Gameloft's extended COMBO! The Gaming Media Network, we reach 1.8 billion players, representing approximately 56% of all gamers worldwide - A unique opportunity for brands to engage with a vast audience.

Gaming Psychology

Playing a game provides a one-of-a-kind experience that cannot be replicated in any other medium. While playing, gamers are immersed in the gameplay. Moreover, gaming is an interactive experience, and as such, it triggers a distinctive physical response in our brain chemistry. 

Playing games triggers a flood of dopamine in the brain, which helps to create a sense of focus. Games also release oxytocin, a neurotransmitter that fosters trust, empathy, and social bonding. Additionally, they engage the hippocampus, enhancing recall abilities, and virtual rewards and feelings of accomplishment release endorphins, generating positive associations. With an audience that is highly engaged and their brain firing on all cylinders, it presents an ideal opportunity for advertisers to communicate their message effectively.

More relaxed, more engaged, generally happier and more receptive to ads! It’s the perfect package for advertisers to reach their audience with the right message. Strategically placing ads after a player completes a race or defeats a final boss, non-intrusive ads, brands can take advantage of the player's heightened state of mind and establish a positive association with their products. In fact, 77% of gamers would watch an ad in exchange for a reward. Our campaigns reach even higher engagement rates, and completion rates are typically at 90%.

The Mobile Game Advantage

Mobile games offer a range of metrics that enable advertisers to track and measure the effectiveness of their in-game advertising campaigns.

Mobile game media campaigns use standard KPIs such as viewability, completion rate, engagement rate and Click-through rates (CTR) - most ads in mobile games are clickable; this is a direct response with an enormous advantage.

We offer a unique experience. Our ad units, including video, interstitial, and custom minigames, are designed and implemented in a manner that does not disrupt the user's gaming experience. In addition, we offer age and gender-gated games, enabling advertisers to target their specific demographic and even choose the games where their ads will appear, compliant with legislation like COPPA and GDPR.

Bonus takeaway - The ROI in Gaming

At Gameloft, we understand the importance of creating seamless and engaging advertising experiences for our players, so we're always exploring new ways to enhance the in-game advertising space.

During PlayFronts, we also announced a new study we developed using an approach inspired by the RCQ Methodology (reach, cost and quality). "THE MARKETING ROI IN GAMING - The Positive Impact of Gaming for Brands." The whitepaper explores the positive influence of gaming on brand likeability factor and affinity and how it can be leveraged to enhance overall marketing ROI.

Download The Marketing ROI in Gaming.

If you are curious to learn more about the advantages of in-game advertising, you can watch the recording of Casey's presentation on our YouTube channel. If you'd like to book a time with Casey or our team to discuss further how to leverage gaming, click here.