MediaSpike research finds ads at breaks in gameplay are so disliked that gamers prefer the lowly banner; ads integrating brands into actual gameplay liked the most
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Getting advertising right in mobile games is critical, not only for the gaming ecosystem, but for the mobile medium overall, since gaming is by far its number one activity. According to new research from MediaSpike, some of the most common approaches are not working, as mobile gamers give the lowest scores to ads shown at breaks in gameplay; even banner ads scored higher.
“Tapping mobile to reach target audiences is critical for today’s marketers, and gaming represents the most promising frontier,” said John McCrea, chief marketing officer of MediaSpike. “Unfortunately, this research shows that today’s most common approaches, such as serving ads at breaks in gameplay, are missing the mark.”
Ads shown at breaks in gameplay fared the worst in the research, with just 11 percent of respondents preferring this format and 36 percent declaring it their least preferred. Even the much-maligned ad banner ranked above ads at breaks, being preferred nearly 3-to-1 (29 percent to 11 percent). Indeed, mobile gamers reported they were twice as “likely to interact with” a banner ad (21 percent) compared to ads at breaks in gameplay (9 percent).
A format that does work for mobile gamers involves the integration of brands into the actual gameplay. Ad campaigns of this type were both most preferred (40 percent of respondents) and most likely to be interacted with (38 percent of those surveyed). In addition, when asked which would be the biggest factor determining whether an ad would be liked, the clear winner was when the ad doesn’t interrupt the game or “feel” like an ad.
To view and/or download charts detailing the research results, visit: http://www.mediaspike.com/about/research/graphs.
“While the research results may come as a surprise to some, they make intuitive sense,” added MediaSpike’s McCrea. “Gaming commands more intense focus than any other medium, making it really difficult to connect using conventional approaches. But the great news is that if you integrate a brand natively into actual gameplay, you create advertising that people see, interact with, and actually like.”
MediaSpike, in partnership with Interpret, a leading consumer market research and consulting firm, in June assessed mobile gamers’ opinions, reactions to and preferences around in-game advertising formats. The 200 male and female gamers aged 18-49 were recruited through online panels and had to own a smartphone and/or tablet and play games at least once a week on those devices.
About MediaSpike
MediaSpike is a gaming-focused mobile advertising company, created and led by gaming pioneers. The company’s emotional branding platform dynamically places brands into the actual gameplay of mobile and social games with a collective reach of over 100 million people in a way that taps the strong positive emotions inherent to the medium. For more information, visit www.mediaspike.com or follow us on Twitter @mediaspike.
