The Gift of Attention: Mobile Gaming Influence on Holiday Advertising
Ad agencies would find out that Santa had left them a great opportunity to grab the attention of their targeted audiences by using mobile gaming.
US consumers spend 28 minutes more per day on mobile games than any other major social network. In total, 11% of mobile time is spent playing games. There is a huge gap between the time spent on mobile games and the amount of money that’s spent on advertising. Less than 4% goes towards mobile game ads.
Advertisers should take advantage of the shortfall this holiday season. Consumers will spend less on holidays due to inflation concerns that are affecting US households. Brands must engage customers, tell them their stories and convert them quickly. Video advertising in mobile games may be the only medium that can help consumers move quickly through this journey.
Video ads in games are also more effective at capturing attention and brand recognition. Mobile games also have the benefit of users engaging with both their hands and their eyes, making them more likely than social platforms to interact with video ads.
Our data shows that mobile gamers are more likely than social media-heavy users to shop in stores. Mobile gamers are more likely to shop at big retailers such as Walmart and Target. Mobile gaming offers multi-locational companies a unique way to engage consumers in various locations and increase foot traffic at their retail stores.
If you are an advertiser and you don’t use mobile gaming as part of your campaign, you will be on Santa’s bad list.
The US is behind in Recognizing Mobile Gaming’s Benefits
Recent data shows that US brands are relatively under-utilizing the advertising potential of mobile games. Brands depend on digital video ads for brand awareness. However, consumers don’t understand the full story through this medium.
People watch social media videos for only a few moments, turn off the sound, or completely skip them. Although a large number of people view them, this does not guarantee you their full attention. The volatile nature of advertising today — privacy violations and the rise in complaints about MFA sites have consumers concerned — gaining attention of a high quality is essential.
Mobile gaming is the weapon you need to add to your arsenal of data to make sure your products are on the Christmas lists of every consumer. Unfortunately, it is not something that many US brands are using.
Mobile Gaming vs social vs television: Who comes out on top?
Mobile games give advertisers more opportunities to be noticed when it comes to different platforms. Only 14% say that they are able to see relevant brand advertising in mobile games. This is compared to 36% of TV ads and 21% of social media ads, which means mobile offers advertisers the chance to target consumers more effectively.
Mobile gaming ads are more likely to be seen and consumed by consumers than any other channel.
The advertising landscape in the US does not reflect this. The majority of American advertisers prefer TV and social media investment to mobile games. Most consumers will see holiday ads when watching television and, most likely, between shows. Social media is ranked second. It’s easy to understand why advertisers focus on social media. This does not mean that advertisers will be more successful in reaching consumers through these channels.
Mobile gaming advertising is too lucrative for advertisers to ignore. Moreover, 64.5% of the US population is a mobile gamer. Neglecting these gamers will remove a large portion of your audience for holiday shopping.
Mobile Gaming Holiday Campaigns: The Gifts of Mobile Gaming
Santa Claus has given mobile game marketers several advantages. These gifts help advertisers to connect with consumers. Advertising in mobile gaming is a great way to reach consumers, especially during the holiday season. These consumers are, therefore, more open to receiving branded content when playing mobile games.
Mobile gaming advertising is more natural and less awkward than video advertising. Mobile gaming places ads in areas where users are most likely to notice them. Advertisers receive gifts in the form of:
Brand building is possible through gaming because the user will pay attention to the advertisement for an average of 22 seconds.
Brand engagement is another benefit of gaming. Advertisers can create interactive content for games, which allows users to interact.
Santa’s Secret Storytelling – Leveraging Rewarded videos
Santa’s last gift in holiday advertising for mobile gaming is rewarded videos. This is the gift that you keep for your kids at the end of the tree so they can enjoy the final surprise. Mobile gaming is different from TV and social. Video games can be enhanced with power-ups and extra defence levels. Advertisers can use these videos to promote their products during holiday campaigns.
The reward video will also help your brand to be more appealing to consumers. 54% of respondents said that they had a better opinion of the brand after the experience (compared to 14% who disagreed).
This advertising also has a positive effect on consumers, as it is integrated into the game. The player will benefit from the game, and the advertiser can celebrate a new purchase at the end of this video.
Mobile gaming is at the heart of all this. It helps to increase consumer attention toward your ads. Mobile game advertising is a perfect example of cooperative advertising, where there is a symbiosis between the desire to communicate by a brand and that of a consumer to listen. Ad measurement companies have measured that video ads in games can attract four times as much attention as social videos. The brand impact will increase as the industry opens up to mobile gaming and attention metrics.