©2017 Mobile Marketing Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

What Marketers Should Know –

But Don’t –About Advertising in Mobile Games

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©2017 Mobile Marketing Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2

Who Are Gamers, Really?

The face of gaming has changed in a mobile world, but most marketers haven’t realized it

yet.

They should.

After several decades of gaming being associated primarily with male teenagers hunkered

down in their parents’ basements and playing Assassin’s Creed, all of us now play games –

mobile games. In fact, by some estimates, there are 192 million mobile gamers in the U.S.,

and 1.9 billion worldwide, many of whom play every day. At that kind of volume, it’s a

channel that cuts across generations, sexes and genres.

To help marketers reach their increasingly elusive customers, the Mobile Marketing

Association has just launched a white paper, “Leveling Up: A Marketer’s Guide to

Advertising in Mobile Games.” In addition to educating about how and why to reach

mobile gamers, it also dispels outdated perceptions that have kept marketers from

investing in the channel.

For the full report, go here.

In the near-term, this misalignment between

perception and reality creates an opportunity

for advertisers looking to reach their key

targets by investing in mobile gaming.

PerceptionThe gaming audience isn’t very diverse, or attractive.

RealityMobile gamers span across generations, sexes, and genres, with many studies reporting

similar data regarding its scope:

• The mobile gaming market is roughly a 50/50 split between men and women, with

some research skewing markedly higher towards women.

• Teens are only a sliver of this market, with surveys reporting that the broadest band of

gamers is between ages 25 – 54.

• Gamers would rather “pay” for games by watching ads, in a rewarded model, than pay

money for them.

• Fifty-six percent of mobile gamers play more than ten times per week.

• People playing mobile games tend to be in a better mood – and potentially more

receptive to advertising -- than when they are in some other types of apps.

©2017 Mobile Marketing Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3

PerceptionMobile gaming inventory is poor. It mainly reaches a low quality audience, is only good for

bottom-funnel metrics, and is not a brand-safe environment.

RealityMobile inventory is premium.

The audience

As stated above, the mobile gaming audience has, in fact, grown way beyond the

traditional “gamer” to encompass all ages and income levels allowing marketers,

allowing marketers to identify attractive targets.

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The inventory

Because app-install advertising is so popular, many brand advertisers believe it is

only suited to performance KPIs. The fact is formats such as video – commonly

used in rewarded advertising – can be used to hit upper funnel KPIs just as it

always has, and, the rise of rewarded ads has created a quid pro quo that makes

players more likely to engage.

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Brand-safety

Mobile gaming is one of the most controlled environments in the digital space,

since there is little chance of a brand suddenly appearing next to objectionable

content, such as a negative comments thread or fake news.

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The full report further fleshes out what should make this channel worth investigating for

marketers. Additional content includes:

• Seven best practices for success, from when in a gaming session to run ads to the role

of audio.

• A glossary of different ad formats and placement types that are part of the mobile

gaming universe.

• How this channel can be a win-win-win for marketers, publishers and – most importantly

– consumers.

Thinking of playing in mobile games? Get the full report.

Is Mobile Gaming Inventory Worth the Investment?