Key creative recommendations for in-game mobile advertising

First and foremost, it’s important to define what we mean by "strong creative branding". It refers to campaigns or creative assets that include some clear brand elements.

Strong creative branding includes:

• A clear brand callout at the beginning and end
• A static brand logo throughout
• Visible product placement (if applicable)
• Video “skins” of either the advertiser logo or product placement for horizontal formats 

Our analysis shows that campaigns fortified with strong creative branding versus weak creative branding led to an increase in Ad Recall (3 percentage points) and Consideration (1 percentage point—double that of weak creative branding).

A sample ad demonstrating the elements of strong creative branding including brand callouts, a logo shown throughout, and product placement.

In the era of multitasking and short attention spans, our research shows that sound-off strategies are more effective in improving ad recall, awareness, and favorability.

Sound-off strategies employ: 

• Closed captions
• Subtitles
• Text callouts

Our analysis also revealed that upper funnel metrics for vertical ad formats outperform horizontal ones by 4 percentage points, demonstrating the growing preference for mobile-friendly formats. Furthermore, incorporating an end card—either static or interactive/playable—contributes to higher upper-funnel metrics.

Left: An example of a horizontal-video ad with branded video skins. Right: An example of a static ad optimized for vertical viewing with strong creative branding.

When it comes to ad duration, our findings indicate that ads between 15-30 seconds lead to greater mid-funnel metric performance than super short ads. This suggests that longer ads with concise messaging are more effective. Additionally, one of the most influential factors in ad recall is frequency, implying the importance of maintaining a higher view frequency for better results.

Our Key Creative Recommendations:

1. Invest in Strong Creative Branding: Make your brand visible and memorable.

2. Adopt a Sound-Off Strategy: Cater to audiences who prefer or need to consume content without sound.

3. Utilize Vertical-Oriented Ads: Align with the trend towards mobile-friendly formats.

4. Include End Cards: Use static or playable end cards to boost upper-funnel metrics.

5. Opt for Longer Ad Duration: Ensure concise messaging in ads that are 15-30 seconds long.

6. Maintain a Higher View Frequency: This will help improve Ad Recall.

It’s worth noting that previous research from our team revealed that players say the following makes for a premium ad experience: high quality graphics, relevance to the player, intrinsic to the game, non-intrusive, and short—easily remembered with GRINS.

By leveraging these insights and recommendations, you can optimize your in-game advertising strategy, enhance brand lift, and ultimately, achieve better campaign outcomes. As always, it's about staying adaptable, innovative, and audience-centric in your approach.