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Mobile Gaming Has Gone Mainstream: Here's How Brands Can Take Advantage

Forbes Agency Council
POST WRITTEN BY
Steve Wadsworth

Half of the entire U.S. population plays mobile games. And yet, recent research has shown that only 10% of people who play mobile games regularly consider themselves “gamers.” It’s no wonder that brand marketers haven’t thought of their audience as gamers either – at least not until recently.

In the past, marketers have typically overlooked mobile games as an important category when planning their mobile media strategies, tending to favor social networks, messaging apps and other “mainstream” mobile channels. But the winds have been shifting throughout 2016, and brands are beginning to rethink how they can align their marketing with consumers’ favorite mobile pastime.

Part of the reason for marketers’ changing attitudes toward mobile games is that we have come to understand that gamers aren’t just an isolated niche of teenage boys. As more data becomes available about who's playing mobile games, it has become clear that the typical mobile gamer more closely resembles the soccer mom than her son.

But the larger reason for this shift comes down to savvy marketers who have gained a better understanding of the mindset that consumers are in while playing games as opposed to other forms of mobile media. Mobile games put people into a unique state of mind that is very different from traditional media and extremely conducive to reaching, engaging and truly connecting with consumers.

The most common state of mind for consumers while playing mobile games is known as eustress -- the enjoyable kind of stress that focuses one's attention and releases endorphins.  As author Jane McGonigal describes in her book, Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, “All of the neurological and physiological systems that underlie happiness -- our attention systems, our reward center, our motivation systems, our emotion and memory centers -- are fully activated by gameplay.”

This state of mind represents an ideal time to communicate with a consumer; they are enjoying themselves, relaxed and focused. As the president and CEO of a leading platform for mobile game advertising, I have seen firsthand just how powerful games on smartphones and tablets can be for connecting with consumer audiences. Below, I'll share some of the ways your brand can take advantage of the mobile gaming experience.

Context Creates Meaning

Gamers play for a feeling of fulfillment and reward. They are always aiming to beat their friends, best their high score, advance to the next level, defeat the next enemy, etc. Game developers have gotten very good at offering the right rewards at the right times to keep players engaged, motivated and feeling good. And now many brands are learning to tap into that sentiment and behavior as well.

One effective way to do this is to offer an in-game reward sponsored by an advertiser. For example, suppose a player is playing with a crossword puzzle app and they are stumped by one of the clues. This presents the perfect opportunity for an advertiser to offer the player a chance to receive a hint in exchange for engaging with an advertisement, like watching a video or interacting with a rich media ad.

Connecting with consumers in this way is incredibly beneficial for marketers. In fact, we commissioned Forrester Research to conduct a study based on a survey of 1,500 U.S. smartphone owners that showed that the percentage of consumers who feel positively toward brands almost doubles when the brand delivers some type of value within the app, such as unlocking premium content or experiences.

Ad Experiences That Gamers Love

Game publishers place the consumer experience above all else, and so too must advertisers. They should aim for delivering ad experiences that delight, surprise and reward the player, ultimately helping to facilitate the user’s engagement in their game experience.

In-game advertising creative should tap into that state of flow or eustress that gamers are in the midst of enjoying. Branded mini games, delivered via rich media ads, are one excellent way to do this. It continues the gaming experience while immersing players in branded content, creating ample opportunity for the brand to get its core message across. Players will have an emotional investment in the mini game, and that emotion will spill over in the form of affinity for the brand, helping with metrics like awareness, recall and favorability.

We worked with a major automotive company on a branded mini game that was successful exactly because it was so fun and engaging. The game itself reinforced the company's overall messaging and brand image as a powerful sports cars manufacturer by challenging players to "catch" a fast-moving, impressive car as it zooms across the screen.

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Data Helps Identify Intent

The proliferation of data gathered from mobile devices is another benefit for brands advertising through mobile games. Because activity and engagement are so high within mobile gaming apps, game publishers have more data on consumers than other types of app publishers, and they’ve been able to improve their targeting faster than publishers in other categories.

The more data available on consumers’ in-app behavior, the more precisely advertisers can target based on interest, demographics, behaviors and more. Look at gaming data to see where your target customers are spending their time on mobile, and then focus and tweak your marketing strategy from there.

In-Game Advertising Is Ready To Go Mainstream

The mobile gaming environment presents an incredible opportunity for marketers to reach a very large audience of highly-engaged and focused consumers. The huge advertising potential is only just being realized, and the savvy marketers that are exploring this unique environment are reaping the benefits.