42% higher advertising viewability in in-game advertising than mobile web: Report

Gameloft releases Marketing ROI in Gaming report, which aims to highlight the increasing strength of the global gaming economy, the growth of in-game advertising, and gaming as a marketing vehicle for brands.

Gaming has gained immense popularity worldwide, drawing in a vast number of players and generating significant revenue. It has become a significant source of entertainment globally, with India ranking as one of the largest gaming markets. Brands have also recognized the potential of gaming to engage with their audience and have started exploring this new avenue.

According to a recent report by Gameloft, in-game advertising offers a highly engaging environment for brands to positively impact brand awareness and brand likeability. The report suggests that purchase intent in in-game advertising is significantly higher, approximately +23%, when a user is exposed to a message for more than 15 seconds. This finding highlights the importance of the immersion and engagement that gaming offers, which is unique to this platform.

From a brand's perspective, the advertising space has seen a rapid learning curve in recent years due to the disruption caused by shifting audience attention and the emergence of new platforms. Nitin Goel, Country Manager - Indian Subcontinent, Gameloft, believes that gaming is the next big platform that brands need to focus on. He highlights that publishers will need to make a concerted effort to establish the nuances of gaming in the minds of brands.

The study, which incorporates Oracle Moat Measurement data, takes into consideration the levels of immersivity, exposure, and engagement involved in Gaming. The report looks at skill-based games that empower users to create their own experiences, which are immersive, requiring players’ undivided attention. This makes gaming one of the most attention-savvy platforms, offering brands a captive audience.

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The report also emphasizes the importance of 'Quality' in measuring Marketing RoI in Gaming, with the 'Gameloft Quality Score' taking into account the levels of Immersivity, Exposure, and Engagement with the media. The emotion generated by creative assets and context builds meaningful connections between brands and audiences, creating a "moment" that is key to the success of in-game advertising.

While playing video games, 70% of players feel happy and are in a positive state of mind. They identify as “relaxed”, followed by “interested,” “focused,” “engaged,” and “happy”. This positive sentiment, coupled with the immersive and engaging nature of gaming, significantly increases the purchase intent compared to media with lower exposition duration.

The study conducted by Gameloft is based on test campaigns in Gameloft’s in-game mobile advertising network and a survey with control groups from various countries. It involved players aged >16 years, providing an extensive and diverse dataset.

Sumit Batheja, Executive Director of Gamestack,  the Hypergrowth Gaming Marketing platform and monetization partner of Gameloft in India, said, “The Lumikai report released in 2022 suggests that the Indian gaming market is nearly three times larger than that of the US. The growth of the Indian gaming industry in the last decade can be attributed to data democratization, digital penetration, and content revolution. Further, gaming is one of the most attention-savvy platforms as it allows consumers to immerse themselves in an experience. We at Gamestack are dedicated to helping brands connect with a highly-engaged audience through unique experiences that drive customer loyalty.”

In conclusion, gaming offers brands a highly engaging platform to connect with a highly-engaged audience. With the rise of gaming and the increasing investment in in-game advertising, it is essential to establish the nuances in the minds of brands. The findings of the Gameloft ‘Marketing ROI in Gaming’ report provide valuable insights into the importance of immersion, engagement, and quality in measuring Marketing RoI in Gaming. Brands that leverage the unique qualities of gaming and in-game advertising can positively impact brand awareness and brand likeability, ultimately leading to increased purchase intent.