Video games are the preferred entertainment for Gen Alpha, and mobile gaming provides high ad acceptance leading to strong ad recall and purchase intent, according to Gameloft for Brands’ new whitepaper, Gen Alpha – Gaming & Toys.
Speaking to Mediaweek, Scroll Media‘s head of sales, Adam De Roma, says advertising through mobile gaming, compared to traditional advertising, stimulates attention and generates a higher purchase intent.
“Compared to something like YouTube, which might just have a video ad placement, mobile gaming is about opting in and having value exchange within the game,” he said.
“A lot of that value exchange is reward-based, which means when a player loses a game they are playing, they can opt-in to watch an ad to keep playing.
“Mobile games provide great ad recall because users are already engaged in the game they’re playing, compared to again, something like YouTube, which can be very hit and miss in terms of ad attention.”
The report found that parents are increasingly allowing ads in video games for their children, appreciating the non-intrusive nature and opt-in feature. 53% of mobile gamers find it more acceptable for their kids to be reached by a rewarded ad in video games.
The report states that Gen Alpha is a generation that plays, learns, and communicates digitally. It found that Gen A’s average play time per week is 6h and 49m, with 73% of those surveyed identifying mobile as their main form of play, with console following behind at 46%.
De Roma says when it comes to games marketing, there are two roads brands can go down, and one is a “no-brainer.”
“You’ve got in-game ads which might be banners around F1 racetracks or sideline ads in a sporting stadium in FIFA, which in the past, were cool to have, and look good, but that’s not where we see the best results for brands dipping their toes in the gaming space,” he said.
“The reward aspect of games marketing is where we see the best results. Users are opting into our assets that we gamify, it’s a bit of a no-brainer.
“In simplest terms, if someone’s gaming on their mobile device, let’s put a gamified ad in front of them to keep them engaged, and add a bit of an incentive as well.”