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Site Search Intrinsic In-Game Ads Drive Stronger Purchase Power Than Display, Video, and CTV, New Research Reveals
Study by Anzu and Happydemics underscores the power of non-disruptive in-game advertising to boost bottom-of-funnel metrics
March 26, 2024 — Anzu, the world’s most advanced intrinsic in-game advertising platform, and advertising performance measurement expert company, Happydemics, today released findings highlighting the strong performance of intrinsic in-game ads in driving purchase consideration. Unveiled at IAB PlayFronts in New York, the study demonstrates how intrinsic in-game performs up and down the funnel and what impact it can have by including it in an omnichannel strategy.
The global study found that intrinsic in-game advertising is 5 percentage points higher than the online media average at driving purchase consideration, outperforming video by 5 percentage points, display by 3 percentage points, and CTV by 2 percentage points, dispelling the myth that these non-disruptive ads are only good at driving top-of-funnel metrics, and demonstrating how this medium has evolved to become a more sophisticated advertising channel.
The study analyzed 110 intrinsic in-game brand campaigns across multiple locations, verticals, and industries. This data was then used to provide an in-depth look into how intrinsic in-game performs at driving consumers at five different levels of the marketing funnel. To demonstrate how intrinsic in-game performs against industry benchmarks, Happydemics compared their data against their database of over 600 advertisers, 60 industries, and 30 formats.
Further findings showed that, at the top of the funnel, intrinsic in-game ads scored 13 percentage points higher for ad recall than the digital media average and 11 percentage points higher for brand identification than the digital media average.
“This study demonstrates the media value that in-game advertising can drive as a standalone channel and what part it can play in omnichannel campaigns”, said Natalia Vasilyeva, EVP Marketing & Strategy of Anzu. “As the intrinsic in-game advertising landscape continues to evolve, this report serves as a critical resource for advertisers, helping them understand how the format measures up against other media and which benchmarks they should consider when running their own intrinsic in-game campaigns, increasing their confidence in the format.”
Virginie Chesnais, CMO at Happydemics, said, “Understanding the impact of intrinsic in-game as a marketing channel will help advertisers looking to invest in what is still a saturated and fragmented media landscape. The results from this study showcase intrinsic in-game’s unique ability to effectively reach audiences in non-disruptive ways and also drive strong purchase intent. This should empower more brands to confidently integrate in-game advertising into their strategies.”
The report complements Anzu’s previous research collaboration with Lumen, which demonstrated how in-game ads, driven by high levels of player attention, positively impact brand recall and purchase intent.
Download the free report in full here.
About Anzu
Anzu is the most advanced intrinsic in-game ad solution for mobile, PC, console, and the metaverse. Anzu’s in-game ads put players first and help advertisers reach audiences programmatically in a non-disruptive and highly engaging way. A patented 3D ad tracking engine, the first to bring viewability measurement in-game with Oracle Moat and IAS, partnerships with trusted AdTech vendors, and compliant with the industry measurement standards outlined by the MRC and IAB make Anzu the preferred in-game advertising partner for brands and agencies worldwide.
Anzu helps game developers monetize their titles with ad placements that complement the gameplay, and by monetizing the entire game session, they benefit from consistent and reliable revenue streams. Supporting all major and custom-built game engines, and a full-stack ad monetization solution that provides complete control over ad placements makes Anzu the preferred in-game ad monetization partner for developers worldwide.
Backed by Sony Innovation Fund, NBCUniversal, Samsung Next, Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund, WPP, PayPal Ventures and many other prominent investors, Anzu is on a mission to make advertising in games better. Better for brands, better for game developers, and better for gamers. Learn more.
About Happydemics
Founded in 2015 by Tarek Ouagguini, Happydemics stands out by offering unified Brand lift solutions, empowering ad players to measure the performance of their campaigns across various indicators globally, spanning single or multi-channel strategies. With a proven methodology backed by over 15,000 benchmarks, Happydemics harmonizes measurement across all media. As the trusted partner for more than 100 media players and thousands of advertisers worldwide, the scale up provides actionable ad analytics in a cookie-less era, setting a new standard in advertising effectiveness. For more information, visit www.happydemics.com.