Mobile Devs More Optimistic About In-Game Ads Than Two Years Ago

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Mobile game developers are still torn on whether advertisements are a monetization opportunity or necessary evil. According to deltaDNA’s annual ad survey, developers are more confident overall in their marketing strategies but struggle to balance ad revenue with player experience.

DeltaDNA has published the results of its annual in-game advertising survey. The study, which surveyed 336 developers in the mobile free-to-play (F2P) market, examines how ad strategies have evolved over the last several years.

Respondents were split nearly 50/50 between those developing casual titles (55 percent) versus core games (45 percent).

Casual games tend to host more advertising than core titles at 95 percent and 76 percent, respectively. Developers of casual titles are more aggressive with advertising strategies, the survey found. Ads are shown to players during the first session, although a majority of respondents claim to show only one ad per session thereafter.

Rewarded videos, which grant players in-game bonuses for watching an ad, account for the highest usage rate among respondents at 65 percent. Interstitial and banner ads round out the top three, although banner ads are on the decline, deltaDNA notes. Playable ads serve as miniature game demos and are favored by 21 percent of respondents compared to 12 percent in 2017.

When choosing an ad strategy, the biggest concern among both casual and core developers was player churn, followed by lower levels of player enjoyment. Core game developers were particularly concerned about the impact of ads on in-app purchases (IAP), while casual titles were worried about app store ratings.

Regardless of concerns, in-game advertising plays a major role in developer income and even higher than last year. In 2017, only 10 percent of casual games earned more than 80 percent of their revenue from ads, but this year, that number jumps to 16 percent. Likewise, half of core games made more than 20 percent of total revenue from advertising but that number jumps to 70 percent in 2018.

A majority of ads are sourced from multiple networks, the survey found, with 59 percent citing between two and five. Over the last three similar surveys, this number has dropped 10 percent overall. In fact, more respondents used a large number of ad networks last year and now 27 percent turn to a single source.

Developers have become more confident in their advertising strategies. A majority of respondents view these strategies as “balanced,” followed by “experimental.” The number of developers who consider themselves as “confident” has grown by 55 percent.

In 2016, deltaDNA asked developers if they viewed advertising as a “necessary evil.” Just over half said yes at the time, compared to 36 percent today.

PUBG Taps Hollywood Filmmakers For Live-Action PS4 Campaign

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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has landed on PlayStation 4 alongside a live-action trailer called “Pan-demonium.” Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island), the action-packed short film illustrates the chaos PUBG is known for, as well as Hollywood’s intimate ties to the video game industry.

The campaign includes :60, :30 and :15 versions of the film, which will air on television around the world. A longer version will also play on the official PUBG website.

“Pan-demonium” stars Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton) as a PUBG player that has been dropped into a hostile environment. He must act fast, select a weapon and survive because everyone is gunning for him—literally. In a comedic twist, the man chooses a frying pan and does surprisingly well with it. Alliances are soon formed and the man is ultimately saved by a friend (Jurassic World‘s Nick Robinson) who fights from a safe distance.

For the uninitiated, PUBG started a battle royale craze in the same way that DOOM spawned first-person shooters. Players are dropped onto a shrinking playing field where they must use cover, scrounge weapons and fight one another for dominance. In short, the last one standing wins.

“When approaching this campaign, I wanted to capture and translate the individual moments of emotion the gameplay elicits from a player when experiencing PUBG,” Vogt-Roberts said. “I wanted gamers and fans of the title to watch this piece and feel that the filmmaker and team behind this spot understood the authentic fun that has made PUBG a piece of the zeitgeist.”

Vogt-Roberts directed a live-action spot for Destiny 2 and is currently directing the film adaption of Metal Gear Solid, so it’s pretty safe to say that he understands gaming. Regardless, he doesn’t assume all viewers will be familiar with PUBG.

“I wanted to find a way to bottle that magic and the excitement, kinetic rush, and idiosyncrasies of PUBG for its fans, while also making it accessible to new viewers, whether they’ve played PUBG before or not,” he added.

Live-action video game trailers have been around for decades, but have become much more sophisticated in recent years. They also feature A-list Hollywood talent both in front of and behind the camera.

“Pan-demonium,” for example, features the cinematography by Chung-Hoon Chung (IT) and the stunt direction of Robert Alonzo (Deadpool). The campaign was produced by RSA Films—Sir Ridley Scott’s creative group behind campaigns like The Macallan’s Make the Call and Blade Runner 2049: Nexus Dawn, a prequel to the 2017 film.

AM/FM Still Important To Marketers But Be Quick About It, Says Pandora

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The car radio is still a major source of audio consumption, but it is not immune to a growing intolerance for commercials—in fact, AM/FM is more vulnerable. According to a new study by Pandora, Edison Research and Omni Media Group, marketers will need to be creative and keep messages brief if they want to engage commuters.

“The Commuter Code” examines the habits of 1,100 consumers that spend at least 20 minutes in each direction of their commutes. In addition to survey questions, GoPro cameras were installed in 109 cars to observe these habits first-hand.

A majority of AM/FM listeners switch channels as soon as they hear an ad, according to the findings. In fact, the GoPro camera observed that commuters switched three-times as often while listening to AM/FM than any other source of audio in the car.

The study attributes this to a number of factors. For one, radio presets simply make it easy to switch channels away from a commercial or undesired song. Secondly, radio music is impersonal and ads are played back-to-back.

Pandora recommends that marketers consider pod placement whenever possible and consider this fast-switching environment when developing creative for car listeners. “Shorter-length, quick-engagement ads are keys to getting heard,” they advise.

Of course, Pandora stands to benefit quite a bit from traditional AM/FM advertisers switching to digital options. According to a Statista study in March, Pandora has the third most users for a music streaming service, at 36.8 million.

Nearly a third (29 percent) of all audio is consumed in the car, Pandora asserts, but sources have evolved toward digital—connecting one’s phone or cars with built-in connectivity. In fact, 71 percent of commuters say it is “important” for their next vehicle to have an in-dash system that can receive information and entertainment over the internet. Just over half (56 percent) have connected their phones to the car to listen.

Despite the drawbacks, AM/FM remains a draw for 68 percent of commuters that agreed to have a GoPro in their vehicle for this study. The camera observed that 38 percent of the in-car time was spent listening was to speech-based content and 26 percent to streaming audio or podcasts.

As with any study, commuter listening habits tend to differ with age and gender. Women, commuters between the ages of 18-34 and those with longer commutes tend to switch audio sources more frequently. Men, those at least 55 years old and those with the shortest commutes tend to stick with one source on the drive.

Regardless of where they listen, AM/FM radio isn’t going off the air just yet. According to Nielsen’s Total Audience Report 2017, Gen Z spent over 35 hours per month listening to AM/FM radio and 88 percent of Gen Zers do each week. In fact, the report finds that AM/FM radio reaches 88 percent of Generation Z in the US each week and 93 percent of millennials.

NatGeo, WeWork Promote New Series With ’90s-Themed Workspaces

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NatGeo has partnered with WeWork to promote its new series, Valley of the Boom with a series of location takeovers. As the show delves into the dot-com bubble, select WeWork locations have been made to look like 1990s-era offices, right down to the blocky desktop computers.

Monday visitors to WeWork locations in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles might feel as if they’ve been transported to a different time. These offices have been turned into “Valley of the Boom Internet Cafés” designed to inspire a sense of nostalgia and immerse consumers into the 1990s dot-com gold rush.

The branded installation includes authentic desktop computers from the period, loaded with games like Oregon Trail, Tetris and Doom. Visitors are encouraged to share photos of the experiential marketing activation using the hashtag #ValleyOfTheBoom—in fact, they will be rewarded. Sharing the hashtag on Twitter or Instagram will prompt an onsite vending machine to dispense 90s-era candy, toys and trading cards.

Each Valley of the Boom Internet Café will also offer on-site professional services that include LinkedIn expert consultations, professional headshots and career development opportunities.

Valley of the Boom debuts this winter on NatGeo. The series describes the rise and fall of the dot-com bubble with players like Netscape, The Globe and Pixelon, told through stylized recreations and interviews with the people who were there. Valley of the Boom features a myriad of respected actors including Bradley Whitford (Get Out), John Karna (Lady Bird) and Lamorne Morris (New Girl).

In January, WeWork will host screenings of the first two episodes, followed by discussions with experts and talent from the series.

WeWork has entered into a number of brand partnerships lately, including American Express. Beginning in February, Business Platinum Card Members will receive information about Platinum Global Access from WeWork, which includes one year of complimentary access to WeWork locations around the world.

Michael B. Jordan Directs Bacardi Short Film For ‘Angel’s Share’ Campaign

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Bacardi has released a short film called “The Angel’s Share” that highlights the sunny, Caribbean home of its new premium rum collection. This marks the first digital ad campaign for Bacardi Reservo Ocho. The spot was co-directed by actor/filmmaker Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther) and Emmy award-winning music video director Paul Hunter.

In the alcoholic beverage business, there is a saying that any alcohol that evaporates during the distillery process is referred to as “the angel’s share.” Bacardi’s new campaign of the same name tells the myth of sun angels—heavenly beings that help themselves to the rum evaporating inside barrels. Because the Caribbean is so sunny, and Bacardi rum is aged outdoors, it evaporates more than other spirits, the film claims.

Bacardi first connected with Jordan during No Commission, the brand’s art event last year. When it came time to produce “The Angel’s Share,” they invited him to take part.

“Watching Michael on set during the shoot was amazing,” said Roberto Ramirez Laverde, vice president of Bacardi for North America. “He has an eye for storytelling and was extremely adept at bringing the story to life.”

“Angel’s Share” consists of one main film called “Myth of the Sun Angels” which has been cut into three shorter chapters: Taste, Provenance and Heritage. Each chapter follows a different character: a Maestro de Ron, a bartender and a Bacardi family member – who each tell their own version of the angel’s share story.

The campaign will run through connected TV channels like NFL, DirecTV, Turner, Sling and ESPN), YouTube channels Vevo, Condé Nast and Complex as well as OTT via Hulu, ABC, CBS, NBC and Univision. Bacardi will also promote the campaign on its owned channels alongside Jordan’s personal Instagram.

In addition to digital channels, Bacardi will run out-of-home (OOH) in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington D.C. and Atlanta markets.

Bacardi is hoping to garner attention for its premium portfolio with the new campaign. Earlier this year, the brand added Añejo Cuatro and Gran Reserva Diez to its pre-existing Gran Reserva Limitada series and redesigned the packaging for Reserva Ocho.

Now is a good time to bolster Bacardi’s premium offerings, as spirits experience a surge in revenue. In 2017, supplier sales of whiskeys, rums, vodkas, and other spirits rose four percent to a new high of $26.2 billion. This growth is fueled in part by millennials’ taste for premium spirits, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

Alcoholic “leftovers” have become a common topic of marketing lately. While evaporated alcohol goes to the angels, whatever soaks into the barrels becomes the “devil’s cut,” according to Jim Beam. The bourbon brand began extracting and bottling the wood-soaked liquid in 2011 and marketed it with the help of actress Mila Kunis.

‘Spider-Man’ Brand Partners Swing Into Action To The Tune Of $115M

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Brand partnership revenue for Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse is poised to become one of the largest for Sony Animation as names like Nike, Tencent and McDonald’s join the holiday marketing blitz.

The film will receive $115 million from global brands ahead of its December 14 release, Deadline Hollywood reports, outpacing the $80 million brand partnerships for The Grinch. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is expected to earn upwards of $30M at the domestic box office.

“The message of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is that anyone can wear the mask—it’s who you are that makes you a hero. That’s a message that resonates with these incredible global brands and sets a tone that this film will go beyond the box office to become a true worldwide event,” said Sony president of worldwide marketing and distribution Josh Greenstein.

That same tone will be integrated into each brand campaign as brands bridge the gap between product placement and real-world application.

One of the first brands that fans noticed in the Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse is Nike. The film’s main protagonist, a boy named Miles Morales, is seen wearing classic Nike Jordans. Nike is collaborating with Marvel and Sony to release the hero’s shoes into the real world for purchase.

Tencent QQ is launching a campaign to reach its 800 million users in China that will include augmented reality, digital stickers and traditional display advertising for Into the Spider-Verse. The app will also make an appearance in the film.

Synchrony Bank is hosting an experiential pop-up in Brooklyn that recreates locations from the movie and will adapt its “Save Like a Hero” campaign to include Spider-man themes.

Holiday travelers may catch a glimpse of Spider-man and his friends from the movie, as well. Genting Cruise Lines is hosting a Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse experience that include interactive activities and themed meals.

Of course, no superhero film would be complete with a toy line in time for holiday gift-giving. Special toys can be found inside McDonald’s Happy Meals and in stores with a series from Hasbro. There’s no toy inside, but General Mills Cereal launched a campaign for the film and printed Spider-Verse characters on 12 million boxes of breakfast cereal.

Other brand partnerships include Vodafone, Garmin, Wacom, Adobe and The Ad Council, which will launch an anti-bullying campaign starring the film’s characters.

National TV Ad Revenue Flattened By NFL Losses; Digital Growth Continues

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The national advertising marketing experienced modest growth for the month of October, according to data provided by Standard Media Index (SMI). While digital continues to lead in terms of ad spend, TV ad revenue was dragged down by the NFL.

SMI reports that national advertising grew seven percent YoY in October. Unsurprisingly, digital was the strongest performer with growth of 17 percent, followed by out-of-home at 10 percent. Marketers invested in radio ads in October at a growth rate of seven percent while print continued its downward slope in terms of popularity, dropping 27 percent YoY.

NFL Losses Drag TV Ad Growth

National Television ad revenue was flat in October despite single-digit increases in cable and primetime spots and a drop in make-goods.

The reason? Live sporting events experienced a decline in television revenue last month. The NFL had 27 games in October compared to 31 games in October 2017, which didn’t help matters, either. NFL revenue fell 19 percent and the number of 30-second commercial spots fell six percent.

“The effects of the lower audiences last year are spilling into this season, as NFL revenue is down,” said James Fennessy, CEO of Standard Media Index. “Nevertheless, as the market reports improving viewership, we will see how these trends change over the remaining months of the season.”

Where the NFL fumbled, the 2018 World Series hit a Home Run and earned FOX $121.6 million in ad revenue. Even with fewer games—five compared to seven last year—the average revenue per game was up 27 percent.

Upfront On The (Slow) Upswing

The upfront market grew a modest two percent in October. Meanwhile, the scatter market fell four percent YoY. This drop was attributed to more upfront buys as marketers tried to avoid scatter premiums, SMI reports.

“The linear television season has started sluggishly as expectations of robust demand haven’t yet materialized in the market,” said Fennessy. “Demand from marketers continues to outpace audience erosion even if that is due to more limited digital video advertising options due to ad-free delivery.”

Primetime Remains Premium

The 2018-2019 season is upon us, resulting in a three percent revenue increase for primetime original programming. (SMI notes that primetime, by their definition, is on-syndicated, new episodes for comedy, drama, and reality subgenres.)

Average prices for a 30-second commercial remained flat during primetime. Still, advertisers paid an average premium of 158 percent to advertise during a season premiere. Among the highest grossing shows were ABC’s A Million Little Things, FOX’s 9-1-1, and NBC’s Manifest and New Amsterdam.

SMI observed a highly consolidated market where the top eight media owners account for 86 percent of Entertainment ad revenue. In fact, the top 12 media owners account for 94 percent of ad revenue. Comcast Corp. was the largest TV network group by Entertainment revenue in October at 18 percent.

HBO, Netflix, 20th Century Fox Among Top Honors At Clio Entertainment Awards

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Creative marketing efforts for brands like 20th Century Fox, HBO and Netflix were honored at The Clio Entertainment Awards Thursday night. From Blu-ray package takeovers to experiential activations, these campaigns stood out for creativity, innovation and for capturing the public’s attention in entertaining ways.

20th Century Fox: Deadpool 2

Twentieth Century Fox was named Studio of the Year due in no small part to their ongoing (and unusual) Deadpool 2 marketing efforts.

“The Ultimate Anti-Marketing Campaign” was honored for the studio’s theatrical partnerships to help launch Deadpool 2 into the public conscious. The studio took home Clio Grand awards for its Bob Ross parody, “Paintings,” Blu-ray package takeover “Photobomb” and a San Diego Comic-Con toilet seat cover that said, “This is all Fox could afford!” Twentieth Century Fox and its agency partners also received a Clio Grand honor for its 30-second trailer called “Holy $#itballs.”

Astonishingly, the studio was presented with a Clio Grand award for every Deadpool 2 campaign entered.

If garnering audience and media attention is a reason for winning, it’s no wonder that 20th Century Fox took home the top honors. Marketing for its Deadpool sequel has including everything from coloring pages to a Blockbuster store, and they’re not done yet. The studio will release Once Upon a Deadpool for a limited theater engagement this holiday, providing teenagers and their families with a PG-13 cut starring Fred Savage.

HBO: Westworld

HBO took home a Clio Grand for its SXSW experiential marketing campaign that dropped guests into a 90,000 square-foot ‘wild west’ town. The experience was littered with Easter eggs designed to promote Westworld‘s second season.

Decorated, detailed and staffed by 66 actors, the secluded Westworld SXSW activation gained so much attention that the campaign earned 1.9 billion impressions in social media and news coverage. Tickets sold out in just two minutes.

Westworld easily became the most talked-about activation at the show. AList was in attendance and caught up with HBO’s director of program marketing and strategy.

“There is a lot of fertile ground with Westworld,” Steven Cardwell told AList. “The universe of the show makes it a marketer’s dream to further build it out and engage fans. We’re going beyond the impression of a traditional advertisement at SXSW. It’s about creating a true experience that brings impact and buzz for us.”

Netflix: Netflix is a Joke, Stranger Things

The popular streaming platform took home three Clio Grands in 2018.

When Netflix wanted to tease its new comedy line-up, it used cryptic billboards that said simply, “Netflix is a Joke.” The guerrilla marketing campaign had consumers wondering whether it was an ad or an attack. The truth was revealed at the Emmy Awards when Netflix debuted a series of ads in which stand-up comedians were inserted into popular shows like House of Cards, Stranger Things and Orange is the New Black. Both campaign elements—the billboards and subsequent TV spots—took home Clio Grands.

Another campaign winner was for the second season of Stranger Things. Netflix wanted to reach audiences in Brazil, who still hadn’t caught on to the show’s phenomenon. The company transformed its channel into one hour of free, ’80s-themed TV that included a free episode of Stranger Things and faux commercials that told viewers how to sign up on devices of the era.

Dubbed “Stranger Broadcast,” the TV takeover was a partnership with Brazil’s second-largest network, SBT. Additional commercials promoted fake products related to the series, such as bicycles and a “Walko Talko” and a documentary that mashed real news footage to imply chupacabra sightings were, in fact, the Demogorgon from Stranger Things.

See the full list of winners here.

Hotels.com Presents 10-Part Docuseries Featuring Jonathan Van Ness

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Hotels.com helped Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness fulfill his dream of performing stand-up comedy in its first docuseries, “Hotels.comedy.” The 10-part series is a subtle reminder to consumers that booking 10 nights earns one free.

The first episode, “10 Nights with Jonathan Van Ness” debuted at a Reward Night Premiere Party on November 5, where Van Ness presented a screening at 1 Hotels Brooklyn Bridge. Hotels.com presented the show to the rest of us “beautiful people” on its YouTube channel Monday.

Van Ness earned a reputation on Queer Eye for his positive attitude and bubbly personality, which ties into Hotel.com’s “You do you and get rewarded” brand message. The brand sponsored his debut into stand-up comedy, documenting the journey both on-stage and in his hotel room after each show.

Hotel.com’s “You do you and get rewarded” campaign launched five months ago with a series of spots starring Captain Obvious. The campaign likens earning a free night to activities like dancing with teddy bears, goat yoga or snuggling in bed with a bunch of pugs.

With its new docuseries, Hotels.com has the potential to appeal to a number of audiences, not the least of which being fans of Van Ness and Queer Eye. The Netflix series is a reboot of the Emmy Award-winning reality show and debuted with a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes (it currently sits at 93 percent.)

According to a recent study by Community Marketing and Insights, 45 percent of US respondents said that being LGBTQ-friendly is a top concern for picking a travel destination. Seeing Van Ness welcomed and cheered by Hotels.com and its attendees may convince audiences that the company and by extension, the hotels it books, are safe for the high-spending LGBTQ demographic.

The US hotel industry experienced growth last year in occupancy and average daily rate (ADR), according to Nasdaq. Modest demand growth led to a three percent jump for revenue per available room (RevPAR) over 2016—good news for an industry being disrupted by Airbnb.

‘Deadpool 2’ Recut As ‘Once Upon A Deadpool’ Holiday Film Starring Fred Savage

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Deadpool 2 will be released again in theaters this holiday as Once Upon a Deadpool—a PG-13 cut more suitable for family viewing. The limited engagement raises money for charity and features new scenes with Fred Savage that were shot in the style of The Princess Bride.

From December 12 to 24, Once Upon a Deadpool will play in select theaters and donate $1 for every ticket sold to “Fudge Cancer,” a charity whose name was also been cleaned up for the occasion.

In the new version, Deadpool kidnaps Fred Savage and forces him to recreate scenes from The Princess Bride. With no other choice, Savage sits in bed while listening to Deadpool relay the events of Deadpool 2.

Savage kept the gag going outside of filming, as well, telling Deadline: “While my participation in this film was anything but voluntary. I am happy to learn that Fudge Cancer will be the beneficiary of this shameless cash grab.”

The film, for all intents and purposes, will serve as a branded, gonzo version of the original Deadpool 2, serving to promote the franchise with a standalone holiday release. The only example in recent memory that could be compared to Once Upon a Deadpool is the Uncle Drew feature film that began as a Pepsi ad.

The new scenes between Ryan Reynolds and Savage will compensate for any R-rated missing material, which is probably substantial. Even with the new scenes, the running time of Once Upon a Deadpool is about three minutes shorter than Deadpool 2.

Superhero movies are traditionally rated PG-13 as to appeal to that coveted four-quadrant model—males and females both over and under the age of 25. However, when Deadpool was greenlit for production, Reynolds refused to compromise on the namesake character’s trademark vulgarity. In fact, a PG-13 announcement was made as an April Fool’s Day joke to hit that point home.

The gamble paid off, making Deadpool the best-performing R-rated film in history. The sequel was another financial success, bringing in over $734 million globally. Ever since the anti-hero’s blockbuster, foul-mouthed debut, however, parents and studio executives alike have requested a cleaner version that appeals to a wider audience.

Now that Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, Once Upon a Deadpool may serve as a test to see if families will put their money where their mouth is—after all, the character is, by nature, a vulgar superhero that can get away with things you can’t put in a family film. Anything else may be seen as a compromise for the sake of money.