LoopMe Predicts $500 Million Mobile Ad Budgets

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This year’s Super Bowl ads indicated that we’re seeing a shift in advertising, especially for mobile games, as companies like SuperCell and uCool spent millions of dollars to spread the word about their games. And, according to LoopMe’s Stephen Upstone, this spending could become the norm very soon.

Upstone, the founder of the company, spoke at the Casual Connect Asia event this month, explaining that the mobile industry’s biggest game companies will soon increase their budgets with advertising, going as high as $500 million for the year, according to GamesIndustry International.

“We think this is going to start changing rapidly,” said Upstone about the increase in budgets. “We think there will be some very big clients on both the brand side and the gaming side who will be spending alone in one year $500 million – even up to $1 billion – just on mobile video ads.

“The other ad formats just won’t build brand in the same way, they won’t convert in the same way, and that won’t follow through to lifetime value,” he continued.

Upstone used the word “static” quite often when it came to discussing the way certain ads fail to convey information, and said that good advertising is supposed to accomplish more. “They’re instantly forgettable,” said Upstone about the ads. “They’re just a way of accessing the content.”

Upstone used the uCool and Liam Neeson (Supercell) ads as examples, as well as a recent commercial for King’s Candy Crush Saga, which has been quite successful. He explained that this is an effective tool for mobile gaming, just as it has been for other advertising firms over the previous years.

“When you look at the games industry, you have a few big companies who have driven most of the spend over the last few years,” explained Upstone. “MoPub had 80 percent of its revenue at the time of the purchase just coming from King. And with Supercell, a lot of that comes from just one big hit game, or a very large cheque from a venture capitalist – Softbank, in that case.

“In the future, there will be even bigger hits that will drive a lot of that, and it will drive much, much more towards TV and brand advertising,” he continued.

Mobile will be a dominant platform in this field, according to Upstone, providing a huge opportunity for the industry in general. “This has got a long, long way to go,” he said. “Mobile is now disrupting brand television advertising, and brand television advertising is a $200 billion marketplace. Companies like Unliever and Proctor & Gamble are spending more than $5 billion a year just on TV ads.”

Mobile will also become the home for online advertising very soon, Upstone believes, and that a good amount of money will be diverted towards mobile advertising – and not too far off at that. “That’s today,” he said. “It’s only going to get bigger. Many consumers, specifically millennials, don’t even watch television any more.”

Mary Meeker On The Biggest Trends In Tech And Advertising

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Facebook and Twitter continue to roll in a good amount of money from its users, but there is some concern when it comes to the overall growth of their audience.

Mary Meeker, a partner with Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, confirmed these concerns during her revealing of her annual State of the Internet report Wednesday at the Code Conference in California. With the findings, she found notable trends with social networks, particularly in the “average revenue per user” category, according to Re/Code.

As you can see from the chart, growth continues to be strong for both Facebook and Twitter, but is going at a much slower rate based on previous numbers from years prior. Facebook in particular only shows a 13 percent year-over-year growth, compared to 23 percent just from two years prior. Twitter has an even bigger drop, by nearly 30 percent.

Other data is broken down into a number of slides, which can be found below:

Global penetration for the Internet has reached an all-time high, especially compared to 1996’s meager numbers. Asia is showing the largest growth with a 28 percent share, with China closely behind at 23 percent. Taking up fifth place is the USA with 10 percent.

The second chart breaks down the significant growth of mobile users, which has gone from 80 million in 1995 all the way to 5.2 billion for 2014, with 60 percent preferring smartphones to 40 percent wanting feature-based phones.

This chart breaks down public Internet company market capitalizations over the last 20 years, with Netscape being the largest company back in 1995. These days, though, it’s all about Apple, dominating with a huge market capital, followed by Google and Alibaba. Meeker was quick to note that while the numbers do look large, there’s concern with year-to-year growth rates, as they have dwindled a little bit as well.

Finally, this chart looks at view-time on multi-platforms by orientation, compared to a few years ago. As you can see, there’s a significant increase in mobile (nearly seven times over five years) while the other categories seem to be staying put.

More details on the report can be found here.

Mobile Game Highlights: ‘Simple Machines’, ‘Til Morning’s Light’

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Welcome back to another week of Mobile Game Highlights! There are plenty of great puzzle and action games to choose from this week, so let’s get started!

Simple Machines by Tinybop (Tinybop, $2.99, available for iOS)

Parents looking for a fun, educative game experience for their kids this summer would be wise to rely on these Simple Machines. This entertaining app offers six different machines to play with, each with their own levers, pulleys and other parts to play around with. The game utilizes a number of real world physics through various activities, ranging from making music on a pinball playfield to moving sloshing fish tanks around with screws. Tinybop’s app delivers plenty of fun — and for a reasonable price.

Til Morning’s Light (Amazon Game Studios, $6.99, available for iOS and Android)

The latest from Amazon Game Studios and the developer at WayForward (DuckTales: Remastered) offers plenty of scares for players of all ages. In the game, you portray Erica Page, a young girl trapped in a mansion that’s being haunted by a curse. It’s up to you to help her solve puzzles, confront bosses and eventually make your way out of it in one piece. With plenty of quirky characters and surprises around every corner, Til Morning’s Light is definitely a fun game for fans that liked to be spooked.

Brickies (Noodlecake Studios, free-to-play, available for iOS)

Remember the arcade classic Breakout, with a paddle trying to keep a ball in play as it broke apart bricks on a playfield Noodlecake Studios has brought that formula back for Brickies, a more personable take on the arcade classic. The gameplay remains the same, but there are a variety of stages to take on, as well a variety of power-ups that will help destroy a lot of the bricks. It’s set up as free-to-play, so it won’t put dent away on players’ wallets.

Crazy Kings (Wooga Gmbh, free-to-play, available for iOS)

Fans of tower defense games would be smart to check out Crazy Kings, a game that provides a unique take on the genre. In it, you’ll battle as a lunatic king that fights his way through hundreds of levels, using a personalized army to do his dirty work. With a number of ways to level up characters, a variety of loot and tools to pick up, and many prizes that are offered through weekly and daily tournaments, folks would be Crazy to turn away from this action.

Capitals — Free Word Battle (NimbleBit, free-to-play, available for iOS)

In this fun offering from NimbleBit, players attack and defend each other on a playfield using spelled out words on tiles. Featuring a number of online play options (including Auto Match) and the ability to personalize Capital design, this game has plenty to offer. Plus, it’s free-to-play, so it doesn’t cost anything to try — and purchases are completely optional. That spells out “winner” for mobile players.

See you next time on Mobile Game Highlights!

Now Hiring This Week: May 27th

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[a]listdaily is your source for the hottest job openings for senior management and marketing in games, entertainment and social media. Check here every Wednesday for the latest openings.

  • Machine Zone – Community Manager (Palo Alto, Calif.)
  • Hasbro – Manager, Global Brand Development (Pawtucket, RI)
  • Warner Bros. – Vice President, International Marketing (Burbank, Calif.)
  • Ayzenberg – Summer Internships (Pasadena, Calif.)
  • Ayzenberg – Director, ION Business Development (Pasadena, Calif.)
  • Ayzenberg – Account Executive (Pasadena, Calif.)

For last week’s [a]list jobs postings, click here. Have a position you’d like to place with us Email us at pr@ayzenberg.com.

Mobile Ad Interaction Growth May Be Stagnating

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Mobile ad interactions have been at pace with the growth of smartphone and tablet use, but it now appears that growth is slowing down.

Digital Ad Interactions Q1 2015

New stats from ad tech firm Fluent show what shares of digital interactions each industry is seeing as of Q1 2015.

According to eMarketer, 18 to 24 year-olds have a greater share of ad interactions on mobile, with a rate as high as 80 percent. Additionally, women tend to interact with ads more on mobile than men do

Unsurprisingly, the media and entertainment industry takes the largest slice of the pie, enjoying 23.9 percent of the share of digital ad interactions, with retail not too far behind at 22.6 percent. Automotive and Internet and telecom industries see the lowest share with .1 percent and .5 percent of interactions, respectively.

Must-Know Stats About Livestreaming Video Apps Meerkat and Periscope

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Over the past few months, both Meerkat and Twitter’s Periscope live streaming apps have gained a massive amount of users, streaming everything from their daily chores to popular events, like the recent Floyd Mayweather/Manny Pacquiao fight. But just how popular are these apps compared to more established social networks

Adweek recently reported that Horizon Media’s WHY Group recently posted a large infographic, breaking down the popularity numbers between Meerkat and Periscope compared to other services. You’ll find the full infographic below, but here’s a general breakdown of the numbers:

  • In terms of who would try the Meerkat and Periscope applications, people within the age group of 18-34 are most likely, with 50 percent of those polled indicating interest. The lowest group, at seven percent, was those age 65 and up.
  • Regarding the top factors driving interest in using the apps, 59 percent said they would download them because they were free. Closely behind with 43 percent is that they’re an easy way to share live events with others in real time, while 42 percent believe that they provide a new way to see what’s going on in the world. Only 32 percent, however, believe that it’s a good way to see what’s going on with friends and family.
  • When it comes to how the apps would most likely be used, 53 percent said they would share life events with friends and family, while 35 percent would use them to socialize with friends.
  • The biggest concerns of the app are noteworthy, as 49 percent believe they would wind up seeing uninteresting random videos, while 41 percent would see a negative effect on their mobile devices’ overall battery life.
  • Where both apps could use improvement is with awareness. Snapchat, Instagram and Vine all have a larger user base across the board, with all age groups. Instagram has the most popularity, with Snapchat in second place and Vine in third. Meerkat and Periscope’s numbers are rather low, in the single digit to 12 percent range. (Keep in mind, though, that both of these apps are still rather new.)

So while the reach of both of these applications isn’t quite out there just yet, keep in mind that they’ll gain strength as they go on, and more and more users are likely to pick up on it as the year goes on. Despite some concerns with copyrighted material being broadcasted, it appears that Meerkat and Periscope aren’t likely to slow down anytime soon — if at all.

The infographic is below:

 

$1M Dollars Are Flowing Through YouNow Per Month, Says The Founder

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by VideoInk Staff

Live-streaming is one of the hottest topics in web video; but while services such as Meerkat and the Twitter-owned Periscope command most of the attention right now, it should be noted that user-generated live-streaming has been happening on the web for quite some time now.

Case in point: YouNow, which has been around since 2012. Unlike its newest competitors, YouNow is also able to help its creators generate revenue, with some high-end talent earning as much as $10,000 per month on the platform. Overall, the company says $1 million per month flow through its service every month, and it’s working with online stars such as singer Shawn Mendes and Vine comedian Andrew Bachelor (King Bach).

We sat down with YouNow founder Adi Sideman to talk about YouNow, the growing live-streaming business, and how it helps creators “broadcast” to their fans.

What was the original inspiration behind YouNow?

To create a community and make a new entertainment platform available. The goal was to create a true interactive TV experience; a place where people could share their thoughts and talents, and express themselves.

Keep reading…

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

 

New [a]list Summit Speakers Focus On eSports & Millennials

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We are pleased to announce three more top speakers for this year’s [a]list Video summit on Aug. 19 at the W Hollywood Hotel.

To set the stage for the day, we have confirmed DEFY Media‘s EVP of Marketing, Andy Tu, and SVP Branded Content, Zack Smith, to present key learnings from the 2015 Acumen Report: Constant Content and how it can be applied to creating and distributing branded video content to reach a millennial audience.

Their presentation will touch upon the phenomenon of YouTube celebrities and their role influencing youth’s content choices. The report shows that 63 percent of respondents said they were more likely to try a product endorsed by a YouTube star. For traditional media celebrities, that figure is 48 percent.

We are also pleased to announce the first presenter of three in a panel dedicated to eSports streaming and programming, to show where the best opportunities are for brands to get in front of this highly engaged audience.

Andy Swanson, VP of eSports at Twitch, is a 17-year veteran in the games industry and currently is working with brands looking to get involved with Twitch’s eSports and events team. Andy will be demystifying the complex but exploding world of eSports to help marketers understand and navigate the opportunities with leagues, teams and players.

Register for the 2015 [a]list Video summit now to secure your space…

 

Google Lets Users Buy Products Through YouTube

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Google is always trying to think of new ways to boost the eCommerce side of its business, in the hopes of luring new advertising partners and gaining interest from an outside audience. Today, it found a new method when it comes to reaching out to that audience – its own video channel, YouTube.

Re/Code is reporting that Google will soon introduce the ability to purchase items directly through watching YouTube videos, through its effective TrueView advertising service. With it, users simply need to click on a “Buy” button that appears with a coordinating product, something that’s sure to allure a number of new advertisers.

Google is set to introduce the new service during an ads conference next week in San Francisco, headed by the senior vice president for ads and commerce, Sridhar Ramaswamy.

The links will appear with ads within YouTube videos, although users will still have the option to occasionally skip over them if they just want to get to their content.

Those that do click on the ads, however, won’t be whisked away to another page. Instead, a small panel will appear on the side of the video, with a number of options when it comes to shopping. Once they find the product they want, consumers can simply click on the link and be taken to a coordinating site where they can purchase said item. This will apply to both desktop and mobile users across the board.

Google has indicated that this service does not mean that purchases can be made directly through the YouTube site – again, secondary links are provided to pages where they can be bought. But, this works for both the company and the advertiser, as they both benefit from a final purchase.

It’ll be interesting to see how this applies once it fully launches – and how well users will accept it depending on their video browsing needs – but Google feels it will be an effective method for selling products, while not interrupting the flow of the site itself. Time will tell, at this rate – but it’s certainly worth a try.

‘Splatoon’ Gets Big Marketing Push From Nintendo

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We have previously spoken about Splatoon, the latest game from Nintendo, discussing how it was an approachable shooter for all ages, complete with single player and multiplayer components. Now, Nintendo’s preparing to push this new IP on the same level as many of its popular titles, including Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8, two of the Wii U’s bigger hits.

MCV UK reported on the promotional campaign earlier today, with Nintendo UK marketing manager Chandra Nail explaining that the company is very confident in this new franchise, which could be a big hit.

The game has already seen a number of promotions, including digital billboards, co-sponsorship with Cartoon Network programming, and a digital campaign that kicked off last month. TV ads have been popping up as well, and Nintendo recently hosted a special event in Santa Monica, where actor James Marsden (The D Train) and others participated in paint-splattering activities.

In addition, more activities are being planned through the summer, including promotional tour stops and a Splatoon-themed skate park opening in Corby sometime this year.

“We have a substantial campaign planned for Splatoon,” said Nair, talking with MCV. “To give you an idea of the scale, we’re matching Mario Kart 8 – that’s the potential we think Splatoon has.

“We have the utmost confidence in the potential of Splatoon. It gives retailers a fantastic art style that stands out in-store or on-screen and it also offers various up-sell opportunities with the accompanying Amiibo. It’s a really interesting game for us because it allows us to expand out to a group of people who may never have considered Wii U before.”

In addition to the game’s release, Nintendo is also planning a special Wii U bundle that includes the title, as well as various Amiibo releases that unlock bonus items within the game. They’re all due to arrive next week when the game releases on May 29.

From a personal point of view, Splatoon is a lot of fun – and a great shooter for kids that want to get all of the action, while relieving parents of the worry of bloodshed and carnage. The other thing that gets splattered here are the walls – and the floors and, well, everything else. Bring on the paint!

Check out Splatoon in action in the trailer below.