Unpacking the holistic benefits of in-game advertising effectiveness
Imagine stepping into a world where your audience doesn’t just watch—they play, engage, and thrive, with ads seamlessly woven into a journey where every choice, challenge, and reward pulls players deeper into the action.
With the global gaming market projected to grow from $396 billion in 2023 to $503 billion by 2025, in-game advertising offers brands an unparalleled opportunity to become part of the experience, engaging more than 2.6 billion players worldwide with immersive, interactive campaigns.
In this article, we’ll set the stage for DISQO’s upcoming In-Game Advertising report, exploring how gaming’s unique engagement model—powered by advanced measurement, targeting insights, and incentive-based interactivity—is redefining how brands connect with their audiences to drive meaningful results.
1. How gaming insights can fuel smarter ad strategies
2. Harnessing immersive, reward-driven advertising
3. Driving revenue and consumer purchases
5. What this means for advertisers
6. What this means for gaming companies
How gaming insights can fuel smarter ad strategies
Gaming is a rich ecosystem with insights brands can use to unlock precise targeting and enhance ad effectiveness. With a solid measurement foundation, advertisers can uncover a detailed picture of players’ interests, motivations, and behaviors, in addition to their device, console, and game preferences.
By matching the right device, game, and creative strategy, brands can drive conversions while nurturing long-term relationships. This level of granularity helps replace outdated assumptions with actionable insights, allowing advertisers to craft media plans grounded in real-time data through robust measurement.
This precision pays off. More than half of Gen Z (58%) and Millennials (56%) report they’re likely to consider purchasing from brands that advertise in the games they enjoy.
In addition, gaming’s diverse audience of men (83%) and women (75%) across ages reinforces that there’s a game for everyone, making it much more than a youth-oriented strategy. This breadth allows advertisers to create highly tailored campaigns that align with distinct player values, interests, and lifestyles.
From aligning ads with specific income levels to crafting interactive stories that resonate across age groups, gaming offers unparalleled opportunities to connect personally and meaningfully.
Harnessing immersive, reward-driven advertising
Gaming presents an unmatched opportunity for immersive ad experiences when paired with a robust measurement foundation. Players are embedded in interactive worlds where attention is focused and engagement feels organic. Unlike other forms of media where multitasking can divide focus, gaming commands a lean-in commitment.
This environment provides brands with a rare opportunity to create ad experiences that feel less like promotions and more like game extensions. Executed with an understanding of what your audience plays and why, these integrations elevate gameplay, making ads a seamless part of the narrative.
A key driver of this success is the rise of reward-based advertising. Data shows that 43% of Gen Z gamers agree, and 24% strongly agree that these ads enhance their experience. These aren’t traditional ads; they’re incentives embedded within the gaming journey, offering tangible value in exchange for attention.
Whether unlocking a new level, earning virtual currency, or gaining exclusive in-game items, reward-based ads tap into gaming’s intrinsic motivators: achievement, progress, and fun. This makes them particularly effective at capturing attention while fostering goodwill toward the brand.
But the impact goes beyond player satisfaction. Reward-based formats allow brands to counter the common ad fatigue in other digital channels. By creating moments that feel like rewards rather than interruptions, brands build trust and resonance with players.
For advertisers, this is about more than adopting a one-size-fits-all strategy. It’s about crafting bespoke, game-specific integrations that align with player behavior and preferences. The result? Ads that don’t just fit into the game but actively enhance it, turning brand interactions into memorable gameplay moments that players value.
Driving revenue and consumer purchases
Beyond engagement and driving brand affinity through reward-based placements, in-game ads are potent drivers of consumer purchases. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of gamers report making a purchase after encountering an in-game ad, putting these rates on par with traditional digital channels.
For advertisers, the formula lies in understanding player preferences and aligning ad content with the most relevant products. Advertisers should seamlessly align their products with daily needs and lifestyle aspirations.
When players see ads for products they value—like their favorite automotive brand integrated into a virtual setting or apparel that reflects their real-world style—the transition from virtual engagement to real-world action feels natural, enhancing relevance and trust.
These cultural and emotional spaces hold deep meaning, with players investing significant time, attention, and identity. When brands show up authentically within these spaces, they become part of the player’s journey, fostering trust and emotional resonance that can drive real purchase intent.
What this means for brands
The gaming world allows brands to connect with diversely distinct audiences and enter new markets, moving beyond traditional brand visibility to create deeper, loyalty-driven connections with customers
What this means for advertisers
As a pillar of holistic cross-channel strategies, in-game advertising has the potential to drive purchase intent through interactive brand experiences that exceed what other passive channels can achieve.
What this means for gaming companies
There is an opportunity to unlock new revenue streams by seamlessly integrating brands into immersive gaming ecosystems, enhancing the player experience while driving meaningful results for advertisers.
Stay tuned for what’s to come
For brands, agencies, and gaming publishers, the message is clear: gaming isn’t just another channel—it’s an ecosystem where creativity, strategy, and player insights converge to redefine what advertising can achieve.
DISQO's upcoming In-Game Advertising report presents insights for brands and advertisers starting or continuing their journey into in-game advertising. We’ll break down actionable steps and current audience trends in the data to help you seamlessly integrate gaming into your broader media strategy to maximize impact.
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