SocialPeta

Research

25 documents

Documents

Insight into 2024 Marketing Trends for Japanese Mobile Games

The Japanese mobile gaming market is characterized by a conservative but highly specialized marketing landscape, where local companies maintain a dominant revenue position. Analysis of data from 2023 reveals that Japan’s share of advertisers using new creatives (62.23%) and the overall volume of new creatives (29.77%) sit significantly below global averages. Despite this lower turnover, the market remains lucrative, with Japanese firms controlling nine of the top ten spots for revenue on the App Store. Chinese developers represent the most significant foreign presence, accounting for 30% of the top 100 grossing titles. Marketing strategies in the region rely heavily on cultural integration and long-term player retention. Key findings highlight the importance of pre-registration campaigns, which utilize tiered rewards ranging from in-game currency to physical prizes like consoles. Anniversary and half-anniversary celebrations are critical milestones used to reactivate lapsed users and boost revenue through exclusive content. Furthermore, cross-industry collaborations with popular anime, film, and music IPs serve as a primary driver for market expansion and community engagement. Creative trends are distinctively localized, featuring "over-exposure" visual filters, text-heavy layouts, and manga-style storyboards. Video ads are the dominant format, making up nearly 70% of mobile game creatives. Recent successful campaigns, such as those for Legend of Mushroom and Saint Seiya: Legend of Justice, demonstrate the effectiveness of using local celebrity endorsements, nostalgic IP elements, and AI-generated imagery to target specific demographics like the "Otaku" segment. The data, compiled by SocialPeta, draws from a global database of 1.4 billion ad creatives across 70 countries and 70 ad channels, including Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. While casual and puzzle games lead in advertiser volume, RPGs remain the highest-grossing genre, accounting for 32% of the top 100 revenue-generating games on Google Play.

marketing advertising user-acquisition+2

SocialPetaJan 2024

Report

Insights into Marketing Trends of Global Mobile Games: Q3 2023

The analysis focuses on contemporary marketing dynamics within the global mobile gaming sector, emphasizing how creative diversification and platform targeting shape user acquisition performance. In the third quarter of 2023, a leading animal‑themed strategy‑lite game launched by a major publisher introduced an extensive creative slate, deploying 6,500 distinct ad assets across major ad networks. Notably, 85 % of these assets were brand‑new, reflecting a deliberate strategy to refresh visual and messaging elements at scale. This high proportion of novel creatives aligns with broader industry observations that frequent creative turnover mitigates ad fatigue and sustains click‑through rates in highly competitive markets. The data underscores the importance of deduplication processes in large‑scale campaigns, ensuring that each impression reaches a unique audience segment while preserving measurement integrity. By tracking deduplicated impressions, the campaign achieved a more accurate assessment of reach and cost efficiency, revealing that fresh creative assets can improve cost‑per‑install (CPI) benchmarks by up to 12 % compared with static creative pools. These findings suggest that investment in creative production pipelines and rapid iteration cycles yields measurable returns, especially for mid‑core titles competing for attention in saturated regions such as North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Overall, the evidence points to a shifting paradigm where creative volume and novelty become critical levers for growth in the mobile gaming ecosystem. Publishers that integrate systematic creative testing, maintain high rates of new asset introduction, and employ rigorous deduplication are better positioned to optimize acquisition spend, extend campaign longevity, and capture incremental market share across diverse geographic territories during the 2023 fiscal period.

marketing advertising user-acquisition+2

SocialPetaSept 2023

Report

Insights into Marketing Trends of Global Mobile Games

Global mobile game marketing reached a pivotal turning point in the second quarter of 2023, characterized by a record-breaking surge in creative volume. Over 9.3 million new creatives entered the market, representing nearly three-quarters of all active advertisements. While casual games maintained the largest share of advertisers at over 30%, RPG and Casino genres experienced the most aggressive growth in creative output. Geographically, Southeast Asia emerged as a primary hub for advertising density, leading the world in monthly creatives per advertiser, while the Middle East solidified its status as a high-growth market where strategy games command significant revenue shares. The industry is increasingly adopting "Casual + X" hybrid models and integrating AI-generated content, ASMR, and short-video memes to mitigate rising user acquisition costs. Financial data reveals a stark contrast in installation costs between platforms, with iOS casual game installs costing $2.23 compared to $0.63 on Android, yet both platforms achieved a comparable seven-day return on ad spend of approximately 7.7%. This parity suggests that despite higher upfront costs, the quality of users on premium platforms remains consistent with broader market performance. Market leaders like Honkai: Star Rail and MONOPOLY GO! demonstrated the efficacy of high-frequency creative refreshes, with new assets comprising over 60% of their total advertising portfolios. These titles leveraged distinct psychological hooks, ranging from influencer-driven user-generated content to social-casual mechanics, to achieve rapid global penetration. Notably, these aggressive marketing strategies allowed Honkai: Star Rail to surpass Genshin Impact in overseas revenue during the quarter, signaling a shift toward more dynamic, content-heavy advertising cycles across the global mobile landscape.

marketing advertising user-acquisition+2

SocialPetaJun 2023

Report

Insights into Marketing Trends of Global Mobile Apps

The global mobile app marketing landscape in the first half of 2023 was defined by intense competition and a decisive shift toward dynamic content. Over 93% of the approximately 170,000 active advertisers launched new creatives during this period, with emerging markets in Africa and South Asia exhibiting the highest creative density. Android emerged as the primary platform for this activity, accounting for over 70% of total creatives. Video content has solidified its dominance, representing 45% of total ad impressions globally and reaching as high as 72% in the Middle East, while traditional static image performance continues to decline. Sector-specific trends highlight a massive AI-driven boom in tool apps, which saw year-over-year advertiser growth exceeding 100% across all tracked regions. While entertainment and social apps continue to lead in revenue and downloads across North America and Southeast Asia, the Middle East has surfaced as a high-potential market characterized by a young demographic and high digital engagement. In contrast, the reading app sector has reached a stage of maturity, relying on high creative refresh rates and established intellectual properties to sustain market share in an increasingly crowded environment. Technological innovation, particularly in Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality, is fundamentally altering user engagement. AI-integrated tools and "Social+" entertainment platforms are attracting heavy investment in Tier-1 markets, while AR is transitioning from a novelty to a core marketing medium. With over 300 million daily AR users already active on major social platforms, projections suggest that nearly 75% of the global population will be regular AR users by 2025. This shift is driven by the high visual attention and trust associated with immersive formats, which offer significantly higher receptivity compared to traditional digital advertising methods.

marketing advertising global+1

SocialPetaJan 2023

Whitepaper

Global Mobile Game & App (Non‑Game) Marketing White Paper 2022

The global mobile landscape in 2022 was defined by a 17.5% year-on-year increase in quarterly advertisers despite a 16% decline in total creative volume. This shift indicates a transition toward more dynamic, high-frequency marketing strategies, with over 90% of advertisers launching new creatives each quarter. While North America maintained the largest advertiser base, markets in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan exhibited the highest creative output per advertiser. Android remained the dominant platform for volume, often doubling the creative output of iOS, though iOS advertisers grew to represent 40% of the market by year-end. The gaming sector experienced a notable decoupling of engagement and monetization. Genres such as strategy, simulation, and casual games saw year-over-year download growth ranging from 8% to 10%, yet simultaneously faced revenue declines between 9% and 16%. To combat rising user acquisition costs and falling revenues, developers increasingly adopted "Casual + X" strategies. This trend involved integrating hyper-casual mini-games—such as "save the dog" puzzles or line-drawing mechanics—into the marketing funnels of complex RPG and strategy titles to lower costs and broaden appeal. Hybrid-casual titles also emerged as a significant force, utilizing Roguelike mechanics and high-volume video ads to bridge the gap between traditional casual play and deeper monetization. In the non-game sector, advertising activity peaked in the fourth quarter, driven largely by utility tools, shopping, and educational applications. Video content remained the primary medium, accounting for over 70% of creatives across most global regions. Major players like TikTok and Duolingo maintained market leadership through exceptionally high creative refresh rates, often exceeding 95% new content. Regionally, Southeast Asia and Turkey showed a heavy reliance on Android and localized "big hit" formulas, while the United States and Japan remained the primary drivers of global revenue. Looking forward, the industry is shifting toward story-centric strategies and user-generated content to navigate a privacy-first environment. With the implementation of SKAdNetwork 4.0 and the impending Android Privacy Sandbox, marketers are moving away from granular user-level targeting in favor of Media Mix Modeling. The prevailing conclusion is that long-term lifetime value and diversified monetization models are now essential to offset rising platform costs and tightening media budgets.

marketing market-analysis global+1

SocialPetaJan 2023

Report

Q1 2023 Insights into Global Mobile Game Marketing Trends

The global mobile game marketing landscape in early 2023 is characterized by a strategic pivot toward high-quality video content and localized engagement strategies. While the number of monthly active advertisers grew by 15% to over 160,000, the volume of new creative assets declined by 16%, signaling an industry-wide shift from quantity to quality. Android remains the primary platform for advertising, accounting for nearly 70% of total ad volume. Casual games continue to lead the market in both advertiser density and creative volume, though strategy and simulation genres are experiencing the most significant growth in advertiser participation. Marketing tactics have become increasingly sophisticated to combat rising acquisition costs and shifting consumer habits. Video content now comprises over 80% of all ad creatives, frequently utilizing "mini-game" mechanics, playable ads, and "deliberate failure" tropes to drive engagement. In the strategy sector, which is projected to see a 6.42% compound annual growth rate through 2027, developers are increasingly integrating casual gameplay elements into their marketing to broaden appeal. Conversely, the RPG market has cooled, experiencing its first revenue decline of 16% in 2022, leading advertisers in this space to rely more heavily on celebrity endorsements and gacha-related incentives. Geographic trends reveal a stark contrast in regional preferences and growth trajectories. North America maintains the highest advertiser density, while Southeast Asia and the Middle East are emerging as high-growth hubs, with Southeast Asian revenue projected to nearly double between 2020 and 2023. Regional success depends heavily on localization, such as TikTok-driven tournament content in Southeast Asia and social-integrated voice features in the Middle East. While puzzle games offer the most cost-effective advertising in the United States, the casino and simulation sectors are finding success in South America and global markets through relaxing creative themes and slots-focused advertising.

marketing advertising mobile+2

SocialPetaJan 2023

Report

Mobile Game Marketing: Insights & Trends of Popular Game Genres Q3 2022

The analysis examines mobile‑game marketing dynamics during the third quarter of 2022, concentrating on the performance of leading genres and the geographic distribution of traffic and revenue. By comparing download activity, user engagement, and monetisation across regions, it identifies where growth opportunities are emerging and which markets continue to dominate the ecosystem. Casual games recorded only modest increases in downloads, adding roughly five million installs versus the previous quarter and less than one percent year‑on‑year growth. Despite the limited acquisition surge, daily‑active‑user and monthly‑active‑user ratios remained stable, while revenue climbed seven percent year‑on‑year, an uplift of about thirty million dollars. The United States accounted for the largest share of earnings, generating more than $250 million—46 percent of total casual‑game revenue—and posted an eleven‑percent increase over the prior year. Meanwhile, less‑developed markets showed accelerating expansion, signalling untapped monetisation potential. Regionally, North America retained its position as the primary source of mobile‑game traffic, delivering a five‑percent year‑on‑year rise in downloads and a modest one‑percent quarter‑on‑quarter gain. Southeast Asia emerged as the fastest‑growing market, with download growth of eleven percent year‑on‑year and twelve percent quarter‑on‑quarter, underscoring its role as a catalyst for user‑base expansion. The contrast between the mature, revenue‑rich U.S. market and the rapidly scaling Southeast Asian audience highlights divergent strategic imperatives for acquisition versus monetisation. Overall, the findings suggest that while casual‑game revenue remains anchored by the United States, future growth will be driven by intensified marketing efforts in emerging regions, particularly Southeast Asia. Companies that balance retention‑focused tactics in established markets with aggressive user‑acquisition campaigns in high‑growth territories are likely to optimise both short‑term earnings and long‑term audience development.

marketing advertising market-analysis+2

SocialPetaSept 2022

Report

2022 Israeli Mobile Game Market Report

The 2022 Israeli mobile‑game market is portrayed as a rapidly expanding sector that now commands a global presence, with the analysis aiming to quantify its economic weight, identify the drivers behind its growth, and assess its competitive standing worldwide. In 2022 the market generated roughly nine billion dollars in revenue, supported by about two hundred development studios employing fourteen thousand people. Social and casual titles dominate both investment flows and install numbers, while action, strategy and hyper‑casual games lead in downloads and earnings, exemplified by hits such as Coin Master, PUBG Mobile and Fill the Fridge!. The surge was accelerated by the COVID‑19 pandemic, which deepened user engagement and boosted in‑app purchases, turning mobile gaming into a habitual pastime for a broad audience. Leading Israeli publishers—Playtika, Plarium, Moon Active and Crazy Labs—have leveraged this momentum to become global players, delivering diversified portfolios that span social, casino, RPG and simulation genres and consistently ranking among the world’s top‑performing titles. Beyond domestic performance, the study highlights divergent creative advertising formats across key international markets. U.S. campaigns favor live‑action influencer videos, Japanese ads emphasize character artwork, voice acting and gacha‑driven narratives, while South Korean promotions adopt their own distinct stylistic approaches. These regional preferences underscore the importance of tailored marketing strategies for Israeli developers seeking to expand beyond their home market.

market-analysis israel mobile+1

SocialPetaJul 2022

Whitepaper

Global White Paper on Mobile Advertising & Marketing Game H1 2022

The first half of 2022 saw a contraction across the mobile‑app advertising ecosystem, with the total number of advertisers falling 5.79 % to a historic low of roughly 83 400 and creative volume dropping 27 % to 40 million assets. This downward pressure was most pronounced among mobile‑game advertisers, whose pool shrank to about 83 000 in January, while non‑game categories such as shopping apps retained the largest share of spend (≈12.5 % of advertisers and 17.2 % of creatives). Regional variation was stark: Europe and North America dominated non‑game advertising, whereas the Asia‑Pacific region, excluding China, was the only market with a net increase in advertisers. Mobile‑game advertising displayed divergent cost dynamics. The United States and Japan posted the highest average CPMs at $27.54 and $25.93 respectively, with iOS campaigns costing roughly 15 % more than Android. Female users and the 55‑64 age cohort commanded a 13 % premium on impressions, while South Korea recorded the peak CPI at $13.90. Playable ads delivered the lowest CPI but suffered the weakest return on ad spend, whereas banner formats generated the strongest ROAS. Strategy titles leaned heavily on video‑only creatives (>90 %) and began integrating casual‑puzzle mechanics to broaden appeal; interest in emerging formats remained modest, with only 16 % of players expressing curiosity about NFTs and 32 % about metaverse features. Creative strategies are shifting toward motivation‑driven, user‑centric formats such as rewarded video and playable ads to counter post‑IDFA fragmentation. Narrative‑driven ads are proving effective for simulation games targeting female audiences, delivering $12 million in revenue across key Western markets. AR‑enhanced placements on platforms like Snapchat achieve double the attention and 1.7 × the immersion of standard formats, while friend‑based recommendations outperform celebrity influencers by a factor of four. Regional opportunities are emerging in Tier‑2/3 India through vernacular campaigns and OEM inventory, and Turkey’s

marketing advertising in-game-advertising+2

SocialPetaJan 2022

Whitepaper

Mobile Game Advertising Ultimate Guide: 2022

The global mobile gaming landscape in 2022 reflects a period of stabilization and strategic evolution following the rapid growth seen in previous years. Market analysis indicates a significant shift in advertiser behavior, with a 17.5% year-over-year increase in the total number of mobile game advertisers, reaching approximately 160,000 globally. However, while the volume of advertisers has grown, the average duration of creative materials has shortened, suggesting a more competitive and fast-paced environment where user attention is increasingly difficult to capture. Casual games continue to dominate the market in terms of sheer volume, accounting for nearly 30% of all active advertisers, while hard-core genres like RPGs and SLGs maintain the highest average advertising spend per user due to their high lifetime value. Geographically, North America remains the most expensive region for user acquisition, with average Cost Per Click (CPC) and Cost Per Mille (CPM) rates significantly outstripping those in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Despite these costs, North America and Europe provide the highest return on ad spend for mid-core and hard-core titles. Emerging markets, particularly in Southeast Asia, show the highest growth potential for casual and hyper-casual titles, driven by increasing smartphone penetration and a massive influx of new mobile gamers. Data collected from over 80 global advertising platforms reveals that video ads remain the most effective format, representing over 70% of total creative output, though playable ads are seeing increased adoption for their superior conversion rates in the puzzle and simulation categories. Creative strategies have pivoted toward "misleading" or "minigame" style advertisements to lower acquisition costs, alongside a rising trend in high-quality 3D cinematic trailers for high-budget titles. Successful campaigns increasingly rely on localized content that respects cultural nuances, particularly in the East Asian markets of Japan and South Korea. The integration of live-action influencers and user-generated content styles has also proven effective in building trust and authenticity. Ultimately, the industry is moving toward a data-driven creative approach where rapid iteration and multi-platform testing are essential for maintaining visibility in a saturated digital marketplace.

advertising market-analysis user-acquisition+1

SocialPetaJan 2022

Whitepaper

2022 Global White Paper on Mobile Advertising & Marketing Game

The global mobile market in the first half of 2022 underwent a significant transition, characterized by a contraction in total advertising volume alongside a strategic pivot toward high-quality, video-centric content. While the total number of advertisers and ad creatives declined year-over-year, emerging markets in the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia experienced robust growth. This period saw a sharp rise in advertising costs, with the average CPM reaching $19.31 and the United States and South Korea emerging as the most expensive regions for user acquisition. Casual and puzzle games dominated the advertising landscape by volume, yet RPGs and strategy titles commanded the highest revenue and advertising spend. A notable trend involved mid-core developers utilizing "lightweight" or drama-based video creatives to lower entry barriers for broader audiences. Video formats now constitute over 86% of all creatives, with interactive AR filters and short-form content on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok challenging the traditional dominance of Meta. In the non-gaming sector, shopping and finance apps led in advertiser activity, while reading apps produced the highest volume of individual creatives. The industry faced headwinds from Apple’s IDFA privacy changes, prompting a shift toward "motivation-based" creative strategies and localized global launches, particularly by Chinese firms seeking relief from domestic regulatory pressures. Despite rising costs and a 27% drop in creative volume, the market remains dynamic, driven by the expansion of esports, cross-platform play, and a growing consumer interest in the metaverse. Success is increasingly defined by down-funnel conversion optimization and the use of immersive, emotionally resonant storytelling to engage diverse global demographics.

advertising marketing market-analysis+2

SocialPetaJan 2022

SocialPeta

Documents

Insight into 2024 Marketing Trends for Japanese Mobile Games

Insights into Marketing Trends of Global Mobile Games: Q3 2023

Insights into Marketing Trends of Global Mobile Games

Insights into Marketing Trends of Global Mobile Apps

Global Mobile Game & App (Non‑Game) Marketing White Paper 2022

Q1 2023 Insights into Global Mobile Game Marketing Trends

Mobile Game Marketing: Insights & Trends of Popular Game Genres Q3 2022

2022 Israeli Mobile Game Market Report

Global White Paper on Mobile Advertising & Marketing Game H1 2022

Mobile Game Advertising Ultimate Guide: 2022

2022 Global White Paper on Mobile Advertising & Marketing Game

White Paper on Global Mobile Games