Harnessing the Power of Engagement in Mobile Gaming

With interactive entertainment core to what today’s consumers turn to for fun, mobile games offer brands what is most scarce in a fragmented media environment: attention. Marketers from Zynga and e.l.f. Beauty joined Adweek’s Elevate: Mobile Gaming event to talk about how they drove KPIs by leveraging the interactivity of mobile games. The changing face of gaming As more people turn to mobile games for an engaging escape—80% of survey respondents revealed they game to get a break from reality, and 75% do so because it makes them happy. The “gamer” demographic is also changing. “Brands can reach all audiences through gaming,” Gabrielle Heyman, head of global ad sales at Zynga said. “Although gaming may be Gen Z’s number one entertainment activity, every generation games." Using engagement to drive conversions Gaming is a two-way, interactive form of entertainment, from weaving brand messages into gameplay to creating direct relationships with consumers. Gaming allows brands to reach consumers while they have a relaxed attitude and they’re enjoying what they’re playing—making it much more effective than reaching a consumer by disrupting their favorite show with a 30-second ad. Log in to Elevate: Mobile Gaming “In an environment where there is gaming, and there’s a two-way conversation, gamers will happily engage with brands inside of games,” Heyman said. “When a brand comes in and helps a gamer become more successful in their game and be able to win more, it really impacts people’s memory and perception of that brand.” Choosing authentic partners Although e.l.f. Beauty entering the gaming space may seem mismatched to some, Patrick O’Keefe, vice president of integrated marketing communications, said the brand saw it as the perfect opportunity to expand. “Twitch appealed to us as a white space—we saw it as an opportunity to appeal to women on the platform,” he said. “We wanted to create and shape how beauty showed up on the platform. It’s an interactive platform. We love that we can chat, we can learn, we can engage, to showcase the brand in a different light.” When e.l.f. Beauty took the leap into the gaming space, O’Keefe said they knew they needed to find a partner who could help communicate e.l.f.’s brand values in authentic and meaningful ways. “When we were looking for a partner, Loserfruit, the number two woman gamer in the world, really resonated with the brand. She had the same ideals, the same values and she really was a big part of identifying us as a brand and moving us forward.” O’Keefe said the next step to a successful partnership is listening to the partner’s firsthand feedback. “Find your right streamers and environment and take their feedback on how they think they can integrate you most effectively, and get started,” he said.

Mobile Gaming

Harnessing the Power of Engagement in Mobile Gaming

e.l.f. Beauty and Zynga talk winning strategies for engagement with gaming

The changing face of gaming

Alexandra Bower

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The changing face of gaming

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Alexandra Bower