Debunking 9 myths about advertising in gaming

While gaming is becoming an increasingly established part of the media mix, myths still persist that need to be addressed in order to fully unlock spend growth. Here, members of IAB UK’s Gaming Group, draw on the evidence to challenge some of the misconceptions about in-game ads.  

Melinda Spence, Head of Insights & Measurement, Activision Blizzard Media 

Myth 1: Players don’t like advertising within gaming environments 

• Certain player segments are highly receptive to in-game ads, especially when they are well-integrated and non-intrusive. For example, 86% of all players engage with mobile gaming weekly, indicating they encounter and accept in-game ads frequently 

• Gamers appreciate ads that offer rewards, showing that well-designed advertisements can enhance the gaming experience rather than detract from it 

• After more? Take a look at Activision Blizzard Media’s report ‘Addressed by: The Many Ways We Play: A New View of Game Players’ 

Myth 2: Advertising in games is always seen as an interruption 

• When executed well, ads can enhance the gaming experience. For instance, ads that are integrated into the game or provide rewards are appreciated by players 

• Ads that are non-intrusive and add value to the gaming experience, such as through rewards or seamless integration, are well-received by gamers 

• After more? Take a look at Activision Blizzard Media’s report ‘Addressed by: Premium by Design - Defining Premium Gaming Experiences’ 

Myth 3: Mobile games cannot deliver premium gameplay experiences              

• The majority of players, including those who primarily play on PCs or consoles, consider mobile games to be high quality. Specifically, 73% of players view mobile games as premium experiences 

• Players associate premium mobile games with fun, satisfaction, relaxation, imagination, and competition, showing that mobile games can meet high standards of gameplay 

• After more? Take a look at Activision Blizzard Media’s report Addressed by: Premium by Design - Defining Premium Gaming Experiences 

Nerissa Macdonald, EVP Global Sales, Anzu 

Myth 4: I can just take ad creatives from other digital channels and use them in gaming 

• To make meaningful connections with players, you must understand and respect the gaming environment and strike the right balance between captivating attention and blending naturally into the gameplay 

• Following more than five of the IAB’s creative best practices for intrinsic in-game ads enhances brand lift performance across eight out of 10 brand metrics. This is especially notable for crucial lower-funnel metrics, which directly influence the bottom line 

Myth 5: The gaming environment is not brand-safe 

• Thanks to recent technological innovations; guidance and best practices from industry bodies including the IAB and MRC; advanced reporting; trusted vendors now operating in the space; and brand safety filters and sophisticated targeting; intrinsic in-game advertising offers brands a way to advertise in-game that offers the same, and in many cases higher, levels of brand safety than other digital channels 

• Intrinsic in-game advertising has much lower fraud rates than other digital ads due to the complex 3D gaming environments. For example, Comscore found Anzu’s overall IVT score for video is 0.39%, and for display is 0.44% vs. a 6% mobile average for video and display 

 
Rohan Premnath, Commercial Lead, EMEA, Odeeo 

Myth 6: Gaming is only good for top-of-funnel campaigns 

• In-game advertising can be effective for full-funnel marketing efforts. Depending on the placement and strategy, brands can find in-game activations that drive awareness, brand engagement, or bottom-funnel conversion. Custom immersive experiences or non-interruptive formats like audio can be great for awareness and consideration, and rewarded formats (video or audio) can help incentivise actions 

Myth 7: Gaming is only appropriate for endemic brands 

• Due to the diverse audiences reached by games, all categories of brands can benefit and drive results. When it comes to the reach and scale of mobile for example, brands across FMCG, QSR, and even telcos see strong results by activating in-game 

Mike Murphy O' Reilly, Global Head of Partnerships, Dexerto  

Myth 8: There is a single 'gaming audience' 

• Different games can have substantially different player demographics. From gender splits, age ranges and even geographically where players are located can differ from game to game 

• By starting with your brand/clients target audience, can help to inform marketers of the right games to work with instead of being led by the 'biggest games'  

• For example; the majority of Roblox users are under 16 years old, with 82% of the audience being under 25, if your product or service is targeting people aged 25-34 then it may be worth looking at different game audiences to advertise to where the majority of your target demographic will be playing 

Myth 9: I always need to be planning around the latest big game releases 

• Planning for new releases - that can be tricky! In January 2021 the hit game Among Us had just over 300m daily active users, by May 2021, that number had fallen just over 80% 

• Some of the biggest games played and watched in 2024 are years, even decades old. Games such as Grand Theft Auto, League of Legends, Counterstrike, DOTA are all highly popular games played across the world with thriving communities, creators, fans and moments built around the IP 

• Having a gaming strategy in place that allows brands to both tap into ‘always on’ popular games, whilst being reactive to new releases and bigger moments can be an incredibly powerful way for brands to leverage the gaming cultural zeitgeist and be remembered