Interview

Brand video ad network HyprMX questions, Why are you advertising your rivals' games?

Time to turn off UA ads?

Brand video ad network HyprMX questions, Why are you advertising your rivals' games?

Over the past 12 months, video ads have been a key driver of value and user acquisition in the mobile games space.

Companies such as AdColony (bought by Opera), Flurry (bought by Yahoo!) and Vungle have led the way.

But there's still plenty of opportunity says Dan Laughlin.

Recruited from Flurry, he's now VP, business development at New York-based HyprMX.

Like those other companies, it's a mobile video ad network. Unlike those other companies, however, it only carries incentivised brand advertising.

"One key difference with brand advertising is that we're not advertising your competitors' games in your game," Laughlin points out.

"I think the fact people do this is a sign of the immature nature of the medium."

Take control

Of course, working with big brands is a much harder thing to accomplish than working with the deep pockets of UA-hungry game companies like Supercell, Kabam and Machine Zone.

We're not advertising your competitors' games in your game.
Dan Laughlin

HyprMX has demonstrate it's gaining traction, though, running campaigns from Fortune 500 companies such as Audi, Home Depot, McDonalds, Dove and AT&T.

"These companies are looking for scale. They know that mobile can offer them an engaged audience and they like video because it takes over the screen," Laughlin says.

Of course, the ability to target users via geography, gender, age etc adds another dimension, with the incentivised aspects ensures players have control and a positive attitude.

Laughlin says the result is that not only do publishers who are using HyprMX avoid tempting their players with rival games, the value of each ad shown is higher.

"For games, you might get 1-2 cents per ad, but a brand will offer 3-4 cents." he explains.

"We're seeing brands spending $250,000 to $500,000 on their campaigns."

Generation next

It's this sort of spending power combined with concerns about UA that's Laughlin says is driving a sea change in mobile advertising

For example, companies such as Gameloft have stopped running game adverts from other companies, while King famously pulled all in-game advertising in 2013.

"The UA part of the market is the majority and still growing, but that growth is slowing," Laughlin argues.

"The main growth is now coming from brand advertising, and I think over time this will create a new level of monetisation for publishers."


Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.