How playable ads are expanding beyond gaming to transform every industry

• 46% of advertisers report playable ads the most exciting format.
• average engagement rates between 15% to 30%.
• HTML5 playable ads lightweight, flexible and support multiple platforms.
• GeeMee enables deployment across games, e-commerce, finance, entertainment and social.

This article originally appeared on GeeMee's own website.

The digital advertising landscape is witnessing a revolutionary shift as playable ads evolve from their gaming origins to become a universal engagement tool across industries.

What once was exclusively the domain of games has now emerged as a powerful advertising format that's reshaping how brands connect with consumers across finance, retail, entertainment, and beyond.

From gaming roots to universal appeal

Playable ads first gained prominence in the mobile gaming industry, where developers used interactive previews to showcase gameplay mechanics and drive app installs.

The format proved incredibly effective, with seven out of 10 advertisers reporting them as effective and 46% deeming them the most exciting ad unit, according to AdColony research.

However, forward-thinking brands quickly recognised that the core principles behind playable ads could be applied far beyond gaming. These principles include interactivity, immediate value delivery, and hands-on experience.

The shift represents more than just format adaptation; it's a fundamental reimagining of how brands can create meaningful consumer touchpoints.

According to IAB Playable Ads for Brands Playbook, playable ads achieve average engagement rates between 15% and 30%, meaning roughly one in five consumers actively chooses to interact with these experiences. This level of voluntary engagement signals a profound change in consumer expectations and behaviour.

Real-world success across industries

Leading brands across various sectors have already demonstrated playable ads' cross-industry potential. New Balance leveraged interactive experiences to engage 13-24 year-olds with their Fresh Foam sneaker line, achieving over 20 seconds of average engagement time and a 5% click-through rate. This dramatically outperformed the industry standard of 0.05% for display ads.

In the consumer packaged goods sector, Kraft Lunchables partnered with TreSensa to create an interactive experience that seamlessly integrated product elements into mobile-first gameplay. The campaign utilized looped animations to guide users into immediate engagement, demonstrating how playable ads can transform everyday products into compelling mobile experiences that resonate with younger demographics.

The fashion retail industry has shown remarkable success with mobile-optimised playable campaigns. Hollister implemented a value exchange model within mobile gaming environments, where users earned in-game rewards through brand interaction. This approach achieved exceptional engagement by providing immediate value to users while creating positive brand associations. The campaign's multi-option end card offering "shop now," "play again," or "share socially" perfectly captured the mobile user's desire for choice and control.

The technology behind cross-industry success

The expansion of playable ads beyond gaming has been enabled by significant technological advances. Modern playable ads are predominantly built in HTML5, making them lightweight, flexible, and compatible across multiple platforms and devices. The IAB's Mobile Rich Media Ad Interface Definitions (3.0) ensures consistent performance and seamless integration across different mobile environments.

Advanced machine learning algorithms now power sophisticated personalisation capabilities, analysing user behaviour in real-time to deliver the most relevant interactive experiences. This technology allows brands to create truly consumer-first experiences that feel native to each platform while delivering measurable business results.

The consumer psychology of cross-industry engagement

The success of playable ads across industries stems from their alignment with fundamental consumer psychology. Unlike traditional advertising that interrupts the user experience, playable ads provide immediate value through entertainment, education, utility, etc. They satisfy the mobile user's natural inclination to interact through tapping, swiping, and engaging with content.

This format addresses a critical challenge facing all industries: capturing and maintaining consumer attention in an increasingly cluttered digital environment. By offering opt-in experiences that combine interactivity with brand messaging, playable ads create positive brand associations while driving meaningful engagement metrics.

GeeMee's cross-industry innovation

GeeMee's advanced AI and machine learning technologies are specifically designed to power this cross-industry expansion. Our platform combines an extensive library of interactive formats with intelligent personalisation engines that adapt to different industry requirements and consumer preferences.

Unlike traditional advertising solutions that require separate approaches for different verticals, GeeMee enables seamless deployment across gaming, e-commerce, finance, entertainment, and social media applications. Our lightweight SDK ensures consistent performance while our comprehensive analytics provide actionable insights for optimisation across any industry vertical.

The future of cross-industry engagement

As consumer expectations continue evolving toward more interactive and valuable advertising experiences, playable ads represent a key evolution in digital marketing across all industries.

The format's ability to combine entertainment, education, and action within a single touchpoint makes it uniquely suited for our mobile-first world.

Brands that embrace this evolution early will gain significant competitive advantages through higher engagement rates, improved brand recall, and superior conversion metrics. With GeeMee, any brand can now harness the power of playable ads to create meaningful consumer connections and drive measurable business results, regardless of their industry vertical.

The revolution has already begun. The question isn't whether playable ads will transform your industry, but how quickly you will adapt to lead that transformation.