Mobile gamers really do click and buy after seeing in-game ads

Most gamers will say they hate in-game ads, just seeing them as a distraction from the action, but new research reveals a significant number of gamers admit that they do persuade them to spend.

The research

A poll carried out by YouGov and The Drum reveals that 37% of US gamers say an in-game ad had influenced them to buy in the last three months. In fact, almost a quarter (23%) said they’d made several purchases because of the ads.

The details

• The most likely gamers to buy were those aged 30 to 35 – in this group, 56% said they’d made at least one purchase. People making a purchase after being served an ad were pretty evenly split between males and females.
• Older gamers are less susceptible: 79% of 65- to 70-year-olds said they never bought off the back of an ad. And results were pretty much the same for 75- to 80-year-olds (75%), and 60- to 65-year-olds (74%).
• Two out of five (39% ) mobile gamers recalled mobile game ads very or fairly well. Again, ads were most effective among millennials,: 53% of 30- to 35-year-old gamers recalled an ad, along with half of those gamers aged 25 to 30.

Key quote

“The positive association between in-game ads and a free gaming experience makes the integration a natural and value-added experience for mobile gamers” – Nicole Pike, YouGov’s global sector head of esports and gaming.

Sourced from YouGov, The Drum