Want to reach a millennial? Use a rewarded ad

US millennials are using their mobile phones more than ever and rewarded ads are overwhelmingly their favorite type of mobile ad, according to a new study. 

Context 

Two thirds (64%) of US millennials report spending more time on mobile over the past year, as the pandemic drove them to use their devices for everything from gaming to shopping and entertainment, says a report from mobile advertising and app monetization business Tapjoy (based on a survey of 5,026 millennial consumers).

Findings

• 86% use their smartphones for gaming, far more than those who play games on consoles/handhelds (37%) and PC (27%) — but the ongoing pandemic intensified these habits.
• Nearly three quarters played more mobile games as a result of the pandemic, and 59% downloaded new gaming apps; 60% said they plan to continue playing more mobile games.
• More than half shopped more on mobile over the last year and plan to continue, with entertainment, to-go food, apparel, and beauty/hygiene among their top shopping categories. 
• They overwhelmingly prefer shopping on mobile to desktop and brick-and-mortar shops; 80% say they make mobile purchases often, and 73% shop on mobile one to four times a week.
• 58% said they prefer rewarded ads over other types, compared to banner ads (12%) and social media ads (10%). 
• 63% say they enjoy using offerwalls, and their number one reason for making purchases through mobile ads is to receive in-game rewards. They’re most likely to engage with surveys, though they also like videos and free trials.

Sourced from Tapjoy