IAB partnered with Advertiser Perceptions to survey 300 brand and agency marketing decision makers that invest in games advertising alongside other media to understand its implications, highlighting why these marketers continue to include games advertising, its role in campaign planning and business outcomes, strategies to enhance impact alongside other media, and initial steps to activate.

Key takeaways include:

• Investment in games advertising is on the rise.
• Marketers use games to reach engaged, receptive consumers.
• Games are considered a brand safe and measurable ad platform.
• Games advertising influences the entire purchase journey.
• Marketers are winning with games advertising in the mix.

The post Changing the Game: How Games Advertising Powers Performance appeared first on IAB.

New York – March 26, 2024 – Amidst the booming growth of the gaming market, a pioneering study released today during IAB PlayFronts, Changing the Game: How Games Advertising Powers Performance, explores the impact of games advertising. This first-of-its-kind analysis of brands and media agencies quantifies the success, reach, and effectiveness of games advertising, shedding light on why it is a crucial component in the marketing mix.

“This is the first large-scale quantitative analysis of brands and agencies with experience purchasing games advertising,” said Jack Koch, Senior Vice President, Research & Insights, IAB. “The study found that advertisers view games advertising as a measurable, brand safe medium that is effective across the entire consumer journey. Marketers can no longer afford to ignore this medium if they want to reach the more than 200 million U.S. consumers that play video games.”

Current State of Gaming and Games Advertising

For those using games advertising, it has become an integral and continuously growing part of the marketing mix. Notably, 86% of advertisers surveyed agree that it is of growing importance to their companies, and 40% plan to increase spend on games advertising in the coming year.

Increases in ad spend come on the heels of gaming’s growing importance and prevalence in the US. According to Entertainment Software America (ESA), there are 213 million gamers in the US, while eMarketer projects ad spend in games will surge from $8.53 billion in 2024 to $11.49 billion by 2027.

Why Marketers Are Using Games Advertising

As games advertising continues to mature, it has become a reliable platform for delivering premium, high-quality inventory. Of note, 86% of advertisers surveyed agree that it is brand safe, solidifying its position as the second-highest rated channel in terms of brand safety. In addition, 85% of those surveyed are confident in their ability to measure games advertising.

While 79% of advertisers find buying advertising in games relatively easy, it still falls behind other digital media channels concerning ease of buying and planning. Experienced planners and buyers emphasize the need for additional effort to exploit the advantages of games advertising fully. This includes conducting research on gaming audiences to understand their preferences and tailoring ad formats and creatives, which can be more complex compared to other media channels due to the diverse gaming landscape and the need for custom work.

In light of these insights, it’s evident that games advertising serves as a powerful tool for engaging with the right consumers in their preferred environment. An impressive 90% of advertisers attest to its effectiveness in reaching valuable, hard-to-reach audiences with relevant messaging. Further, 85% of advertisers recognize games advertising as a premium, high-quality platform for promoting their brands. With its ability to integrate immersive ad placements into user experiences, it offers a fresh and innovative approach to marketing.

Games Advertising is Effective Across the Entire Consumer Journey

Games advertising meets both brand and performance marketing goals, with 78% of advertisers stating that games advertising is “excellent” or “good” at awareness, 76% at driving research and consideration, and 65% at driving purchase.

Koch added, “Impressively, games advertising consistently performs well across all stages of the consumer journey, showcasing its potency compared to other media channels. We’re excited to reveal where and how to harness its power in the marketing mix.”

For detailed insights and recommendations, access the complete study here.

IAB Launches Creative Guidelines and Best Practices in Advertising in Gaming

IAB has also released guidelines and best practices for games advertising to further enable advertisers to tap into the power of this channel. The initiative introduces essential guidelines around creative in games advertising to ensure effective and respectful advertising across various gaming platforms. Addressing the challenge of intrusive advertising, the guidelines prioritize clear disclosures, appropriate calls-to-action, and adherence to quality assurance protocols to standardize practices and make ads engaging rather than disruptive. The document establishes guidelines for various ad formats, promoting collaboration among gaming and advertising professionals to achieve higher standards and an optimal balance between advertising goals and user satisfaction.

“Our Creative Guidelines and Best Practices in Advertising in Gaming aims to help preserve the Player First ethos and help brands get it right when activating in games,” said Zoe Soon, Vice President, Experience Center, IAB. “From interactive overlays to rich media experiences, we’re providing guidelines and identifying best practices to ensure ads enhance rather than disrupt gaming. By encouraging collaboration within the gaming and advertising communities, we’re building a future where ads not only meet brand goals but also contribute to a gaming journey that everyone can enjoy.”

Access the complete guidelines here.

About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. Its membership comprises more than 700 leading media companies, brands, agencies, and the technology firms responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital ad marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, IAB develops technical standards and solutions. IAB is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the trade association advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, IAB is headquartered in New York City.

IAB Media Contacts
Brittany Tibaldi / Michael Vaughan
347-487-6794 / 813-210-1706
btibaldi@kcsa.com/mvaughan@kcsa.com

The post New IAB Study Reveals Games Advertising Among Top Three Investment Growth Areas Alongside Digital Video appeared first on IAB.

IAB partnered with Advertiser Perceptions to survey 300 brand and agency marketing decision makers that invest in games advertising alongside other media to understand its implications, highlighting why these marketers continue to include games advertising, its role in campaign planning and business outcomes, strategies to enhance impact alongside other media, and . . .

The post Changing the Game: How Games Advertising Powers Performance appeared first on IAB.

Addressing the challenge of intrusive advertising, the guidelines prioritize clear disclosures, appropriate calls-to-action, and adherence to quality assurance protocols to standardize practices and make ads engaging rather than disruptive. The document establishes guidelines for various ad formats, promoting collaboration among gaming and advertising professionals to achieve higher standards and an optimal balance between advertising goals and user satisfaction.

Access the complete guidelines below.

Download the IAB Creative Guidelines and Best Practices in Advertising in Gaming

Download

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NEW YORK – February 29, 2024 – For the third consecutive year, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) gears up for IAB PlayFronts. On March 26th-27th, industry leaders from gaming companies, streaming platforms, and adtech partners will gather at Convene in New York City (1221 6th Avenue) for an event that defines the gaming advertising landscape and showcases creative opportunities for brands.

As the dedicated marketplace for the gaming industry, IAB PlayFronts is the must-attend event to discuss the current and future state of the gaming advertising ecosystem. Industry experts will feature the latest trends and consumer insights in gaming advertising, demonstrate unique creative opportunities for brands to drive incremental revenue, and discover new audiences. Focus will include navigating measurement and diverse ad formats to maximize engagement and effectiveness in this evolving space.

“IAB PlayFronts empowers brands and agencies to mobilize the full potential of gaming as a strategic advertising channel,” said Carryl Pierre-Drews, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, IAB. “As the gaming landscape undergoes constant evolution, the burgeoning demand prompted our decision to expand IAB PlayFronts to a second day, reaffirming the ability of gaming to deliver meaningful business results.”

On March 26, IAB will release the first quantitative study of why brands and agencies continue to leverage games advertising, what success they’re seeing across the marketing funnel, and how gaming drives results compared to other channels. Additionally, IAB will release its Creative Guidelines and Best Practices in Advertising in Gaming. These guidelines aim to set industry standards for balancing effective in-game advertising with player experience across mobile, PC, and web-based games, offering crucial guidance for advertisers, agencies, game publishers, and platforms to craft engaging creative content.

“Brands are investing significantly in gaming, with 93% of media buyers intending to activate in gaming by 2025,” said Zoe Soon, Vice President of the Experience Center at IAB. “For brands, gaming presents an enormous opportunity to embed themselves in consumers’ stories and in moments of triumph, community, engagement, and connection with themselves and others. It’s an effective way to access attention, cut through the noise and boost brand recall, and loyalty with audiences.”

All times are in ET; Speakers and timing are subject to change. For an up-to-the-minute agenda, please refer to the IAB website.

This event is invite-only for qualified brand marketers and agency professionals. For more information on IAB PlayFronts or to request a pass, please visit: https://www.iab.com/playfronts/.

About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. Its membership comprises more than 700 leading media companies, brands, agencies, and the technology firms responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital ad marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, IAB develops technical standards and solutions. IAB is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the trade association advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, IAB is headquartered in New York City.

IAB Media Contacts
Brittany Tibaldi / Michael Vaughan
347-487-6794 / 813-210-1706
btibaldi@kcsa.com / mvaughan@kcsa.com

The post IAB PlayFronts Returns for Third Year, Reinforcing Gaming Advertising’s Effectiveness appeared first on IAB.

To address these challenges and foster industry growth, IAB and MRC have collaborated to release their Augmented Reality (AR) Measurement Guidelines for public comment, with the goal of establishing clear and consistent definitions, and comprehensive measurement guidelines for ads within Augmented Reality campaigns that can be embraced by advertisers and publishers.

These guidelines have been developed by the IAB AR Advertising Measurement Guidelines Task Force, a joint effort between the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Media Rating Council (MRC).

The Augmented Reality (AR) Measurement Guidelines public comment period ended March 9th, 2024. Please send any questions or comments to experience-center@iab.com.

IAB/MRC Augmented Reality Measurement Guidelines (For Public Comment until March 9, 2024)

Read the Press Release

Download the Report

The post IAB/MRC Augmented Reality Measurement Guidelines appeared first on IAB.

Public Comment Open Until March 9, 2024

NEW YORK, February 8, 2024 – In collaboration, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Media Rating Council (MRC) have released their Augmented Reality (AR) Measurement Guidelines to establish clear and consistent definitions and measurement guidelines for ads within Augmented Reality campaigns. The guidelines are open for public comment for a 30-day period until March 9th, 2024.

The IAB AR Measurement Guidelines Task Force, working with MRC, set forth guidelines for advertisers and marketers to quantify how much media is delivered and gauge how well their media achieved their business objectives within AR media campaigns.

“Brands are increasingly utilizing AR in their media campaigns to connect with consumers in more meaningful and immersive ways,” said Zoe Soon, VP, Experience Center, IAB. “The Augmented Reality advertising market is projected to generate $1.2 Billion in revenue in the U.S. this year. Thus, as an industry, we need to establish a greater consistency on how we define and measure AR advertising to foster fairness and transparency for buyers and sellers.”

To effectively capture the impact of AR campaigns, these guidelines set a framework to establish clear and consistent definitions for ad delivery, viewability, audience, engagement, and performance. The guidelines are inclusive of AR’s interactive and immersive formats as AR can accrue non-physical interactions with products as well as the physical interactions related to browsing in the context of attribution.

“The efforts to draft these guidelines involved developing a deep understanding of the AR measurement landscape through collaboration with the IAB AR Measurement Guidelines Task Force, we created a measurement framework for ad delivery, audience, engagement, and outcomes that provides consistency with other digital measurement while reflecting unique aspects of the AR environment,” added Ron Pinelli, SVP Digital Research and Standards, MRC. “This public comment period is an opportunity for all members of the digital advertising community – brands, publishers, agencies, and ad tech companies – to join the conversation and share their feedback regarding AR advertising measurement and work together to address the present and future of AR advertising experiences.”

“Over the last decade, we’ve seen first-hand the value augmented reality (AR) has for our community and for brands looking to engage consumers,” said Ty Ahmad-Taylor, Vice President, Product Growth, Snap Inc. “We’re excited to partner with IAB and MRC, and help the industry navigate effective AR campaign measurement. The AR Measurement Guidelines Task Force is playing a leading role in defining the future of AR advertising, and we look forward to using these guidelines to help partners maximize their AR outcomes.”

The proposed IAB/MRC Augmented Reality (AR) Guidelines can be reviewed here. Questions and comments can be sent to experience-center@iab.com.

About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. Its membership comprises more than 700 leading media companies, brands, agencies, and the technology firms responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital ad marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, IAB develops technical standards and solutions. IAB is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the trade association advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, IAB is headquartered in New York City.

About MRC
The Media Rating Council is a non-profit industry association established in 1963 comprised of leading television, radio, print and digital media companies, as well as advertisers, advertising agencies and trade associations, whose goal is to ensure measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective.  Measurement services desiring MRC accreditation are required to disclose to their customers all methodological aspects of their service; comply with the MRC Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research as well as other applicable industry measurement guidelines; and submit to MRC-designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of research in the marketplace. Currently approximately 110 research products are audited by the MRC. Additional information about MRC can be found at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.

IAB Media Contacts
Brittany Tibaldi / Michael Vaughan
347-487-6794 / 813-210-1706
btibaldi@kcsa.com / mvaughan@kcsa.com

The post IAB and MRC Release Augmented Reality Measurement Guidelines For Public Comment appeared first on IAB.

Couldn’t attend or want to revisit a session? Don’t worry! Video on Demand of approved sessions will be available to all attendees on April 4th, allowing you to catch up on any content you may have missed or wish to experience again.

We extend our appreciation to all our sponsors and attendees whose support and participation contributed to the success of the 2024 IAB PlayFronts. A special thank you goes to our principal sponsor, Google, for their invaluable partnership and support.

As we wrap up another fantastic event, we look forward to seeing you at next year’s IAB PlayFronts!

The post 2024 IAB PlayFronts appeared first on IAB.

The post IAB Gaming & Immersive Media Leadership Summit 2023 Recap Webinar appeared first on IAB.

During this one-day event, we identified rising opportunities and discussed challenges with experts and thought leaders – defining key initiatives and informing our roadmap.

Don’t miss this post-event webinar on Tuesday, November 28th, where we recap what was discussed and share insights from industry leaders.

Reserve your spot now and join us for this insightful event!

This webinar will be hosted virtually via Zoom. Please add the event to your calendar after registration to receive your unique Zoom link.

The post IAB Gaming & Immersive Media Leadership Summit 2023 Recap Webinar appeared first on IAB.