In collaboration with researchers at King’s Business School, Bayes Business School (City, University of London), and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Digital Turbine announced the release of “The Ultimate Guide to Interactive Mobile Video Ads,” highlighting the significant impact of interactive elements in mobile video ads on increasing brand choice and consumer engagement. The report analyzed 250 mobile advertising campaigns and surveyed nearly 270,000 consumers across various industries, including Automotive, CPG, Entertainment, Retail, Tech, and QSR.

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Digital Turbine’s latest research dives into how interactive elements in mobile video ads can dramatically increase brand choice.

Key Findings

The report identifies three primary types of interactivity that contribute to increased brand choice:

1. Browse:

• Allows users to self-serve information through hotspots or galleries
• Helpful for viewing large amounts of products, features, or other information
• Increases brand choice by 31.5% on average
• Particularly effective in the Technology, Retail, and Entertainment sector

2. Sample:

• Provides visual ways to interact with products, mimicking in-store interactions
• Useful to virtually let consumers see different customizations for products
• Increases brand choice by 29.6% on average
• Highly effective for Quick Service Restaurants, Consumer Packaged Goods, and Automotive categories

3. Play:

• Integrates brands into game environments, fostering emotional connections
• Creates an adrenaline rush associated with the brand
• Increases brand choice by 36.6% on average
• Most impactful in the Entertainment, Technology, and Retail sectors.

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Research Methodology

The study was done in collaboration between Digital Turbine and researchers Dr. Yusuf Oc (Bayes Business School), Professor Kirk Plangger and Dr. Stefan Bernritter (King’s Business School), and Professor Francesca Sotgiu (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam).

The research team analyzed 250 mobile advertising campaigns within a mobile game app, engaging almost 270,000 consumers. Of these,156,000 consumers encountered a mobile ad featuring browse, sample, or play interactive elements. Post-ad exposure, a Nielsen Research Company survey asked consumers to select which brand they would consider purchasing next. The results showed a significant increase in brand choice intention, with the Play interactive element being the most influential.

“As consumers we are exposed to so many advertisements each day that it is impossible to remember many of them at all,” said Dr. Yusuf Oc from Bayes Business School, one of the universities that collaborated on the research. “In-app mobile ads cleverly integrate brand messaging into a game or interactive experience – therefore building into the longer-term memory of key target audiences.”

Other Report Highlights

In addition to the key findings above, the report also:

• Shows examples of common implementations for Browse, Sample, and Play elements
• Reveals the type of interactive element that was shown to be most effective for each of the industries surveyed
• Gives awards to the best creative implementation of an interactive element across 6 industries

“The future of video advertising lies in the hands of consumers, and interactivity gives them the power to engage with brands in meaningful and memorable ways,” said Greg Wester, SVP of Digital Turbine. “Whether through adrenaline packed playing, visually powerful sampling, or immersive browsing, interactivity allows brands to strengthen relationships with consumers. In particular, mobile gaming, where players are already attuned to active engagement, offers a unique platform for brands to connect with their audiences on a deeper level.”