Impacts on Mobile Gaming
Since our first release, mobile gaming usage has continued to increase week-over-week as a leading entertainment form of choice while the global workforce finds themselves at home.
How Consumer Behavior is
Shifting in Response to
COVID-19 - Volume II
Consumer spend habits within the media and entertainment category have seen shifts since the end of last year. While dollars spent on in-person entertainment have gone quiet, gaming and streaming have seen substantial increases in consumer spend.
Consumer Spend Trends
Gaming App Category
Board
Casual
Card
Word
Casino
Trivia
Family
Sports
Puzzle
Downloads % Change
20.11%
18.46%
16.13%
12.53%
4.30%
4.15%
4.14%
4.10%
2.07%
Over a 30-day period beginning March 5th, mobile game downloads saw an increase of 60+% compared to a normal 30-day period with a total of 2.3B downloads.
Casual games exploded onto the scene as they were only up 5% as of March 26th while Board, Card & Word games continued to surge in popularity.
Game Category Breakdown
AdColony POV
At times like this, messaging and content adjacency play a major role in maintaining brand connections. Consumers want to hear from the brands they love, and marketers should focus on appropriate messaging that strengthens brand loyalty and favorability.
As social distancing extends, users are continuing to choose mobile games as a primary source of entertainment. Mobile gaming environments provide brands a popular medium that avoids news and user-generated content, while enabling them to effectively connect with their consumers through controlled messaging.
Source: AdColony , Coronavirus Impact Survey, Week of 4/6
Source: Apptopia , March 5, 2020 vs April 5, 2020
Source: Earnest Research 2020
Revised April 20, 2020
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50%
33%
23%
say their mobile usage outside of work has gone up significantly
play mobile games multiple times per day
are playing new games on their smartphones
Brands and marketers are evaluating the types of content they feel comfortable aligning with during these unprecedented times.
Marketer Sentiments
Consumers are craving continuity, but want a shift in messaging to address today’s environment.
Consumer Sentiments
68%
of marketers are actively taking action to protect their brands from unsuitable content
49%
of marketers would be concerned if their ad appeared near coronavirus content online
61%
of marketers say that the Coronavirus situation is changing the types of content they are comfortable advertising alongside
Source: IAS, Coronavirus Ad Adjacency Marketer Study, March 2020
93%
of consumers want to hear from brands during the pandemic
79%
of consumers want to know how their purchases are helping
82%
of consumers want to know what brands are doing in response to the pandemic with 73% open to ads addressing their needs during this time
Source: AdColony , Coronavirus Impact Survey, Week of 4/6
Casual games are titles with wide-appealing themes and straightforward mechanics, i.e. Fruit Ninja
Freshly, a subscription-based meal delivery startup, experienced a 20+% increase in demand since shelter in place orders were enacted
While their typical marketing strategy is low-funnel acquisition, they have switched tactics to a customer-engagement and donation approach
"We felt that during this time even though we're still a growth-stage company, we had the responsibility to take care of people who are highest at risk."
- CMO, Mayur Gupta
Brand Strategies
Lowe's, a national home improvement retailer, has audited or adjusted messaging of all live campaigns due to increased sensitivity
Their new campaign invites people to make thank-you signs for healthcare workers to place outside their homes
"Home has never mattered more, and we can’t begin to unpack the new emotional importance of home. Right now we want to evolve our messaging to speak with a different level of connection and empathy."
- Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Marisa Thalberg
Source: Forbes, How Top Marketers Are Navigating Advertising And Management During COVID-19, April 2020
Freshly, a subscription-based meal delivery startup, experienced a 20+% increase in demand since shelter in place orders were enacted
While their typical marketing strategy is low-funnel acquisition, they have switched tactics to a customer-engagement and donation approach
"We felt that during this time even though we're still a growth-stage company, we had the responsibility to take care of people who are highest at risk."
- CMO, Mayur Gupta
Lowe's, a national home improvement retailer, has audited or adjusted messaging of all live campaigns due to increased sensitivity
Their new campaign invites people to make thank-you signs for healthcare workers to place outside their homes
"Home has never mattered more, and we can’t begin to unpack the new emotional importance of home. Right now we want to evolve our messaging to speak with a different level of connection and empathy."
- Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Marisa Thalberg
Brand Strategies