Mobile Monday: Importance of Ads Matching Content, Apple v. Epic Ruling, Esports in APAC
Mobile Monday is the weekly roundup of the latest news, trends, and developments in mobile apps, tech, and advertising. Digital Turbine, AdColony, and Fyber have partnered up to cover news and insights in apps and games. This week we touch on the importance of ads matching content, the ruling in the Epic versus Apple lawsuit, and mobile esports’ rise in APAC.
Ads More Memorable When People Care About Them
A New Research study from Integral Ad Science shows that people are more receptive to mobile ads when they match the content they are part of. While this data might seem intuitive - I mean, you wouldn’t put an ad for Lipitor on a kid’s cartoon show - it shows the importance of using new and different kinds of data in the mobile future. As the industry evolves and moves away from a “cookieless future,” this puts the onus on advertisers to find opportunities where contextual targeting is much more effective.
Considering the uplift in success (a 107% increase in favorability when an ad matches the content), this could be one of the key roads to success for advertisers as they navigate growing privacy championing in the industry. While audience targeting won’t be as precise on that granular level, there will be clean contextual segmentation which should allow advertisers to make assumptions about the type of audience that reads any specific piece of content.
Apple versus Epic: Who Really Won?
Epic, the company behind Fortnite, sued Apple over a year ago for the right to use its own payment system on its iOS games. Last week, a ruling was made and both Epic and Apple gained wins. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple must allow other in-app payment options beyond what they offer. With their current policy, Apple gets a 30% cut of apps’ IAP revenue. While it may seem like Epic has the victory here, there were some rulings in Apple’s favor. The federal judge also upheld the App Store's overall structure as legal and said that Apple is not an illegal monopoly, contrary to Epic’s claim in the lawsuit. In a separate ruling, the judge ordered Epic to pay Apple 30% of the roughly $12 million in revenue it collected from August 2020 to October 2020 for breach of contract when it established its own payment system in the Fortnite app.
It’s interesting to read the headlines surrounding the ruling and who won the lawsuit. Some say that Epic won, some say Apple, and others say it was a mix. Neither got exactly what they wanted and the overall battle between app developers and the major app stores is far from over. A spokesperson for Epic has already confirmed that they intend to appeal the decision and last year the company sued Google in a similar disagreement over the handling of payments. According to experts, the trial has caught the attention of lawmakers, and it is likely that they will put more pressure on Apple and Google to change their payment policies. The judge’s ruling goes into effect in 90 days so we’ll still have to wait to see this case’s effects on the app ecosystem.
The rise of esports in APAC
There’s a new trend in town. Esports, in particular, is making its mark in the mobile gaming space and is predicted to surpass $1.15 billion by 2025. With that attractive estimate, large game developers and esports teams are taking note and joining forces to reach this new and competitive audience.
This week, Digiday leans into how the esports mobile gaming scene is gradually growing stronger and spilling over into key growth markets, like the APAC region. Despite the mobile gaming market being saturated with casual players, competitive mobile gaming is ranking up on the leaderboard. The increasing audience reach and engagement activities are key factors in driving market growth. The professionalization in the industry has APAC game developers investing heavily in the infrastructure of the competitive titles and turning to content creators and influencers competing in more tournaments. In turn, this is opening a lucrative door for advertisers and media companies in this space.
The dual strength of mobile esports within both Asia and younger gamers at large shows great signs of an upward trajectory. While it’s still a small piece of the broader mobile gaming market pie, forecasts expect that mobile esports will not only be a dominant platform in Asia but also expand to the rest of the world. For game developers and marketers to ride this wave, they need to track the market closely and give gamers the power to participate in this fast-growing market.
About Mobile Mondays
Mobile Monday examines the latest news, trends, and developments in mobile apps, tech, and advertising. Do you have a story to share for the next Mobile Monday?
About Fyber
Fyber, part of Digital Turbine’s independent Mobile Growth Platform, develops innovative ad monetization solutions trusted by top mobile game and app publishers. Fyber’s product suite offers publishers a trusted, unconflicted alternative that drives superior results by creating an optimal connection between mobile audiences, top global brands, and mobile-first advertisers across over 40Bn daily ad opportunities. Fyber’s FairBid mediation, Fyber Marketplace, and Offer Wall Edge are all built with performance, scale, and transparency in mind. To dive deeper into how their monetization solutions put app developers first, check out their blog.
About AdColony
AdColony, part of Digital Turbine’s leading independent mobile growth and monetization platform, helps brands, agencies, and apps expand their reach and results with the power of mobile. AdColony is known globally for its award-winning video advertising marketplace, with ad engagement innovations like Instant-Play™, Aurora™ HD Video, Playables, and more. Looking for more insights on apps and mobile games? Find out more on their blog!
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