Leveraging the Power of In-Game Advertising for Back-to-School Success

Strap on your backpacks, grab your notebooks, and sharpen your pencils. The back-to-school season is almost upon us! As families across Canada prepare for a new academic year, it's time for brands to think strategically about how to capture this crucial market.

According to a 2023 survey by Deloitte, the average spending per child in Canada was $597, which is much higher than in the U.S. where each household is shelling out an average of $264. 

Today’s average consumer is bombarded by thousands of ads every day, which is why standing out is more important than ever.

The Unmatched Reach of In-Game Advertising

Enter the world of in-game advertising. With over 61% of Canada gaming and a significant portion of parents playing video games with their children weekly, gaming emerges not just as a popular pastime but as a potent advertising channel. AGN spearheads this innovative approach with seamless integration of ads into popular gaming platforms ensuring that messages are not only seen but engaged with and offering a perfect blend of visibility and interaction.

Why In-Game Advertising is Ideal for Back-to-School Campaigns

In-game advertising shines brightly for back-to-school campaigns due to its dynamic nature and high engagement rates. Imagine the impact of having a father seeing your ad overhead as he plays a game of scrabble or is collecting rewards on his favourite sports game, or imagine a mother spotting your promotional banner as she crushes gems or zooms down the fast lane in a fast paced racing game. This contextual placement means ads are not only seen—they're an integral part of the entertainment.

Setting Up Your Campaign for Maximum Impact

To make the most out of your in-game advertising campaign, consider these five strategic tips:

1. Choose the Right Targeting Approach: 

Tailor your campaign to reach the parents and students most likely to be interested in your offerings, using demographic and psychographic data to refine your targeting.

2. Choose the Right Ad Format: 

Choose ad formats that your brand would have maximum impact on. As an example, if it is an in-store discount or offer, it would be more effective to have in-game immersive banners and billboards where awareness is the only objective and CTR rates are not the priority. But in the case of leading the users to eCommerce sites, it would be beneficial to use ad formats like rewarded video or cloud gaming where the ads provide an actionable offer, ensuring they capture attention quickly and effectively.

3. Ensure Contextual Fit: 

Ads should complement the gaming environment, enhancing the player's experience rather than interrupting it.

4. Communicate Clearly: 

Keep your messaging straightforward and direct, avoiding complicated language that could detract from the message.

5. Timing is Everything: 

Launch your campaign well before the school season starts to maximize exposure and allow for ample engagement.

As the back-to-school season approaches, in-game advertising offers a unique and effective platform for reaching and engaging your target audience. With its high viewability rates and contextual targeting capabilities, coupled with AGN's innovative ad solutions, brands are poised to transform how they connect with consumers during this busy shopping period. In-game advertising doesn't just catch the eye—it captures the imagination, making it a key player in your marketing strategy.

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Jal Sonpal is a Marketing Specialist at AGN with a Masters of Marketing from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto.