IAB PlayFronts 2022 Recap

The gaming industry celebrated an incredible milestone when the IAB PlayFronts, an annual marketplace dedicated to advertising and partnership opportunities, kicked off its inaugural in-game advertising event on April 5, 2022.

The event saw brands of all shapes and sizes gather under one roof to discuss the next chapter of integrated in-game advertising. Buzzwords like the metaverse, NFTs, and blockchain were, of course, present, but the focus of the day remained on how games can successfully and authentically activate in the gaming space and reach the highly-engaged and valuable gaming audience. As Jonathan Stringfield, VP, Global Business Research & Marketing at Activision Blizzard Media stated. “As an industry, we need to be good at making clear when there’s opportunities here. When we’re top of mind for folks, when people are excited about it, let’s engage with them."

Jonathan presented alongside Kelly Drake, Senior Director, US Sales, Activision Blizzard Media, sharing new research from Activision Blizzard Media’s whitepaper:  The Engagement Game: How Gaming Has Transformed Entertainment Consumption. Their presentation highlighted gaming’s powerful influence on the way consumers have learned to interact with emerging technologies and how gaming will continue to lead the way through their adoption.

During the presentation, Kelly elaborated on the unique nature of rewarding gamers instead of interrupting them, “Each and every ad offering we bring to market is designed to make the game experience better for our players, and in turn, a bigger impact for our brand partners.”

Among the most powerful takeaways from the presentation is how the generation that once grew up gaming is now the head of their households, making purchasing decisions for their families; the definition of “gamer” has grown to include lawyers, teachers, and financial professionals, and beyond.

The Engagement Game: How Gaming Has Transformed Entertainment Consumption examines gaming’s role in daily life and its place among other popular entertainment activities. Although gaming may be presumed by those new to the industry as an activity engaged only during prime time hours or limited to traditional gamer stereotypes this report details how gaming for all audiences is now a key part of people entertainment consumption. Gaming is emerging as a new opportunity for brands to align with their target audience in new and compelling ways.

For more information about Activision Blizzard Media’s in-game ad experiences, click here or contact ads@activisionblizzardmedia.com to set an appointment to learn more.