The Power of Representation: Embracing Diversity in Mobile Game Advertising
Representation looks at the way different groups of people are portrayed in the media - encompassing gender, race, age, disability, sexuality, and more. This is a topic of immense importance. As the mobile gaming industry continues to expand, it is crucial for advertisers to recognize the impact that representation can have on their audience.
By embracing diversity and inclusivity, mobile game advertisers will not only resonate with a wider demographic but also foster a sense of community and belonging. This post will delve into the importance of representation in mobile game advertising, touching on both its ethical and business implications.
The Mobile Gaming Landscape
Mobile gaming has become an integral part of our daily lives: according to Newzoo, the number of mobile gamers is expected to reach 3.07 billion by the end of 2023. This growth presents a unique opportunity for advertisers to tap into an extensive and diverse audience. To maximise this potential, it's essential to ensure that UA ads reflect the wide range of players who enjoy these games.
Why Representation Matters
Creating Personal Connections
Effective advertising fosters a bond between the consumer and product. When people see their experiences reflected in a game's ads, they’re more likely to form a deeper attachment, enhancing their intrigue at this early stage. Representation also helps instil a sense of community among players from different backgrounds, encouraging their engagement and advocacy for the game because they feel recognised and valued within the gaming community.
Setting a new standard for diversity and inclusion in the mobile gaming industry, Trailmix Games' title Love & Pies shines a spotlight on underrepresented narratives. The game stands out by featuring a black main character and prominently showcases LGBTQ+ relationships, as in this example UA creative.
Promoting Social Change
Mobile game advertising that features diverse characters and stories can contribute in its own way to larger shifts in society. This representation can challenge stereotypes, encourage inclusivity and foster understanding between different cultural groups, using gaming not just as a source for entertainment but also as a force for social change. By giving diverse characters prominent roles and storylines, your UA creatives can advocate for the recognition of underrepresented groups in the real world.
Broadening Player Demographics
The majority of advertisers focus solely on their core audience when it comes to in-game characters or actors in their UA creatives. This leaves a gap in the market of millions of potential players who are otherwise uncatered for. By showcasing diversity in advertising, game developers can not only drive more installs and purchases, but also ensure their game stands out in a highly competitive market.
How can you make your mobile game ads more inclusive?
1. Conduct Research
Understanding the demographics and interests of your target audience is crucial for creating inclusive and engaging mobile game ads. Conduct research on your player base and the broader mobile gaming community to identify trends and preferences that can inform your advertising strategy.
2. Diversify Characters and Themes
Incorporate diverse characters and themes in your mobile game ads to ensure that a wide range of players feel represented. This can include featuring animated characters or UGC creators of different genders, races, ages, body types and abilities, as well as incorporating culturally diverse settings and storylines.
Drest is a popular fashion styling game which allows players to create and customise their own models with different body types, skin tones and facial features. In their UA campaigns, Drest highlights these inclusive character customisation options, strongly appealing to a wide range of potential players interested in fashion and self-expression.
3. Be Authentic
Representation should be genuine and respectful, avoiding tokenism and stereotypes. Work with cultural consultants or members of the communities you wish to represent to ensure that your advertising accurately reflects the experiences and perspectives of the people it portrays.
4. Monitor Feedback
Regularly review feedback from your audience and adjust your advertising strategy as needed. If you’re running ads on paid social, checking the ads’ comments sections is a great way to do this. This can help to identify any areas where your advertising may be falling short in terms of representation and inclusivity.
Words With Friends 2, a multiplayer word game developed by Zynga, uses diverse actors in its advertising to emphasise the game's social focus. The ads showcase people from various backgrounds, ages, and genders playing the game together. This approach demonstrates the game's inclusive appeal, also emphasising the importance of social interaction and bonding through gameplay.
Conclusion
Representation in mobile game advertising is not just a trend; it's a vital aspect of building connections, expanding demographics, fostering a sense of belonging, and encouraging social change. By recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusivity in advertising, mobile game developers and advertisers can create a more engaging, welcoming, and successful gaming experience.
7 ideas you can try:
- Run a test to compare the appeal of younger creators against older ones
- Work with 3-5 creators from different backgrounds and combine their footage in different ways
- Try incorporating culturally diverse settings and storylines in your ad creatives
- Work with a creator or use an animated character who has a physical disability
- Use ready-made UGC videos to quickly test creators from different demographics
- Explore using creators or animated characters of different body types in your ads
- Analyse the response to featuring LGBTQ+ relationships or characters
Get in touch to see how Babblestock can support your UGC needs.