AudioMob, creator of a new format that brings audio ads to video games, has launched of its own proprietary Demand Side Platform (DSP).
Headquartered in Google for Startups in London, AudioMob is the brainchild of ex-Google and Facebook alums Christian Facey and Wilfrid Obeng. The new DSP empowers brands and advertisers to optimise the impact, reach and experience of audio ads for games. The company claims that the format is the first of its kind in the video game space.
When an AudioMob ad is served, a player can continue to play their game, unlike with video ads, which often obscure the game screen and interrupt play. YouGov research commissioned by AudioMob found that 67% of people prefer audio ads over video ads in the case of games.
The backend of the AudioMob DSP allows brand managers and advertisers to place audio ads, prepare campaigns, monitor progress and optimise when needed. The DSP – engineered specifically for the delivery of audio-ads – provides campaign managers with straightforward ways to target using geo-location, age range and over 400 targeting variables, while ensuring brand-safe placements.
Christian Facey, Co-Founder and CEO at AudioMob, said: “We’ve always believed in the potential of our non-interruptive audio ad format to meaningfully serve brands and significantly monetise games without intruding on players’ experiences. We’ve already seen our audio ads deliver meaningful, proven results for brands and game companies. Now, with our Demand Side Platform launched, the reach, impact and results audio ads can deliver has been considerably elevated. We’ve built a DSP that respects the conventions advertisers will be familiar with, while making it specialised to the potential and nuance of audio ad placement.”
To date, brands including Warner Music, Sony, Universal Music Group and The Sugarhill Gang have used AudioMob’s audio ads in combination with the DSP to unlock and connect with new audiences that make up many of the 2.7 billion people globally that today play mobile games.
The arrival of AudioMob’s format also comes at a time when audio ads broadly are enjoying a renaissance. The industry is predicted to reach over $18 billion in value this year thanks to a rapid increase in the popularity of podcasts, an increasing intersection of the gaming and music sectors, and the rise of numerous audio platforms.
