Brian Wong does not see the world of mobile game advertising stopping at those little banners that pop up in free games. In his opinion, the real money is between levels, reports The Globe and Mail.
So far, his company Kiip (pronounced keep) has convinced the likes of Dr. Pepper, GNC, Sephora, Sony and 1-800-Flowers.com to give their wares away to gamers who beat a tricky level or set new high scores.
The exposure from pop-up offers giving away free products is far more effective for marketers than ads that are rarely clicked, Wong maintains.
“Here I am in New York sitting in front of top media execs and brand marketers trying to convince them that giving away free stuff is a viable business model,†laughed Wong on Monday, as Kiip went public and began rolling out its in-game ads.
Wong has not yet revealed which 15 mobile games Kiip has been integrated into, although he said there will be “an exciting announcement†in two weeks about specific titles and publishers.
Kiip is insisting that advertisers give away products of real value, Wong said. He argues that such gifts will encourage other purchases and build customer loyalty. The least expensive freebie currently on offer is valued at about $5, he added.
Screenshot from Kiip