“The rewarded model is the most effective model of advertising in mobile games because players understand there is a value exchange, and they appreciate that a brand is giving them the ability to progress in the game without having to pull out their wallets," said Emily Robinson, vice president of marketing at Tapjoy. "This appreciation for the advertiser drives deep brand awareness, brand recognition, message recall and purchase intent with consumers.”
Part of the success of interactive ads comes from the satisfaction people get when rewarded for watching or interacting with ad content while gaming—something that social media can't do. When Tapjoy asked users how they felt playing mobile games vs. scrolling through social media, 59% said relaxed (vs. 44%), 37% said engaged (vs. 28%) and just 11% noted feeling stressed when playing mobile games vs. 17% who said the same of social media.
“When people are gaming, they are engaging in this concept of eustress, which is actually beneficial stress that happens while playing games," Robinson said. "This gives the player a feeling of fulfillment and achievement. It isn’t a passive medium like social or the inattentive environment of television. You have to be engaged and focused."
And data suggests these playable methods work. According to an August 2018 survey from app monetization company Fyber, 28% of US agency professionals surveyed cited playable ads as the most effective in-app ad format, followed by 23% who listed interactive ads.