As a part of a broader Sleep with Neuro campaign, Neuro Drinks placed a mobile game ad unit in a number of applications to educate consumers about the new Neuro Sleep drink.

The ad unit ran in apps such as Ruzzle and TV Quiz Show as well as in Zynga games such as Words with Friends, Draw Something and Hanging with Friends. Of the ten percent who engaged in the ad, 44 percent entered their email address to redeem a bottle of Neuro Sleep.

?The mobile game unit is a component of a larger campaign, Sleep with Neuro which is designed to drive trial of our drink Neuro Sleep,? said Brian Pope, chief marketing officer of Neuro, Santa Monica, CA.

?Our research shows that once consumers have a chance to try Neuro Sleep for themselves, that they will come back again and again when they need relief of occasional sleeplessness,? he said.

?The campaign itself is designed to provide one million consumers with the opportunity to try Neuro Sleep and to build awareness and buzz around the brand.?

Neuro Sleep
Neuro launched the Sleep with Neuro campaign to introduce a new sleep aid beverage that combines melatonin with L-theanine, magnesium and 5-HTP to achieve more continuous sleep. The drink comes in three flavors: mellow mango, tangerine dream and original peach apricot.

While supplies last, consumers can get a free bottle of Neuro Sleep to try it out.

The campaign plays on the innuendos of the word sleep and incorporates a video of Neil Patrick Harris ?getting lucky? as well as phrases such as ?They say we?re good in bed.?

To promote the campaign, Neuro worked with PaeDae to create an in-app game ad unit. When consumers finish a game of Words with Friends, for instance, an ad will pop up that invites consumers to play a game to win a free bottle of Neuro Sleep.

Consumers have to catch bottles of Neuro Sleep with a pillow while avoiding alarm clocks. They have twenty seconds to reach 300 points.

Consumers can keep playing until they reach 300 points, and then they can enter their email address to receive a coupon for one free Neuro Sleep drink. They must print out the coupon though to redeem in-store.

?The ad is unique because it provides a compelling and native, in-app entertainment experience that educates consumers about the benefit of the product and allows them to compete to win a free bottle,? Mr. Pope said.

?The game itself is highly engaging and the prize is both compelling and attainable,? he said. ?While we wanted the gameplay to be a bit challenging, it is also possible to play the game again until you attain the required score. 

?We also infused the game with cheeky language and fun double entendre, ?you?re great in bed,' ?you?re going to get some tonight,? to ensure the game keeps a smile on your face.?   

Mobile ad
One of the benefits of the in-app game ad unit is scale and reach.

?Our technology allows us to take engaging experiences like in-app mini-games into a campaign with tremendous scale without ever compromising the user experience or brand display," said Rob Emrich, CEO of brand engagement platform, PaeDae. "Neuro?s mobile-first campaign is a perfect example of how our unique creative is paired with functional technology to drive impressive, wide-reaching engagement."

While there are other components to this campaign besides mobile, Neuro made sure to incorporate the medium to reach a key segment of its target audience.

The in-app game ad is a fun way to engage consumers who are already playing games on their phones. It allows Neuro to bring attention to its new drink in a fun, creative way.

?Our consumer target is women 18 ? 34, and we know that mobile is a central part of their lives and where they spend a good portion of their leisure time,? Mr. Pope said. ?Through gamification, we are able to capture her attention and engage her in a unique and compelling way. 

?By engaging her in mobile, it also facilitates social shares about the brand,? he said. ?As an emerging brand, word of mouth continues to be our primary source of awareness. 

?Mobile is central to our strategy of encouraging fans to help spread the word.?

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York