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Snickers campaign exhibits importance of nonintrusive mobile ads

NEW YORK ? An executive from video game developer Electronic Arts at the Mobile Marketing Association's SM2 Innovation Summit 2015 claimed the path to being successful with mobile advertising is to reward consumers for engaging with marketing content and viewing ads. 

During the session ?How Brands Add Value In Mobile,? the executive detailed the company's successful partnership with Mars International to market its candy bar brand Snickers on the mobile application version of its popular football video game Madden. The executives attribute the success of the campaign to the brand's aversion to intrusive advertising, instead focusing on its rewards program in which users engage with the content for power-ups. 

"When we think about engaging content in general we think about video first," said Amanda Zaky, head of digital media at Mars Chocolate. "It is the best form for us to be able to tell our brand stories, and it is great form for us to be able to insert our brand into consumer stories. 

"So that is across platforms, across all platforms and that includes gaming," she said. 

Non-advertising advertising

For instance, Snickers sponsored a series of marketing tactics within its partnership with Madden, including a live event on the mobile app. Users were able to win points by completing a challenge boasting the brand?s name. 

As mobile gaming becomes increasingly popular, brands have a unique potential to connect with users on a more organic level. By enticing them with various points and rewards within the game, users are more inclined to engage with a marketer?s content. 

When a consumer chooses to engage with a brand, the message resonates more strongly and creates a positive image. Brands that interrupt consumers? experience will be overlooked and can even cause a negative sentiment. 

With mobile, ad interruption is even more of a problem than traditional advertising. The mobile device is a highly personal experience, and users feel as though marketers are intruding with advertisements that pause whatever they may be doing on their devices. 

Mobile gaming significance
The two display various content from its campaign partnership

Ms. Zaky explained the partnership was an integral part of Snickers' overall brand strategy in an attempt to create an overall cross platform image, which drives in-store sales. 

"The partnership with EA and with snickers was just so natural," Ms. Zaky said. "You know something is right when you tell someone outside of the industry casually and they nod and smile. 

"It just seemed right and that was validated by some of the research," she said. 

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer