The global gaming industry was valued at $173.70 billion in 2021 and it is expected to grow at an impressive 9.64% over 2022-2027 to reach $314.40 billion. The boost in the gaming sector is mainly driven by people turning to various game platforms due to the nationwide lockdowns implemented because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the market is on a boom, the competition in the industry has also increased manifolds due to the presence of numerous gaming brands. Therefore, gaming companies not only need to focus on the quality of their games but also on how they market their offerings. They need to leverage the potential of different marketing avenues available to them to execute their marketing campaigns just like these three gaming brands did with their TikTok campaigns.
1. Superplay
SuperPlay is a game development studio founded in 2019 that develops and publishes social games for the web and mobile devices.
Their Objective
Superplay sought to drive awareness for its star game “Dice Dreams” within the Thai market.
Approach & Solution
Since TikTok had a proven track record in generating buzz and setting trends, it was an ideal platform to build hype around “Dice Dreams”. Superplay wanted to fully engage the TikTok community with the Dice Dreams experience.
They launched a branded hashtag challenge under the name #DiceDreamsChallenge for their first-ever awareness-focused campaign. The challenge allowed Superplay to highlight the game’s most exciting elements- the attack and the characters. Users were invited to complete the Peon’sflight by causing carnage on their end, which led to the production of hilarious cheeky videos of Chaos.
Superplay also various TikTok solutions drive users to the campaign. In September, Superplay used the TikTok Creator Marketplace to find creators in Thailand to boost the impressiveness of the Dice Dreams Business Account. A pre-launch plan was set up a week before the official launch to create a buzz towards the Hashtag Challenge in the Thai TikTok community and to fully capitalize on the platform’s organic capabilities.
The Result
Superplay’s TikTok campaign was a major success. The Hashtag Challenge page garnered more than 270 million page views, 134 million engagements, 130,000 video creations, and delivered 132% on the promised impressions.
Moreover, the number of followers of the game’s Business Account increased by 36,600 followers. Also, the name of the actual game began trending by itself and reached more than 30 million views.
2. VNG
VNG, one of Vietnam’s leading mobile game publishers, was about to launch its latest role-playing game, Võ Lâm Truyền Kỳ 1 Mobile (VLTK1M).
Their Objective
VNG wanted to drive its brand presence and boost mobile app installations.
Approach & Solution
Since TikTok offered a large user base and intuitive ad solutions, it was ideally suited for VNG’s objectives. To make full use of the growing excitement around the game’s release, VNG implemented a One Day Max In-Feed ad campaign on its official launch day.
To increase its app installations, VNG focused on users who had seen the ODM ad but were yet to download the game by serving them a repurposed ad creative two days later. Combined with broad mobile app install campaigns, this tactic helped them increase the app download rates.
The Result
The TikTok campaign helped VNG achieve all its marketing goals. Within a week of the campaign’s launch, the ad budget was fully maximized to generate more than 46,000 app downloads, which led to a 47% cost per install-to-bid ratio. This translated to a 450% return on ad spend.
3. ABI Game Studio
ABI Game Studio is a leading mobile game studio in Vietnam that wanted to promote its flagship casual game, Galaxy Attack: Alien Shooter across Southeast Asia.
Their Objective
ABI Game Studio wanted to reach audiences at scale and drive high-volume app installs in Southeast Asia.
Approach & Solution
The gaming brand was firmly focused on three Southeast Asian markets i.e., Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. But since every market is distinct, ABI Game Studio ran a battery of tests to optimize and scale its campaigns. This included App Install campaigns but with placements split between TikTok and Pangle, the mobile advertising platform of TikTok For Business. They also tested Playable Ads on Pangle.
The Result
The TikTok campaign helped ABI Game Studio attain 10X greater app install volume. There was up to 6% higher Day-2 retention across all the three target markets. Indonesia and Vietnam saw an average of 13% lower cost per install. Moreover, Pangle campaigns led to 1.6X more app installs when paired with Playable Ads as compared to campaigns without Playable Ads.
Wrapping Up
TikTok offers a plethora of features to marketers to get their brand in front of their target audience. With its offerings like the In-Feed Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenge, TopView, and Creator Marketplace, brands can ensure that they are always hitting the right notes. However, leveraging TikTok’s huge marketing potential requires you to have a solid marketing plan.
So, do you have a plan yet?