1、STRATEGY GAMESCreative Marketing Playbook:TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 FOREWORD 5 Creative Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract Players 6 Live-action:Deep Localization,Long Life Cycle 7 2D Editing:Refined Product Features 8 UE4 Video:Strong Audio-visual Impact,Larger Display Space 9 Playable In

2、teractive Ads:Simulate Real Games and Stimulate User Engagement11 Popular Ideas|SLG Innovative Themes Emerge,and Advertising Keeps Pace with Iteration12 Generate Ideas Based on Game Functions13 Generate Ideas Based on Realistic Scenarios/Interpersonal Relationships17 Generate Ideas Using Imagination

3、19 Promotion Strategy|Matching Advertising Strategies for the Promoting Stage20 Pre-registration Period:Polishing content20 Promotional Period:Guarantee quality21 Stable Promotion Period:Frequent advertising22 Solutions|Global Creative Solutions for Real Growth23 Overseas Creative Models24 Nativex C

4、reative Solutions26 EPILOGUEThe North American market,the worlds largest market for mobile games,is growing rapidly.According to a joint report released by US market research institutions NPD and Sensor Tower,the number of active mobile game players in the US and Canada reached 228.7 million in 2021

5、.In terms of revenue,the US gaming market reached upwards of$15.3 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach$22.8 billion in 2022.Strategy games(SLG)have been thriving.In this genre alone,the total revenue of the US market in 2022 is expected to reach$7.01 billion,and the market size is expected to re

6、ach$9.35 billion in 2026.In addition to the broader market space,SLG games with high ARPU values have always been a popular path for Chinese developers.In the past ten years of helping game developers to grow globally,Nativex has found that SLG games made by Chinese companies are popular in global m

7、arkets almost every year.Since SLGs have a long life cycle,continuously maintaining user acquisition and player retention is crucial.Advertising is an important starting point for game developers,and creative advertising is the key to ensuring growth.As a global mobile marketing expert,Nativex has a

8、ccumulated deep experience in SLG growth,helping top SLG developers expand into global markets and capture the growing demand.With the practical experience of first-line marketing,Nativexs goal is to provide a creative marketing guide around the SLG category in the US market,bringing you analysis an

9、d insights,along with in-depth case studies.INSIGHTS BY TOPWORKS GLOBAL CREATIVE STUDIO OF NATIVEX MATERIAL REFERENCE BY C.A.S-CREATIVE ANALYSIS SYSTEM(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH FOREWORDIn the first half of 2022,13,588 mobile game ad creative videos hit the global market,accounting

10、 for 86%of all ad creative types.This means that video advertising remains the No.1 ad format for mobile game advertising.In H1 2022,the number of strategy game advertisers ranked third in terms of the share of game advertisers by genre,with a share of 9.64%.Data shows that videos with uniform and r

11、ough content cause viewing fatigue,and more handicapped users look forward to seeing placement ads in sophisticated audio-visual language.Based on their long life cycle,SLGs must continuously maintain user acquisition and player retention.This results in the quality and performance of creative conte

12、nt becoming the key to growth.Advertisers must capture user attention and increase the number of quality players.To keep North American players who already experience countless game ads,game developers need more attractive creatives that resonate with 5CREATIVE TYPES LIVE-ACTION,2D EDITING,UE4 VIDEO

13、,PLAYABLE INTERACTIVE ADSSLG games advertising in the form of live-action,2D editing,UE4 video,and playable interactive ads.While the different formats have corresponding focuses,it varies in what they can achieve.Use Different Formats to Attract PlayersCreative Types|Using Different Styles to Skill

14、fully Attract PDue to the mature film and entertainment industry,North American gamers are more interested in live-action creatives.Live-action videos can be highly integrated and used in a variety of ways.For example,2D/3D videos of game footage can be embedded into episodes to achieve better conte

15、nt delivery.Live-action video can be used to present rich content in the language of film and television,while at the same time,it can be used to combine real culture with game content to enhance the appeal of the advertisement.Usually,SLGs contain a lot of social elements.Videos of real-life intera

16、ctions can be well integrated with different scenarios,reflecting the players warfare/army/partnership.Utilizing both real-life humans and virtual game characters can better attract users and drive their emotions.LIVE-ACTION Deep Localization,Long Life CycleSOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN

17、 DATA RESEARCH Production Difficulty:Localization Difficulty:Impact Rating:Content Clarity:Creative Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract PThe most original game form,2D,can effectively show the content and characteristics of the game itself.The simplistic production and low cost of 2D

18、clips make it a go-to for many SLG games.However,its simplicity has saturated the market and tends to have a short life cycle.Gamers in the European and American markets prefer quality live-action content,so there is less content that contains purely game clips.Generally,game developers tend to embe

19、d game clips into live-action scenarios or UE4 creatives,with trendy music to high-light videos.2D Editing Refined Product FeaturesSOURCE:C.A.S (OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Production Difficulty:Localization Difficulty:Impact Rating:Content Clarity:Creative Types|Using Different Styl

20、es to Skillfully Attract PUE4 videos are more complex than live-action and 2D clips,thanks to virtual engine technology.For example,the battles often seen in the world of SLG games can be shown in all dimensions through UE4 video.It has the ability to show the detailed features of the characters and

21、 equipment to a greater extent.For creative directors,UE4 video also gives them more room to create video content with more dramatic in-game conflict.UE4 Video Strong Audio-visual Impact,Larger Display SpaceSOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Production Difficulty:Localization D

22、ifficulty:Impact Rating:Content Clarity:Creative Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract PPlayable ads are a form of HTML5 that transforms advertisements into mini-games,allowing players to experience them without downloading.This helps games gain more exposure and reach more potential us

23、ers.Most SLG developers are currently hesitant about this format because of the perceived high cost and technical requirements.With the growing popularity of mid-core and casual games,SLG games are adopting their methods for traffic buying.For example,SLGs are taking the highlights of their game and

24、 using them as playable ads to gain more downloads.These interactive creatives can give users a better sense of what to expect from the game and help strengthen brand awareness,especially for IP-based mid-core and hardcore gaming titles.Playable Interactive Ads Simulate Real Games and Stimulate User

25、 ECreative Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract PPlayable Interactive Ads Simulate Real Games and Stimulate User EngagementSOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Production Difficulty:Localization Difficulty:Impact Rating:Content Clarity:POPULAR IDEAS SLG INNOVATIVE T

26、HEMES EMERGE,AND ADVERTISING KEEPS PACE WITH ITERATIONThe emergence of new and innovative themes of SLG mobile games has naturally increased the development of more creative content.The combination of creative advertising and new game themes has helped rejuvenate the SLG audience and attract a large

27、 number of new users,which plays a crucial role in boosting the success of advertising.Through this,game developers have the ability to quickly gain insight into the creative direction of SLG games and improve the quality and efficiency of the creation of advertisements.11Popular Ideas|SLG Innovativ

28、e Themes Emerge,and Advertising Keeps Pace with IGenerate Ideas Based on Game FunctionsGame narration is a creative format that shows off the games features in a unique way.This format is dialogue-based and features live actors performing as players,experiencing the game while commentating.Most of t

29、he commentary revolves around the game characters,game mechanics,built-in gift packs,etc.to fully showcase the game content.Considering the characteristics of SLG games,it is suggested to use narrations.Multiplayer interactive narration with back-and-forth dialogue would be more subtle.It can also b

30、e mixed with plot twists and a freeze-frame of the game logo.Avoid boring single narrations-add creativity by having one person play multiple roles,evoke interpersonal storylines,and juxtaposition.SOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Creative Tips:Production Advice:Game Narration

31、Popular Ideas|SLG Innovative Themes Emerge,and Advertising Keeps Pace with IGetting caught as part of a plot line has a powerful effect on game difficulty and strategy and is primarily found in live-action advertisements.By leveraging the videos speed,you can create a huge plot twist,evoke the audie

32、nces emotions,and attract attention.The focus of this creative is to highlight the extreme emotional differences that occur before and after the plot twist,such as anxiety to absurdity,sadness to laughter,etc.Editing music and sound effects are vital elements for this creative type.Usually,the plot

33、twist should be more surprising if there is a faster pacing at the beginning.Getting CaughtGenerate Ideas Based on Realistic Scenarios/Interpersonal RelationshipsSOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Creative Tips:Production Advice:Popular Ideas|SLG Innovative Themes Emerge,and Ad

34、vertising Keeps Pace with ICombine gaming with an everyday social life scenario to create a story that can resonate with users.By using the curious nature of the gaming audience,you can create entry points that naturally lead to the games content in a social setting.This creative can be used in SLG

35、games to showcase elements such as comparative battle power,sieges,etc.By using a familiar social scenario,you can embed dialogue that showcases different elements of a game.These can be topics such as improving battle power or any other insights into the game.This strategy can immerse gamers into t

36、he advertisement while communicating specific game aspects.Avoid weak storylines,and include twists/contradictions in social settings to guide the audiences emotions.Multiplayer plots tend to be vague,so prioritize the characters and dialogue.Objects in social environments,such as tables,chairs,food

37、,glasses,etc.,can be fully utilized as tools to advance the plot.Social ConflictGenerate Ideas Based on Realistic Scenarios/Interpersonal RelationshipsCreative Tips:Production Advice:Popular Ideas|SLG Innovative Themes Emerge,and Advertising Keeps Pace with ISOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THA

38、N DATA RESEARCH Generate Ideas Based on Realistic Scenarios/Interpersonal RelationshipsPopular Ideas|SLG Innovative Themes Emerge,and Advertising Keeps Pace with IThis creative type utilizes complex emotional relationships that use the game as a communication language to drive the plot.Most usually

39、end with a showdown between two characters,leading to a winner and loser.This is primarily seen in live-action footage and UE4 videos.Controversial content is more likely to be sought after and favored by younger people.Using dramatic scenes from popular TV shows and fusing them with realistic exper

40、iences in European/American culture is one way to create an emotional entanglement.Emotional EntanglementGenerate Ideas Based on Realistic Scenarios/Interpersonal RelationshipsSOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Creative Tips:Production Advice:Popular Ideas|SLG Innovative Themes

41、 Emerge,and Advertising Keeps Pace with IThis type of idea usually allows for a lot of cinematic-level audiovisual language to be used.The example provided begins with the main character appearing in an imaginary environment.This was created with both visual effects and background music.However,this

42、 scene suddenly transitions to a different environment,creating an awkwardly funny situation.This sudden shift can better grab the attention of viewers.The plot of SLG games,such as plotting sieges and capturing areas,works well with this creative type.The quality of the audio-visual language affect

43、s the audiences attention and has the power to lead the viewer to immerse themselves in the creative.Incorporate more cinematic audio-visual language and use various scenes and depth of field to achieve a more realistic and engaging view of the setting.Pretending to be mysteriousGenerate Ideas Using

44、 ImaginationSOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSEAS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Creative Tips:Production Advice:Popular Ideas|SLG Innovative Themes Emerge,and Advertising Keeps Pace with IRole-playing creatives emphasize the games plot with content that is more aligned with the actual scenario of the game.Many

45、 SLG themes,such as ancient,modern,and future-era,work well with role-playing creatives.This is primarily seen in live-action videos.Role-playing videos have a long history in the North American market and are a popular video format.This creative can easily be incorporated into film and TV and has t

46、he advantage of being produced in the mid-to-high-end grade.The scenes,especially the costumes,must be carefully planned.It also requires a high level of localization and is more suitable for game developers with a larger testing budget.Role-playingGenerate Ideas Using ImaginationSOURCE:C.A.S(OVERSE

47、AS EDITION)OF MORE THAN DATA RESEARCH Creative Tips:Production Advice:Creative Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract PPROMOTION STRATEGY MATCHING ADVERTISING STRATEGIES FOR THE PROMOTING STAGEThe objectives of each promotion stage should be different,and the focus of creative content an

48、d strategies varies accordingly.Generally speaking,SLG games are mainly divided into the pre-registration period,promotional period,and stable promotion period.1920Pre-registration Period:Polishing ContentPromotional Period:Guarantee QualityAs the name suggests,the goal of this promotion phase is to

49、 obtain pre-registrations.The direction of the advertisements placed are mainly for product promotion,IP awareness,and core gameplay display.It is recommended to show game elements,game selling points,and classic character images;by highlighting the selling points of a game and showing actual gamepl

50、ay at the beginning,it can attract potential players.Users at this stage are still unaware of the games distinct features,so showing content that can communicate the games features is key.We recommend promoting the game between periods of low app publication and the peak seasons.Brand Promotional Vi

51、deos,Character&Gameplay Graphics,Game IP,ReviewDuring the pre-registration period,the main goal is to popularize the game before it is released.Therefore,during the promotional period,the objective is to build user trust and increase user retention.This can be done using a spokesperson,KOL,product p

52、romotion,and IP.Creative Tips:Creative Keywords:Stable Promotion Period-Frequent Advertising After the game has been popularized,the culture and trends of the game will gradually become more familiar to the audience.This allows you to use more of the games culture Increasing installs and driving AEO

53、(in-app event optimization)is the goal during the stable promotion period.During this stage,feedback and data are essential for performance analyses,especially from potential or new users.Therefore,the main content for this phase can be live-action advertisements and video clips of the game.for vide

54、o ads.Return gift packs,game recording,anchor commentary collaboration,game content updates,quantitative effect adsThis phase requires many promotional videos to be generated;thus,production quality,quantity,and budget usually reach their peak.The timing of this promotion phase is recommended to foc

55、us on major in-game events and product updates.Influencer collaboration,game IP,game gift packs,lead generation ads,quality live-action ads,CG animation ads,trendjacking adsCreative Tips:Creative Keywords:Creative Tips:Creative Keywords:Promotion Strategy|Matching Advertising Strategies for the Prom

56、oting StageSOLUTIONS GLOBAL CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR REAL GROWTHOverseas Creative Models Considering the demand of game developers and North American users,we recommend a combination of creative types,tags,promotion stages,and creative ideas to create quality advertisements.Of course,this is not a one

57、-size-fits-all approach,and will require testing.Creative Types-A-Determined by the marketing planLive-action2D Editing UE4 VideoPlayable Interactive AdsFitness CultureAdventurous SpiritFitness MovementsEntertainment TrendsPre-registration Period Promotional PeriodStable Promotion PeriodGenerate Ide

58、as Based on Game FunctionsGenerate Ideas Based on Realistic Scenarios/Interpersonal RelationshipsGenerate Ideas Using Imagination-Determined by the target audiences-Determined by the games promotional cycle-Determined by specific requirements-There is no limit on the number of creative ideasTags-BPr

59、omotional Stage-CCreative Ideas-DSolutions|Global Creative Solutions for Real Growth24A Mobvista CompanyNativex is a leading digital marketing agency providing advertisers access to the worlds top traffic channels.Nativex helps brands and apps worldwide through a suite of automated user acquisition

60、tools,influencer marketing services,and creative customization capabilities.950M+3,000+17200+Daily Devices ReachedClients WorldwideOffices GloballyCountries&Regions25Providing Growth Solutions Across the Entire Customer JourneyTopWorks Global Creative NetworkImpactful Growth,Creative ExcellenceREACH

61、Cross-channel Advertising Tool XMP Media BuyingCONVERSIONLocalized Creative powered by TopWorks Creative StudiosOptimize Your Global Growth Creative CapabilitiesLive-actionTVCUE4CGAEPlayable adsNativex Growth SolutionsBRANDINGSocial Media Account ManagementGlobal Influencer Marketing200+30+90%+Creat

62、ive Execution TeamsCountries and Regions CoveredRepurchase RateMedia+Content+Operation=Linking Users Around The WorldCreative Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract PEPILOGUEFor quite some time,the SLG game category has been one of the popular categories for game developers globally.Most

63、 developers start their expansion from mature markets such as the United States,and then emerging markets such as Brazil and Indonesia.From the creative perspective,many SLGs have similar gameplay and storylines,but they each have their own characteristics in terms of creative elements.This is becau

64、se they can apply various creative strategies for different markets and players.Some key goals include figuring out how to penetrate local markets and how to create materials that can resonate with audiences-which is Nativexs specialty.Through its worldwide TopWorks creative team,Nativex provides hi

65、gh-quality creative strategies at controllable costs to global developers.With data from a large number of previous cases and years of experience,Nativex continue to accumulate and analyze the quality of the creative content to match the requirements of different media channels and help our clients

66、achieve sustainable growth.Alan Xie,Vice President,NCreative Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract PEPILOGUE27Data shows that strategy games have been one of the US markets most profitable categories for three consecutive years.To seize this opportunity,marketers and developers need to

67、understand the needs and motivations of SLG players to create an optimal gaming experience and market it effectively.For example,they enjoy SLG mainly for the thrill of defeating others or a sense of accomplishment,so showcasing characters and using exciting,challenging tones and storylines in creat

68、ive videos can attract this group better.Yikai Li,General Manager,Europe&Americas,NativexFrom ideation to production,quality is the key.SLG Developers in SEA region keen to break into larger global markets should adopt creative strategies aligned with the preferences of their desired target audience

69、.We strongly suggest that creative studios create impactful creatives by understanding the characteristics of local audiences.It is crucial to focus on localization in language,culture,and trends,to build familiarity and emotional connection with local players.Suki Lin,Senior Regional Director,NCrea

70、tive Types|Using Different Styles to Skillfully Attract PEPILOGUECreative ability is crucial for advertising contents quality and performance,especially for media buying.SLGs uniqueness like expansive maps and group battles,can be fully demonstrated by well-made,innovative content.In different marke

71、ts,figuring out how to fully deliver/present the games culture,settings,and plot to players in a popular way is the key to success.TopWorks is helping game developers solve these obstacles with professional creative teams around the world.By understanding the cultural nuances of the local market,we can produce more attractive creatives.Maggie Qi,Head of Topworks,Global Creative Studio of NCONTACT US Email: