MarTech Interview with Greg Castro, Vice President of Global Partnerships at Mobvista

Can you brief us about yourself, your experience in the industry so far, and how it led you to become the VP, Global Partnerships at Mobvista.
My name is Greg Castro and I have a seasoned career having worked at both large corporations and start-ups including Yahoo!, Aol, Amobee, Celtra, and, currently, Mobvista. My career spans across tech including large publishers, programmatic advertising platforms, and SaaS platforms. My role at Mobvista is leading our global partnerships team with a major focus on building out and delivering our international go-to-market strategy for our SaaS platforms. Mobvista’s vision is twofold, reflecting our evolution and ambition. Initially, as a company born in Asia and prospering globally, we’ve provided a gateway to success in an increasingly globalized marketplace. Our success is largely attributed to our guiding principle, “Be The Bridge.” This means bridging the east and west through our deep expertise in AdTech and MarTech. Having now established ourselves as a genuinely global company, we’ve further broadened our vision. We’ve created a comprehensive hub designed to empower app developers with the necessary tools for solid and sustainable growth. From the inception of their app to various stages of growth – from infancy to full maturity, we deliver solutions for monetization, automation, optimization, analytics, and user acquisition. I am helping internationalize this vision as the head of global partnerships.

Playable ad formats have gained popularity in recent years. From your perspective, what are the key factors contributing to this growth, and how do you see the future of playable ads evolving?
Definitely, the rise of playable ads can be attributed to several key factors. First and foremost is the enhanced user engagement they offer. Being interactive in nature, they keep users interested and more likely to remember the ad. Second, the ‘try before you buy’ concept greatly improves the user experience, allowing users to gain firsthand experience of the app or game. This results in more informed decisions and less disappointment upon downloading. The ensuing high conversion rates are a testament to this, as users who have had the opportunity to try the game or app are more likely to become active users. In fact, ~70% of all installs through Mintegral are playable-based ads. Lastly, playable ads provide a wealth of user interaction data for advertisers, who can then refine and optimize their ad strategies. The future of playable ads is exciting and poised for expansion beyond the gaming industry. Given their interactive nature and the deep engagement they offer, they hold enormous potential for a variety of non-gaming sectors and brands. We’ll also see massive strides made within ad personalization.

Personalization and targeting are crucial aspects of successful advertising campaigns. How are playable ad formats evolving to accommodate these requirements?
Ad personalization will be a major driver in the evolution of playable ads. With the aid of technologies like LLM, AIGC, and Dynamic Creative Optimization, ads can be tailored in real-time to fit the individual preferences and behaviors of each user. The use of AI-generated imagery, which we’ve begun incorporating into our Playturbo ad creative production platform, further allows us to rapidly and efficiently produce high-quality, personalized ad content. This level of personalization not only improves the user experience but also increases the effectiveness of ads, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. This represents a win-win situation for both users and advertisers. So, as we look to the future, I believe we will see playable ads becoming an increasingly common and effective tool for a wide range of brands, with ad personalization being a key aspect of their success.

Playable ads have become increasingly popular in the mobile advertising industry. What sets Playturbo apart from other platforms that offer similar services, and how does it address the unique needs of advertisers and developers?
We offer a robust template library which provides a wide variety of pre-designed ad templates. This allows advertisers and developers to kickstart their ad creation process with ease, tailoring these templates to their specific needs, and saving valuable time and resources. In addition, Playturbo provides a unique screen recording function. This feature allows users to capture multiple gameplay scenarios, providing a more immersive and realistic portrayal of the game in their ads. This can significantly enhance user engagement as potential players get a more accurate sense of the gaming experience. But, what truly sets us apart is our dedication to the use of iterative technologies. Playturbo has been built with an inherent focus on continuous improvement and optimization in real-time, taking into account the immediate context or actions of a user. This ability to continuously test, learn, and optimize ensures that our clients’ ads remain relevant, engaging, and effective over time.

Playturbo emphasizes customizable parameters within playable ads. What are some examples of these parameters, and how can advertisers fine-tune them to maximize the effectiveness of their playable ad campaigns?
The fine-tuning of these parameters is essential to maximize the effectiveness of playable ad campaigns, and it involves understanding your target audience, making data-driven decisions, and continually testing and iterating. Understanding your target audience is crucial. For example, choosing characters and skins that resonate with the audience can drive higher engagement. The game difficulty level should be set to be challenging yet achievable for the user demographic. It’s about finding the right balance that provides a fun, engaging experience without causing frustration. Customizing text content and call-to-action (CTA) buttons also requires a deep understanding of your audience and the actions you want them to take. The CTA should be compelling and clear, prompting the user to take the desired action, such as downloading the game or making a purchase. Adjusting graphic elements, like colors and fonts, should align with the brand’s aesthetic and be visually appealing to the target audience. For sound effects and background music, they should enhance the user’s immersion in the game without being distracting or irritating. Data-driven decisions are essential in fine-tuning these parameters. By leveraging analytics from ad performance, advertisers can gain insights into what works and what doesn’t. This might include analyzing click-through rates, engagement levels, or even the drop-off points in the ad to understand user behavior better. And finally, continual testing and iteration are key. Advertisers should constantly experiment with different combinations of these parameters, test these variants, and optimize based on performance. By doing so, they can ensure that their playable ad campaigns are always at their most effective, achieving the highest possible engagement and conversion rates.

Mobile advertising is a dynamic landscape, with emerging technologies and trends. How does Playturbo stay updated and adaptable to incorporate new features and formats that align with the evolving advertising industry?
Currently, advertisers are relying on tech providers such as Mobvista to innovate their products at a speed that keeps up with the evolving landscape. Batch variation, for instance, is important, as it allows advertisers to create different versions of ads, tailored to specific audiences or platforms. The one-click output feature within Playturbo,for example, enables these diverse creatives to be effortlessly deployed across various SDK ad networks, enhancing efficiency and reach. We also invest heavily in our R&D. Recently we’ve begun testing AIGC and LLM within Playturbo for maximum efficiency.

Flexibility in editing is crucial for advertisers seeking to create compelling playable ads. How does Playturbo support various types of creative assets, such as images, videos, or interactive elements, to enable diverse and engaging ad experiences?
Playturbo does, in fact, support almost all of the creative assets one would need to create an interactive ad. These are housed in our continuously updated template and asset library. It’s important for advertisers to be able to constantly test and optimize each element so we include everything from CTA text, background music, color schemes, music, skins, game level and more.

What advice would you give to app developers or marketers who are considering incorporating playable ad formats into their advertising strategies for the first time?
Incorporating playable ad formats into advertising strategies can be an engaging way to connect with audiences, but it requires thoughtful planning and execution. Start by understanding your audience and tailoring the content to their interests and needs, ensuring that it resonates with them. If you’re new to creating playable ads, consider beginning with simpler designs, gradually adding complexity as you become more comfortable. It’s crucial that the playable ad aligns with your brand and product, forming a natural extension of your overall marketing strategy. Don’t hesitate to test different variations and make adjustments based on performance data to continually refine the user experience. Technical considerations are essential as well, so be mindful of the resources required to create a smooth experience and comply with platform guidelines. Measuring and analyzing performance through clear KPIs will help you understand how the ad is resonating with your audience, leading to desired actions like clicks or purchases. Collaborating with experienced partners or agencies specializing in playable ads may be beneficial if you’re unsure about creating them in-house. Don’t forget to include a clear and compelling call to action in the ad, guiding users toward the next step in their journey with your brand. Finally, keep load times in mind, optimizing file sizes and testing across various devices to ensure a seamless experience. By adhering to these principles, app developers and marketers can create effective and engaging playable ads that align with their overall marketing goals and strengthen their connection with their audience.

How do you stay organized and manage your time effectively, given the fast-paced nature of the digital marketing industry?
First and foremost, it is a priority for me to always conduct competitive intelligence and market research. Staying apprised of the competition and industry is key. However, I also rely heavily on tactics I implemented earlier in my career. I used to manage customer care organizations and programs at companies like Yahoo and Aol. In order to manage customer care, you have to completely understand the product given customer care creates the online help/FAQs as well as employs multiple tiers of support based on knowledge and/or difficulty of the problem users experience. I’ve then helped build feedback loops back to product and engineering based on information from prospective or existing clients. Having this unique experience and mindset gives me a competitive edge and allows me to have a level of understanding of products, companies, and the industry so that I can easily prioritize my time based on the needs of the business – balancing my time between tactical needs of today while assessing strategic needs of tomorrow.

How do you ensure that you and Mobvista stay ahead of the curve when it comes to emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in the realm of playable ad formats and creatives?
At Mobvista, staying ahead of the curve when it comes to emerging technologies is a top priority. With over two-thirds of our team focused on research and development, we are consistently at the forefront of innovation in this space. Our philosophy is rooted in understanding that our product’s success is intrinsically tied to the return our customers receive from it. Therefore, we place tremendous emphasis on listening to our clients’ needs, allowing us to tailor solutions that resonate with their specific goals and challenges. Recently, we have also begun to place more focus on AIGC/LLM, recognizing their potential to revolutionize the way ads are created and optimized. By investing in these cutting-edge technologies and fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, we ensure that both Mobvista and our clients remain agile and competitive in a rapidly evolving industry. Our commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and embracing new methodologies allows us to provide diverse and engaging ad experiences that align with current trends and anticipate future demands.

For more such updates, follow us on Google News Martech News