Zupee isn’t just any online gaming company. It’s an innovator in the skill-based gaming space, blending entertainment with the chance to win real money through mobile versions of classic board games, including Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, and Trump Cards. Zupee currently holds the largest market share in India’s casual and board game segment, with over 80 million registered users across its portfolio.
Real money games differ from most other gaming apps in that they’re usually downloaded directly from the developer’s site rather than app stores. While this means that real money games typically avoid the in-app purchase commission fees of the App Store and Google Play that affect most mobile games, it also means they’re somewhat more challenging to market.
The Challenge: Reduce Costs While Maintaining Growth
That challenge is what Zupee encountered when it sought to maximize its growth as a startup in India. After scaling by buying on ad networks, affiliates, and walled-garden platforms, its costs quickly skyrocketed once reach increased. These high install and first-action costs also coincided with policy changes: India raised its goods and services tax (GST) on online gaming companies last year.
Zupee suddenly needed to lower costs without slowing down growth or revenue gains. The solution? Programmatic advertising with Liftoff. Programmatic advertising is the practice of using AI and machine learning to automate the sale of ad inventory. It ensures ads target the best audiences in real time, ultimately delivering advertisers the best value for money.
As a bonus, programmatic advertising shines in its scalability. Marketers can effortlessly manage multiple far-reaching campaigns across diverse channels and devices with one platform.
The Solution: Laser-Focused Targeting on Premium Audiences
Zupee began running campaigns with Accelerate, Liftoff’s DSP, to test programmatic campaigns on Android for one of its flagship games, Ludo Supreme Gold. Powered by a robust ML, Accelerate optimizes for return on ad spend (ROAS) with precise targeting. Trained on the profiles of higher-value users, Accelerate’s ML accurately determines how likely users are to spend, driving better ROI while keeping CPI and CPA low.
Liftoff ran APK download campaigns that drove users directly to the Zupee site, and the campaign saw immediate results:
- Reduced acquisition costs: Accelerate lowered Zupee’s campaign acquisition costs by targeting first-time user deposits.
- Higher return on investment: The company saw higher ROI on ROAS campaigns to acquire high-revenue users.
- Optimized supply paths: Accelerate boosted the reach of Zupee’s campaigns by expanding their exposure to higher-value gamers.
Zupee also boosted ad impressions and installs by working with Liftoff’s Creative Studio, a team experienced in driving skill-based game conversions that leverage unique ad formats built for maximizing engagement. One of the Creative Studio’s high-performing formats is triple-page ads, a creative experience that combines the best aspects of video, static, and interactive (i.e., playable) ads into a single experience. In 2023, Liftoff found a 20% increase in average installs per mille (IPM) from triple-page ad experiences compared to more traditional formats.
Creative Studio also specializes in long-form video ads that combine gameplay, UGC, and other elements into a more engaging experience. These are proving increasingly popular with users, with Liftoff Direct research showing spending on long-form video ads increased by 245% last year.
The Results: Delivering More Games to an Expanding Audience
Accelerate reached aggressive initial CPA targets for Zupee within the first seven days of launch on Android. In the following months, Liftoff Accelerate beat initial CPA benchmarks set in the first month by 12% on average. With ads built or enhanced by Creative Studio, Zupee saw consistently improved install rates. Based on a 30-day period, long-form videos drove an 11% lift in IPM, while triple-page ads drove a 25% lift in IPM.
Overall, by optimizing for ROAS, Accelerate outperformed Zupee’s initial goals by 15%. Given the competitive nature of the mobile landscape, focusing on ROAS is the best way to ensure you’re getting the most out of every dollar spent. You can track which ads drive actual sales and conversions, allowing you to refine your strategy and avoid wasting money on ineffective campaigns. Zupee’s other KPIs, including average revenue per user (ARPU), also displayed similar boosts.
After seeing impressive results with Ludo Supreme Gold, Zupee has continued collaborating with Liftoff. Fueled by Liftoff’s ability to deliver high ROI and cost-effective campaigns, Zupee’s ad spend on the Android platform continues to demonstrate growth. Liftoff is now one of Zupee’s key partners, playing a pivotal role for the gaming company as it continues to expand its audience and suite of games.
Nishant Jaiswal, Vice President of Marketing at Zupee, said, “Liftoff Accelerate has significantly improved the ROI for our campaigns. Working with Liftoff has helped keep our costs low as we continue to scale our audience. We see them as an essential partner as we discover new markets for our games.”
Ready to take your app to the next level? Contact Liftoff to learn how you can supercharge your mobile advertising strategy.
