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Here's how to get Facebook mobile ads right: Three brands doing it well

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By James Connelly, founder and chief executive

November 11, 2013 | 3 min read

It’s no secret that Facebook ads are hugely effective; a recent report published by Nanigans revealed a 375 per cent explosion in click-through-rates over the past year and a whopping 152 per cent return on investment.

However, from a creative standpoint, Facebook ads often fall victim to a formulaic monotony that makes them more of an annoyance to consumers than anything else. This is especially true when it comes to the Facebook app-install ad format, in which marketers all too often slap a stock photo and a phone next to some witty copy and call it a day.

The key to effective marketing on Facebook is ensuring you have a creative strategy that differentiates your ads from the rest and keeps consumers engaged.

Here is a round-up of three Facebook app-install ads that challenge the status quo:

Supercell

Supercell, one of the world’s hottest gaming companies, leveraged the truly native nature of Facebook newsfeed ads to encourage downloads of its hugely popular strategy game Clash of Clans. At first glance, this ad may seem trite, but its effectiveness lies in this ingenious simplicity. The image looks as far from an actual ad as possible; in fact, it looks like something one of your friends could have sent you on Snapchat. Rather than detracting from the user experience by interfering with consumption, this humorous ad ties in seamlessly with the social, content-sharing nature of Facebook, and increases the chances of user engagement.

Sqor

Sqor wanted to promote the launch of its sports and social networking app, and this was achieved through the creation of a bespoke image that doesn’t necessarily look native but tells a funny and relatable story – that of the sports rivalry between in-laws. The creative deviated from the cheesy standard of stock photo and in-app overlay on a device. Instead, by focusing on storytelling with vivid imagery, the brand was able to provide excellent user engagement.Full disclosure: This is one of ours, which we don't normally do, but this campaign shows what forward thinking brands can do with Facebook ads.

WillCall

Facebook ads are less about content and more about discovery. “People aren’t looking for something specific on Facebook,” says Greg Bettinelli, former CMO of Hautelook. “That means you have to find a way to be relevant [to users].” This ad for the WillCall app provides relevancy by including a compelling call to action – offering a $10 credit for download. The credit offered in the ad boosts the likelihood of engagement and also makes it more likely for users to interact with the app upon downloading.

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