About the author
John Wright
With over 11 years of experience in the AdTech/Gaming industry, I am passionate about creating engaging and profitable mobile games that reach millions of players worldwide.
Bad news for you if you’re treating your creative strategy like it’s 2019.
If you’re still treating your creative strategy like it’s 2019, I have bad news for you… 📉
The new AppsFlyer State of Creative Optimization 2025 report just dropped, and it’s a MUST-READ.
This report holds a special place in my heart. Not only is it the one I’ve been reviewing the longest, it’s the one I always share with my teams. We even used to book proper meetings just to break it down together (yes, whiteboards and drinks were involved ☕📋).
As games and apps get closer, and gamification becomes the new trend, it’s more important than ever to zoom out and take inspiration from the whole ecosystem, not just our little gaming bubble.
This report lets me do exactly that.
(Also… let’s not forget my gym-bro-mance with the one and only Adam Smart. It’s real. It’s emotional. It involves protein shakes.)
Anyway, here are a few highlights I couldn’t resist pulling out for you:
– Creative concentration is easing: Top 2% of creatives still dominate, but diversification is picking up fast. Keeping your creative mix fresh isn’t optional anymore, it’s survival. I recently heard that Meta is now advising up to 50 creatives per campaign!
– Failure wins hearts: “Failure to Success” narratives are outperforming “Pure Success” by a mile on social platforms. Authentic, vulnerable storytelling = your new cheat code, people are fed up with fake-ads!
– Community is king: Mid-core games that lean into Competition and Community see way better retention, yet barely anyone’s doing it. Loyalty = engagement.
– UGC dominance is real: Whether it’s Finance, Dating, or GenAI, tutorial-style UGC is crushing both IPM and retention. Authenticity isn’t just nice, it’s profitable.
– Platform-specific strategies are non-negotiable: One-size-fits-all creative is officially dead. What wins on DSPs flops on Social. Tailor or fail. Simple as that and if you don’t use Playable’s you’re screwed!
If you’re serious about upping your creative game in 2025, go grab the full report. 🔗 Link in the comments 👇
(If not, I’ll assume you enjoy burning ad budget for cardio. 🏃💸)
