Brutally Honest #139 by Matej Lancaric

Hey, FAM! What’s up?

?? Drink talk

Planing a day trip to San Francisco. Anyone around on December 3rd?

As you know, I love AI. You can clearly see it in every newsletter and in my?Matej AI—the first mobile user acquisition AI that helps with marketing your mobile game UA strategy. It is getting better and better. I have also started experimenting with AI people in UGC videos 2 years ago (before it was cool).

There is also the new stuff that I am starting to experiment with called Ramdam, which connects AI and UGC, but in a slightly different way than you might think.

As a solopreneur, I have limited time to manage various tasks. If something takes too long, I usually prioritize UA activities with a higher impact.

This usually meant I delayed all creator/UGC types of production since it always took a long time. Here is the interesting part: Ramdam uses an AI-powered sorting algorithms to help brands get matched with creator that beats the odds. Thanks to this AI, process is sped up heavily. YAY!

Jump on this with me and book a demo!

??Tip of the week

*BREAKING NEWS* AdROAS is live on Facebook. Start campaigns ASAP. It's already rolled out to 50% of advertisers, and you need to track the AdImpression event properly. No more shitty workarounds. Meta is finally getting on the AdROAS trend. It is only 2 years later than it should be, but better late than never!

Jokes aside, Google, AppLovin, Unity, and Mintegral have already enabled AdROAS campaigns, but Facebook has historically lacked this functionality.

For instructions on how to implement the event, see the official documentation.

You need to have an Adimpression event hooked up between MMP and Facebook. Otherwise, it's not going to work.

Adjust vs. Singular toggles:

Adjust:

Singular:

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any guidance for Appsflyer.

After integration, follow these steps:

1. Create an App Promotion campaign. Works with both Advantage+ app campaigns and Manual app promotion campaigns.
2. After selecting your app, select?Maximize the value of conversions and choose In-app ad impressions as the Conversion event!

For now, you can’t set a ROAS goal like you can in VO campaigns!

Thats it!

Now, TikTok is also getting into AdROAS campaigns! Stay tuned for more info.

?? Cornelius: The Suspicious Investi-gator

True detective-like exploration of creative trends and historical influences. Delving deep into the world of creatives to uncover hidden patterns and inspirations:

?????? ?????? ???? ??????????? Getting inspired by other games is essential for creative production. But sometimes, the line between “heavily inspired” and “copying” gets a little blurry. After all, why reinvent the wheel, right? Today, we’re looking at two nearly identical videos—yes, a full 1:1 copy—for two different games: Township (Playrix) and Idle Lumber (AppQuantum). It’s uncanny. Isn’t this pushing it a bit too far? ????, ????????’?? ?????? ????????????????: ?????? ?????? ???? ????????????Drop your guesses in the comments, and I’ll reveal the answer later today. But there’s a twist! This is a full minute-long video—was there a shorter version floating around in 2023? Maybe yes, maybe not… ??

Yours truly, Cornelius.

?? Dr. Doom is not amused

One of my industry friends amused me with his direct and honest TL;DRs, so we agreed to share it here, too! My friend remains anonymous as Dr.Doom!

"When a PC first developer releases a mobile game, it usually fails, and they move on. But being Blizzard, why not still release it on PC when it has already failed on mobile ??? Picture a legacy car company making a trendy electric car that didn't work, so, like all of their other cars, let's try to fill it with gasoline; maybe it will work now ??" Sincerely, Doom (https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rts/warcraft-rumble-blizzards-first-new-rts-in-years-will-finally-shed-its-mobile-shackles-and-come-to-pc-in-december/)

??? “Ha-ha” moment

Because life is too short to be serious.

?? two & a half gamers - Pokemon TCG Pocket

In this special nostalgia episode with John, we explore the gameplay mechanics, the nostalgia factor of the game, and the importance of booster packs and collection systems. Jakub discussed the innovative Wonder Pick mechanic that drives player interaction and excitement. There is a content pipeline for next quarter with trading and events coming. Uff! What a pipeline. Also, check the easter egg at the very end of the show. I assume this game spends around 5-10% of its daily revenue, which is $500k/day. This is a lot as a standalone number, but this is almost nothing regarding the overall daily revenue. The UA foundation is there, but they could expand the operations on multiple levels - channels & creatives. Why not using Pokemon theme song? Why not use narrative/story-driven creatives for each Pokemon? The Pokémon Company International, what do you think?

Creatives are wrapped around pack openings. Which the game is all about. The collection of Pokemon. Gotta catch 'em all, right? Some people missed the important point. Pack openings are incredibly appealing on YouTube for several psychological and entertainment-driven reasons. Here’s why millions of people are hooked:

?????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????????????? Pack openings play on humans' love for surprises and the dopamine rush of what could be inside. It’s like scratching a lottery ticket—people are drawn to the suspense of seeing whether the pack contains something rare, valuable, or exciting.

???????????????? ?????? ?????????????????????? The chance to see rare or limited-edition items being revealed adds an extra layer of excitement. These special pack videos on YouTube often contain items or cards that are hard to come by, making the discovery feel unique and significant.

?????????????????? ?????????????????????????? Pack openings are full of highs and lows—will they get Mewtwo EX Jakub Remiar, or will it be a Magikarp Felix? This emotional tension creates a narrative that’s compelling to watch, almost like a mini-drama.

Ultimately, pack openings combine elements of surprise, satisfaction, and shared excitement, making them a perfect recipe for addictive content. It’s not just about the packs—it’s about the experience!

?? Watch on Youtube

?? Listen on Spotify

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Sneak peek at what you get for your support:

Creative Trends in Mobile Games - September 2024

As the UA landscape evolves, so do the creative trends that shape how games communicate with their audiences.

Read full story

The Future of UA: 5 of the Best Creator Programs & UA lessons we can learn from them

Creator programs. Everyone and their mom has one, including Roblox, Fortnite, Rush Royale, and Supercell…but why? What’s the ROI?

Read full story

Creative Winners: Where to get inspiration?

Where to get creative inspiration? That is always the hard question. Maybe the hardest one! Let’s dig a little bit deeper: There are companies/games you need to follow to uncover the recent creative trends. Continue reading!

Read full story

?? Diary of a Dancing Unicorn

Today was a good day.

Hey. I hope you’re doing well! I’m considering ending our collaboration. To be fully transparent, I’m slightly disappointed with how things have progressed so far. I was expecting better communication and organization between us.

Hey, no problem. Not everybody is meant to get along with everybody. That is just how things are. From my perspective, the D0 and D7 ROAS improved significantly since we started working together + Cost per UNIQUE EVENT. IMHO, it's going in the right direction, but I understand your feelings. As I understood, it didn't work out properly with the other UA agency you worked with before; now, it’s not working with me as well. I believe you need to find the right partner that suits your needs.

Ready to go from hybrid to hybrid business? Supersonic’s SuperHybrid competition launches December 2! Grab your capes, bring your best ideas, and get ready to make your game invincible. Check out the super-sized surprises in store for you!?

Join the competition now!

I understand that we’re still early in the collaboration and that UA takes time, but given the relatively high level of your fees/retainer and your strong reputation, I believe it’s fair to expect more.

This is my way of working; I don’t really talk daily with people. I like to work towards a goal = better performance. Less talking, more working and optimizing. I enjoyed working with you and seems like the product is great and numbers start to show that.. so I am glad we were able to meet, obviously not glad you feel this way.

Thanks for your message! Yes, I agree it seems to go in a good direction, and we had good results. I think, in the end, we need to grow this learning internally, at our own pace, learning by doing! Let’s have a call.

Sure thing. Let’s do it!

…

…

…

Thanks a lot for the call and for your words. It showed me the path to move forward, and I realized I couldn't really expect people to be online 24/7 and reply immediately.

Thanks for your cooperation. I am here for you if you need anything else in the future!

Today was a good day.

?? Quote of the week

"I still dont understand match3 btw lol...i played Royal Match with infinite gold and i got bored haha” - Yang, Whatsapp chat

Creative trends review!

?? Level up yourself

I launched a YouTube Channel. I'm putting a ton of energy into creating valuable content that I think you'll like. Check out the latest stuff, and give me a like and subscribe.

??? Gaming blast from the past

Do you remember this game? What did you play when you were young?

?? Before you go

Ask Matej AI a question. It’s actually quite good!

We produced one more episode at 2.5gamers. Check it out now:

Actually, last week was extra special. Here you go one more:

?? Fun starts in two & a half gamers Slack! Join now

We are opening up a Slack channel for everybody. It is the most inclusive slack for the gaming industry. Female, male, non-binary, juniors, mid-level, seniors, vendors, developers = EVERYBODY! We are waiting for you ??

Feel free to join here!

?? Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter!

Please do me a favor and share this with someone in your network who you think would benefit from the insights and brutal honesty. It would mean a lot to me!

Take care, everyone! See you next Thursday!

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?? PS: The latest UA & marketing jobs for you prepared by Gamigion :

Performance Marketing Manager Scopely Director of Product, Growth Scopely Marketing Lead, Clash Royale Supercell Monetization Manager Supercell Associate UA Manager Zynga ASO Manager Zynga Monetization Manager - Gram Games Senior Performance Marketing Manager Zynga Marketing Analytics Manager Dream Games Senior Marketing Analyst Dream Games UA Manager Moon Active Monetization Analyst SciPlay Product Monetization Manager SciPlay Marketing Analyst Candivore Senior Marketing Specialist Peak Growth Manager Rollic UA Lead - Apps Voodoo Monetization Director Voodoo Senior Monetization Associate Voodoo Senior Ad Monetization Manager Homa Senior UA Manager Homa Senior UA Manager TapNation Director of Growth Kwalee Monetization Manager Gram Games Senior Ad Monetisation Manager Miniclip Marketing Program Manager King Marketing Specialist Fugo Games Marketing Specialist - Games Gamegos Growth Manager Good Job Games Marketing Data Analyst Wargaming Senior Marketing Analyst AXLEBOLT Performance Marketer Uken Games Growth Associate AppLovin Growth Customer Success Manager AppsFlyer Senior Product Marketing Manager AppsFlyer Marketing Manager adjoe Product Monetization Manager Unity Growth Partnerships Manager Unity Performance Manager Unity Growth Partnerships Manager- RU Unity Chief of Staff - Marketing Xsolla VP of Product Marketing Xsolla Monetization Product Manager Taboola Product Marketing Manager Taboola Senior Client Growth Manager Nativex Customer Success Campaign Manager PubMatic Revenue Operations Marketing Manager Adikteev Campaign Performance Improvement Expert RTB House Product Growth Analyst Amplitude Product Marketing Manager MoEngage ASO Consultant Phiture Senior Product Marketing Manager Tatari Head of Marketing Aptoide Growth Manager Moloco Partner Marketing Manager Moloco UA Marketing Producer Playrix Lead UA Manager Playrix Senior UA Manager Playrix

Find out more here!