Taking Flight Again: The Launch of Angry Birds 2

1. Taking Flight Again: Planning
the Launch of Angry Birds 2
Eric Benjamin Seufert
VP of User Acquisition & Network
Engagement, Rovio

2. Who am I?
Mobile Dev Memo
Freemium Economics
VP of User Acquisition & Network
Engagement

3. Presentation Thesis
Mobile has matured to the point where
privileged access to distribution is a
competitive advantage, and a portfolio
of apps is an effective way to achieve
that.

4. Presentation Structure
1) Vanity Metrics!
2) State of the Market
3) UA Strategy in a Competitive
Marketplace
4) Planning the Angry Birds 2 Launch
5) Launch Results

5. Presentation Structure
1) Vanity Metrics!
2) State of the Market
3) UA Strategy in a Competitive
Marketplace
4) Planning the Angry Birds 2 Launch
5) Launch Results

6. Vanity Metrics!

7. Vanity Metrics!
● 2.2MM installs Day One of global
launch;
All Numbers are Global;
1Numbers are time-based GTM; featuring started 8pm of “Day One”;

8. Vanity Metrics!
● 2.2MM installs Day One of global
launch;
● 10MM cumulative installs by Day Two;
All Numbers are Global;
1Numbers are time-based GTM; featuring started 8pm of “Day One”;

9. Vanity Metrics!
● 2.2MM installs Day One of global
launch;
● 10MM cumulative installs by Day Two;
● 30MM cumulative installs by Day
Twelve.
All Numbers are Global;
1Numbers are time-based GTM; featuring started 8pm of “Day One”;

10. Vanity Metrics!
All Numbers are Global;
1Numbers are time-based GTM; featuring started 8pm of “Day One”;
0
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

11. Presentation Structure
1) Vanity Metrics!
2) State of the Market
3) UA Strategy in a Competitive
Marketplace
4) Planning the Angry Birds 2 Launch
5) Launch Results

12. Über points

13. Über points
● People aren’t downloading many apps:

15. Über points
● People aren’t downloading many apps:
● Large companies own disproportionate
amount of mobile time;

18. Über points
● People aren’t downloading many apps:
● Large companies own disproportionate
amount of mobile time;
● Smartphone penetration isn’t growing in the
developed world.

22. Über points
● Discovery is mostly driven by marketing:

23. Über points
● Discovery is mostly driven by marketing:
● The largest developers are able to spend lots
of money on not just direct response media
but also OoH and television;

26. Über points
● Discovery is mostly driven by marketing:
● The largest developers are able to spend lots
of money on not just direct response media
but also OoH and television;
● Saturation in app economy has limited “pull”
factor for discovery.

29. Presentation Structure
1) Vanity Metrics!
2) State of the Market
3) UA Strategy in a Competitive
Marketplace
4) Planning the Angry Birds 2 Launch
5) Launch Results

30. The Mobile Funnel

31. The Mobile Funnel
Discovery
• Mobile app
install ads;
• Inspiring
platform store
search.

32. The Mobile Funnel
Discovery
Platform
Store Page
• App store asset
optimization.
• Mobile app
install ads;
• Inspiring
platform store
search.

33. The Mobile Funnel
Discovery
Platform
Store Page
In-app
Behavior
• App store asset
optimization.
• Mobile app
install ads;
• Inspiring
platform store
search.
• Retention
drivers.

34. The Mobile Funnel
Discovery
Platform
Store Page
In-app
Behavior
• App store asset
optimization.
• Mobile app
install ads;
• Inspiring
platform store
search.
Growth Optimization
• Retention
drivers.

35. Growth plan requires actual
growth

36. Growth plan requires actual
growth
● How will lots of people find out about this
game?

37. Growth plan requires actual
growth
● How will lots of people find out about this
game?
● Sometimes IP co-brands and “ASO” look
like growth strategies, but they are
actually optimization strategies.

38. ASO IP Co-brands
What it does
What it doesn’t do

39. ASO IP Co-brands
What it does Increase ad CTRs
Increase ad CTRs and
platform store IR
What it doesn’t do

40. ASO IP Co-brands
What it does Increase ad CTRs
Increase ad CTRs and
platform store IR
What it doesn’t do
Drive awareness
(increase store search
volume)
Drive awareness
(increase store search
volume)

41. Is Platform Search a valuable
discovery channel?

42. Is Platform Search a valuable
discovery channel?
● The Belgium Test:

43. Is Platform Search a valuable
discovery channel?
● The Belgium Test:
● Removed every Angry
Birds game from App Store
in Belgium except AB POP
and AB Friends;

44. Is Platform Search a valuable
discovery channel?
● The Belgium Test:
● Removed every Angry
Birds game from App Store
in Belgium except AB POP
and AB Friends;
● 0 impact on installs.

45. Is Platform Search a valuable
discovery channel?
● The Belgium Test:
● People know what they
want when the search on
the App Store;

46. Is Platform Search a valuable
discovery channel?
● The Belgium Test:
● Unless your app is
transactional, search
probably isn’t as valuable
as you think.

47. Presentation Structure
1) Vanity Metrics!
2) State of the Market
3) UA Strategy in a Competitive
Marketplace
4) Planning the Angry Birds 2 Launch
5) Launch Results

48. Angry Birds 2

49. Angry Birds 2
● Soft launched as Angry
Birds “Under Pigstruction”
in Canada in March 2015;

50. Angry Birds 2
● Soft launched as Angry
Birds “Under Pigstruction”
in Canada in March 2015;
● Early speculation by media
that the game was actually
an Angry Birds sequel;

51. Launch UA Strategy

52. Launch UA Strategy
● Brand recognition would generate high
CTRs / IRs, result in low cost of
acquisition;

53. Launch UA Strategy
● Brand recognition would generate high
CTRs / IRs, result in low cost of
acquisition;
● Earned media + potential featuring would
deliver free installs;

54. Launch UA Strategy
● A massive awareness campaign would
reduce install friction on paid campaigns
(higher CTRs / IRs);

55. Launch UA Strategy
● A massive awareness campaign would
reduce install friction on paid campaigns
(higher CTRs / IRs);
● “Cheap” UA could subsidize portfolio
CPIs, great opportunity for cross promo.

56. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
?

57. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
?

58. Launch UA Strategy

59. Launch UA Strategy
Massive Awareness
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;

60. Launch UA Strategy
Massive Awareness
Paid
installs
Earned
Media
Installs
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;
Paid campaigns
perform well, earned
media generates
installs;

61. Launch UA Strategy
Massive Awareness
Paid
installs
Earned
Media
Installs
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;
Paid campaigns
perform well, earned
media generates
installs;
Surge of AB2 players
flows into portfolio.
Portfolio
installs

62. Network Engagement
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;
Paid campaigns
perform well, earned
media generates
installs;
Surge of AB2 players
flows into portfolio.

63. Network Engagement
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;
Paid campaigns
perform well, earned
media generates
installs;
Surge of AB2 players
flows into portfolio.
● Goal: increase retention across Rovio’s
portfolio of games;

64. Network Engagement
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;
Paid campaigns
perform well, earned
media generates
installs;
Surge of AB2 players
flows into portfolio.
● Goal: increase retention across Rovio’s
portfolio of games;
● Two major projects undertaken by Rovio
UANE team in last year:

65. Network Engagement
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;
Paid campaigns
perform well, earned
media generates
installs;
Surge of AB2 players
flows into portfolio.
● Goal: increase retention across Rovio’s
portfolio of games;
● Two major projects undertaken by Rovio
UANE team in last year:
● Better cross promotional impression
targeting;

66. Network Engagement
Awareness campaign
drives down paid UA
CPIs;
Paid campaigns
perform well, earned
media generates
installs;
Surge of AB2 players
flows into portfolio.
● Goal: increase retention across Rovio’s
portfolio of games;
● Two major projects undertaken by Rovio
UANE team in last year:
● Better cross promotional impression
targeting;
● Better cross promotional ads.

67. Optimized, programmatic cross promo

68. Optimized, programmatic cross promo
● Propensity to spend broken down by:

69. Optimized, programmatic cross promo
● Propensity to spend broken down by:
● Device type;

70. Optimized, programmatic cross promo
● Propensity to spend broken down by:
● Device type;
● Source game;

71. Optimized, programmatic cross promo
● Propensity to spend broken down by:
● Device type;
● Source game;
● Player country;

72. Optimized, programmatic cross promo
● Propensity to spend broken down by:
● Device type;
● Source game;
● Player country;
● Player “profile”.

73. Optimized, programmatic cross promo
● What ad is a player based in GERMANY
on an IPHONE 6 playing ANGRY BIRDS
FRIENDS who HAS NEVER
MONETIZED likely to click on (and
monetize for)?

74. Optimized, programmatic ad serving
Game
(ad
impression)
Ad
Server
Player Data
What’s the best
ad to serve this
player based on
what we know
about them?
Ad
Did the player
click on the
ad? Did they
ultimately
monetize?
Yes or No
Update
performance
data for this
player profile
based on click /
no click

75. Optimized, programmatic ad serving
Results:

76. Optimized, programmatic ad serving
Results:
• For some games, outbound installs
more than doubled;

77. Optimized, programmatic ad serving
Results:
• For some games, outbound installs
more than doubled;
• Significantly reduced manual effort
required to traffic ads (since the
algorithm does the ad selection).

78. Rich content ad portal

79. Rich content ad portal
Showing better ads:

80. Rich content ad portal
Showing better ads:
• Give players the ability to opt into
ads, make ad placements feel like
native content, allow for rich content
ad types.

82. Rich content ad portal

83. Rich content ad portal
Results:

84. Rich content ad portal
Results:
• Increase in total cross promo
impressions;
• Increase in cross promo downloads;
• Increase in App Store conversion rate;
• Moderate decrease in average CTR.

85. Rovio’s Portfolio MUU (Feb 2016)
Play One Game
Play >1 Game

86. Rovio’s Portfolio MAU
60%
62%
64%
66%
68%
70%
72%
74%
Jan-16 Feb-16
65%
72%
Percentage of MAU playing more than one game
Content
Channel
launched

87. Awareness Campaign

88. Awareness Campaign
● Facebook premium
video ad;

89. Awareness Campaign
● Facebook premium
video ad;
● >30MM impressions in
first 3 days of launch
(US, mobile only).

90. Presentation Structure
1) Vanity Metrics!
2) State of the Market
3) UA Strategy in a Competitive
Marketplace
4) Planning the Angry Birds 2 Launch
5) Launch Results

91. Angry Birds 2
● Launched globally on July
30th, 2015;

92. Angry Birds 2
● Launched globally on July
30th, 2015;
● Reached #1 Top
Downloaded position in all
major markets within
hours of launch.

93. Awareness Campaign Increased
Paid UA Performance

94. Awareness Campaign Increased
Paid UA Performance
● Soft Launch Average Paid CTR: 5%
● Soft Launch Average Paid CVR: 5%

95. Awareness Campaign Increased
Paid UA Performance
● Soft Launch Average Paid CTR: 5%
● Soft Launch Average Paid CVR: 5%
● Launch Paid CTR: 8%
● Launch Paid CVR: 22%

97. CPIs in launch week were low

98. CPIs in launch week were low
● Highest-volume campaigns in launch
week (US, iOS):

99. CPIs in launch week were low
● Highest-volume campaigns in launch
week (US, iOS):
● Facebook: ca. $1.10 CPI
● Unity Ads: ca. $2
● Applovin: ca. $1.50
● AdColony: ca. $1.75
● MDotM: ca. $1.80

100. CPIs in launch week were low
● Highest-volume campaigns in launch
week (US, iOS):
● CPIs ranged between ca. $1 and $2.2;
● Average CPI was $1.40.

101. Thank you!
● eric@mobiledevmemo.com
● @eric_seufert

102. Impact on Mobile Marketing:

103. Impact on Mobile Marketing:
● Marketing has become important
consideration in major design / aesthetic
choices:

104. Impact on Mobile Marketing:
● Marketing has become important
consideration in major design / aesthetic
choices:
● Mobile gaming market stratified into
segments defined by marketing approach.

105. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
1
2 3
4

106. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
?

107. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement

108. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
“Gimmick”
Games
Fast-follow
Clones
Lightweight
graphics-driven
experiments

109. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
“Gimmick”
Games
Fast-follow
Clones
Second-
screen
Extension
Lightweight
graphics-driven
experiments
IP Co-brands

110. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
“Gimmick”
Games
Fast-follow
Clones
Second-
screen
Extension
Full F2P
Economy
Games
Lightweight
graphics-driven
experiments
IP Co-brands

111. Unpaid Growth Paid Growth
NoBalance
Sheet
Requirement
Balance
Sheet
Requirement
“Gimmick”
Games
Fast-follow
Clones
Second-
screen
Extension
Full F2P
Economy
Games
Lightweight
graphics-driven
experiments
IP Co-brands
?