Partners bring dynamically generated in-game ads to APAC

RapidFire’s ad technology, which it calls Radial Network, streams advertisements in real-time to online video game environments. Ads display inside the 3D gaming world appearing on objects such as billboards, bus stops and posters – essentially any surface inside a game that would correlate to places you might see ads in the real world.

For Asia-Pacific, RapidFire’s clients include GroupM agencies in markets such as Singapore and Australia. A spokesperson also named Paramount Pictures, Unilever and Ford as brands that have used its advertising technology in APAC markets.The new partnership with Miniclip, an online game developer, brings dynamic in-game advertising (DIGA) to numerous 3D browser games.

Miniclip claims to be the largest privately owned gaming website with over 300 million mobile installs across Android, iOS and Windows devices and a gamer audience that exceeds 100 million monthly players on mobile, social media and online platforms. It will deploy the Radial Network in its 3D browser games: Motocross Nitro, Turbo Racing 3, Diablo Valley Rally, Pro Kicker Frenzy, and Basketball Jam Shots. Additional titles should follow in the coming weeks.

“We’re thrilled to work with a strong partner like Miniclip, who has the ability to bring multiple game titles and millions of new players into our network,” said Jordan L. Howard, RapidFire’s founder and CEO.

RapidFire offers targeting options for online gamers include: geo-location, age and frequency capping. The company predicts the new partnership will create an entirely new revenue stream for Miniclip, and will enable media buyers to execute real-time and scalable advertising campaigns inside the online games that reach an international audience. Ads can be targeted by country and as long as advertisers provide content in native languages, players in Korea Indonesia or other APAC nations can see ads in the appropriate dialect.

“The most popular Miniclip games in APAC are Motocross Nitro and Diablo Valley Rally,” explained RapidFire’s Yulia Nesterchuk “within these games, we see the most impressions in our Ad Server in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. These markets combined generate around 3.5 million impressions in just Motocross Nitro and Diablo Valley Rally.”

Commenting on business in China specifically, the company spokesperson also said business in the country would definitely be a high priority if there were fewer restrictions on the gaming industry. Miniclip for example is still blocked in Mainland China. The announced opening of the market to the Xbox console, which should debut in Sepember, could herald a new era for game publishers and RapidFire said it would even consider opening an office in China if the ban were lifted and demand could support expansion.

RapidFire is also keen to grow in the APAC region and already has plans to open offices in both Singapore and Australia either by the end of this year, or early 2015. The company was founded in the fall of 2011 with headquarters in Vancouver Canada. It helps advertisers target consumers playing video games across a wide range of platforms and genres. In addition to dynamic in-game advertising, it leverages game-developer relationships to offer brands the opportunity to launch product placement and advergaming campaigns.