This document summarizes the creative approach and growth hacking strategies used by WB Games for one of their mobile games. It discusses testing and optimizing different elements of the game's marketing and monetization funnel over 2018, including store redesign, creative optimization, channel optimization, and exploring new audiences. The results were large increases in key metrics like conversions, installs, and revenue, showing how testing and optimizing each part of the funnel can lead to significant growth when combined into a comprehensive strategy.

1. THECREATIVEAPPROACH
TOGROWTHHACKING
Ryan Brennan, Director of Product Marketing @ WB Games

2. WHOWEARE
WB Games is the mobile game division of Warner Bros.
WHATWEDO
Mobile Publishing team focused on connecting audiences to awesome gaming experiences
OURAPPROACH
Leverage data and analytics, test and learn, & validate our process

3. WEPUBLISHMOBILEGAMESACROSSTHEWBPORTFOLIO

4. TOP25GROSSINGAPP
TOP10STRATEGYAPP MONTHLYGROWTH

5. ORGANICINSTALLS PAIDINSTALLS SIGNALVSNOISE

6. WARNERBROS.TRADITION
Known for major entertainment moments & launches
LAUNCH
Highest investment in a mobile game with full HBO support
OPPORTUNITY
All signals looked positive but we needed to grow in order to learn
TRANSITIONTOCONVERSION
Needed to drive up conversions, increase our reach, cut costs, and sustain player acquisition

7. SHIFTTOGROWTH
1. Organized the team around our User Acquisition efforts
2. Audited best-in-class practices & competition
3. Built out the publishing roadmap against expected outcomes
4. Focused on placing conversion & data behind our decision-making

8. 2018ROADMAP&PRIORITIES
1
Store
Redesign
2
Creative
Optimization
3
Channel
Optimization
4
New
Audiences

9. 1STORE REDESIGN

10. STOREREDESIGN
THE PROBLEM:
Given the broad appeal of the IP and the niche market of strategy games,
our #1 priority was to more effectively convert our current traffic sources.

11. LAUNCH
• Core Features
• Talent
• Iconic Locations
• HBO
• Sigils
AUDIT
• Broaden Appeal
• Sell the Fantasy
• Battle Strategy
• Attract Value Players

12. 18% lift
ICON
7% lift
TITLE
18% lift
SCREEN ART
40% lift
PREVIEW VIDEO
1% lift
DESCRIPTION
AGGREGATELIFTSCOMPOUNDTOHUGEGAINSINCVR

13. TESTINGPROCESS
South Battle North Battle Command View
321

14. TESTINGPAIDTRAFFIC
Partnered with StoreMaven

15. REINTRODUCEBRAND/IP

16. 4/30/18
5/7/18
5/14/18
5/21/18
5/28/18
6/4/18
6/11/18
6/18/18
6/25/18
7/2/18
7/9/18
7/16/18
7/23/18
7/30/18
8/6/18
8/13/18
8/20/18
8/27/18
9/3/18
9/10/18
9/17/18
9/24/18
10/1/18
10/8/18
10/15/18
10/22/18
10/29/18
Installs CVRStore Refresh
STORECONVERSION
101%INCREASEAVG.CVR

17. 2CREATIVE OPTIMIZATION

18. CREATIVEOPTIMIZATION
THE PROBLEM:
After addressing the lower funnel, our focus shifted to answering whether
or not our ads were maximizing reach & scale, attracting value players,
and if we were setup to sustain this course.

19. FOCUSEDONGROWINGSCALEATYIELD
1. Volume would increase chance of success, lower fatigue
2. Needed to build a process for systematic improvement
3. Seek out diversity of ad types & messaging
4. Rethink how we invested in new creative content

20. SCALE&ADTYPEMIX
Video Static Playable Ads Cinemagraph
Weekly Asset Delivery by Type

21. GOWIDE&THENGODEEPONPERFORMINGTYPES

22. Gameplay
CG
Show Footage
Talent
TESTINGPROCESS
NEWCONCEPTS
ITERATEIMPROVECVR TESTTOLEARN
A/B
1st Three Secs
Copy
Colors
Thumbnails
Funnel Improvement
CVR Gain
Audience Performance

23. Invest where you've found performance
REINVESTINWHATISDRIVINGSCALE
Set yourself up for future success
DOUBLEDOWN HEDGEYOURBET

24. 3CHANNEL OPTIMIZATION

25. CHANNELOPTIMIZATION
THE PROBLEM:
With the top and bottom of the funnel working, our focus shifted towards
maximizing growth relationships, testing tools to find performance, and
opening ourselves up to knowledge sharing & critique.

26. The only constant is change.
NEWCHANNELGROWTH
DON'TFORGETTHEENDCONSUMEREXPERIENCE

27. MORE REACH
10% LAL
Competitor
Interests
Other Affinity
Interests
Broad
1% LAL
Use deeper funnel event
optimization to find payers
HIGHER QUALITY
User upper funnel event
optimization to find payers
AEO & VO
AEO & Install
Install
KNOWWHATYOUAREOPTIMIZINGFOR

28. JOINALPHA&BETAPROGRAMS
• Media incentives provide value
• First mover’s advantage
• Less competitive
• Captures early learning
• Results may surprise you
33%INSTALLSCALE

29. 4NEW AUDIENCES

30. NEWAUDIENCES
THE PROBLEM:
With funnel working & a system in place to sustain performance, our focus
shifted towards broadening out from our core growth areas, to take on
additional risk in order to find higher value players and new markets.

31. ASO&KEYWORDS
ASO UPDATE
Game of Thrones iOS search-installs trend over 2 months
100%INSTALLINCREASE
June July

32. GEOEXPANSION
Evaluate Localization / FTUE
Create New Ads
Redesign Stores
Run Local Media
PRODUCTEXPANSION
Product Features
New UA Campaigns
Full Marketing Update

33. HOWDOESTHISWORKADDUP?

34. THEFINALRESULT
Revenue
Spend
REVENUE
STACKINGGROWTH
COSTSRELATIVELYFLAT

35. THANKYOU