Audience Planning
Gaming campaign economics
Compare gaming campaign proposals by total cost, eligible Australian delivery and the outcome the brief needs.
A gaming campaign makes economic sense when total cost buys enough contact with the intended audience, or enough useful outcomes, to meet the brief. Compare proposals on the same audience rule, cost boundary and counting units. A low CPM alone cannot settle the decision.
Build the complete budget
| Cost | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Media | Buying basis, eligible inventory, forecast delivery, minimum commitment and underdelivery terms |
| Creative | Production, adaptations, approvals and revisions included |
| Measurement | Reporting, verification and any study needed for the decision |
| Operations | Trafficking, monitoring and management charges |
Ask for amounts in AUD and whether GST is included. Separate fixed costs from variable delivery costs. Include a new playable build in the campaign decision even if its media uses a different billing basis. Treat future creative reuse as a possible benefit only when rights and adaptation needs are clear.
Gaming Campaign Cost Comparison: Media, Creative, Measurement and Operations
- Media Costs (AUD)
- Varies by platform and inventory; includes minimum commitments and underdelivery terms
- Creative Production (AUD)
- Includes adaptations, approvals, revisions; GST-inclusive
- Measurement & Verification (AUD)
- Reporting, validation studies, and audit requirements
- Operations (AUD)
- Trafficking, monitoring, and management charges
Compare eligible delivery
CPM prices a thousand counted impressions, not a thousand different people. Define the Australian location rule, approved inventory, devices and placement conditions for the brief. Request a forecast after applying those conditions.
Ask for distinct reach with its unit and period: people, households, accounts or devices. Ask how overlap is removed. If only impressions are available, report impressions rather than estimating unique reach from them.
For each format, ask which measurement method applies and what share of delivery it can classify. Viewability describes an opportunity to see the ad, not attention.
Key Metrics for Eligible Delivery in Australian Gaming Campaigns
- Australian Location RuleDefined by IP geolocation or device settings compliant with ATO data residency rules
- Distinct Reach UnitPeople, households, accounts or devices; overlap removed via deterministic or probabilistic methods
- Impressions vs. Unique ReachImpressions ≠ unique people; report actual reach when available
Choose the outcome and decision rule
For an action campaign, define the useful event before buying. Compare media-only and all-in cost per event using the same event definition and reporting window. Clicks or playable interactions may help explain the path to that event; they are not automatically the result the campaign needs.
For a recognition campaign, qualified reach and, where feasible, a separately designed brand study may be more relevant. Neither impressions nor attributed sales alone establish incremental sales caused by the campaign.
Budget a test from the question it must answer. Use plausible ranges for eligible delivery and response, allow for repeated exposure and missing measurement, and include fixed work. If the decision requires lift, arrange a suitable comparison and calculate its sample needs before booking. Set the spend cap, evidence threshold and review date in advance.
Approve a proposal when the eligible supply, total cost, outcome definitions and available evidence fit the brief. At review, compare the approved scope with delivered qualified contact and useful outcomes before expanding, revising or stopping.
Pros and Cons of Using Loot Boxes as a Monetisation Mechanism in Gaming Campaigns
- ProsHigh player engagement; drives repeat play and microtransaction revenue; effective for user retention
- ConsRisk of predatory monetisation; linked to addictive behaviour; regulated under Australian consumer law and ATO advertising compliance guidelines
In this guide
- Comparing gaming CPMs with qualified reachCompare gaming CPM quotes against distinct eligible Australian reach, with a worked example and the limits of reach estimates.
- Budgeting for playable ad productionScope a playable production quote across build, adaptations, QA and rights, then separate production from media spend.
- Estimating a test size for a new gaming formatEstimate usable gaming test volume and cost from the decision, and distinguish feasibility arithmetic from a powered lift study.
- Evaluating a low-cost game placement with weak outcomesDecide whether to repair, narrow or stop a low-cost game placement by checking total cost, eligible delivery and useful outcomes.
