IAB PlayFronts Returns for Third Year, Reinforcing Gaming Advertising’s Effectiveness

For the third consecutive year, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) gears up for IAB PlayFronts. On March 26th-27th, industry leaders from gaming companies, streaming platforms, and adtech partners will gather at Convene in New York City (1221 6th Avenue) for an event that defines the gaming advertising landscape and showcases creative opportunities for brands.

As the dedicated marketplace for the gaming industry, IAB PlayFronts is the must-attend event to discuss the current and future state of the gaming advertising ecosystem. Industry experts will feature the latest trends and consumer insights in gaming advertising, demonstrate unique creative opportunities for brands to drive incremental revenue, and discover new audiences. Focus will include navigating measurement and diverse ad formats to maximize engagement and effectiveness in this evolving space.

“IAB PlayFronts empowers brands and agencies to mobilize the full potential of gaming as a strategic advertising channel,” said Carryl Pierre-Drews, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, IAB. “As the gaming landscape undergoes constant evolution, the burgeoning demand prompted our decision to expand IAB PlayFronts to a second day, reaffirming the ability of gaming to deliver meaningful business results.”

On March 26, IAB will release the first quantitative study of why brands and agencies continue to leverage games advertising, what success they’re seeing across the marketing funnel, and how gaming drives results compared to other channels. Additionally, IAB will release its Creative Guidelines and Best Practices in Advertising in Gaming. These guidelines aim to set industry standards for balancing effective in-game advertising with player experience across mobile, PC, and web-based games, offering crucial guidance for advertisers, agencies, game publishers, and platforms to craft engaging creative content.

“Brands are investing significantly in gaming, with 93% of media buyers intending to activate in gaming by 2025,” said Zoe Soon, Vice President of the Experience Center at IAB. “For brands, gaming presents an enormous opportunity to embed themselves in consumers’ stories and in moments of triumph, community, engagement, and connection with themselves and others. It’s an effective way to access attention, cut through the noise and boost brand recall, and loyalty with audiences.”