The Energizer campaign is running in Session M’s platform. In-app rewards are a tactic that more brands are eyeing as a way to target groups of engaged users.

“Energizer, in partnership with MEC, leveraged SessionM to promote their portable power products,” said Bill Clifford, chief revenue officer at SessionM, Boston.

“Given the nature of the phone charging products, mobile was an obvious fit,” he said.

In-app engagement
Users who interact with Session M content inside mobile apps see the Energizer ads.

The ads encourage consumers to play a mobile game in exchange for points that are credited to their Session M account.

To play, consumers drag devices across the screen to recharge them.

Once a gadget is plugged in, consumers tap the device to receive points.

The campaign also includes a sweepstakes.

After users play the game, a landing page encourages consumers to enter a sweepstakes to win a $200 Ticketmaster gift card.

Users who click through can enter the sweepstakes and view contest rules.

Alternatively, users can claim their points and continue to interact with their apps.

Mobile rewards
This is not the first time that Energizer has used mobile advertising to help spread brand awareness.

Last year, Energizer ran an iAd campaign as part of its partnership with the VH1 Save The Music Foundation to let consumers interact with the brand’s iconic Energizer Bunny (see story).

In-app reward ad models are being used by more marketers as a way to target specific groups of users.

Additionally, publishers and app developers are increasingly looking to in-app rewards to increase retention and drive monetization from their apps.

The ad model is also a break from traditional banner ads that some experts say are losing traction with campaigns that mimic the same creative from PCs.

As consumers become more comfortable interacting with ads inside apps, the key will be for brands to leverage context to make mobile ads more personalized.

“Unlike traditional in-app ads that consumers that are often interruptive and annoying, the ad experiences we deliver are invitational and rewarding,” Mr. Clifford said.

“As a result, we are seeing a more than 70 percent engagement rate with our rich media ads compared to mobile market norms of 15 percent,” he said.

“Ad effectiveness studies have also revealed that these ad experiences are three to five times more effective at lifting key attitudinal metrics like consideration and purchase intent than the average mobile rich media campaign. By changing the context through which mobile ads are delivered to consumers, we’ve been able to dramatically improve consumer perception of mobile advertising.”

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York