Zombie Catchers, an offbeat app where players can harpoon zombies and blend them into smoothies, was a hit from the beginning. In its first week, it saw 1.5M downloads. The game has reached top 10 charts in 83 countries, and players return regularly for its addictive zombie-catching gameplay.   Best of all, the studio monetized the game early with Vungle video ads, netting them revenue from the game’s success and engaging users more deeply with the game.

1. Zombie Catchers Increases
Session Length by 25% with
Opt-in Video Ads
Zombie Catchers, an offbeat app where players can harpoon
zombies and blend them into smoothies, was a hit from
the beginning. In its first week, it saw 1.5M downloads. The
game has reached top 10 charts in 83 countries, and players
return regularly for its addictive zombie-catching gameplay.
Best of all, the studio monetized the game early with Vungle
video ads, netting them revenue from the game’s success and
engaging users more deeply with the game.
CASE STUDY
Goal: Monetize Players from the Beginning
Two Men and a Dog founders Matti Kallonen and Aleksi
Räisänen, former Rovio and White Sheep veterans, knew they
should position Zombie Catchers to drive revenue from the
very beginning.
“Downloads often spike at launch, and we wanted to have
monetization included then. If we added it later, we might not
have that same level of volume,” said Kallonen.
But they weren’t willing to try just any monetization tactic. The
game already featured in-app purchases that offered a small
stream of revenue. They sought another tactic that would
complement (but not cannibalize) IAPs and be useful,
not interruptive.
Solution: 15s Opt-in Videos Make Gameplay More Fun
Two Men and a Dog decided to integrate Vungle video ads as their only ad technology.
They implemented an opt-in placement that gives players faster access to zombies. Normally users
only get two “catching sessions” before they have to wait another 10 minutes. Watching a 15-second
ad allows them to capture the undead again, right away. To balance UX, players only see one ad for
every hour of play.
These type of ads are
something that benefits the
player and the developer,
especially since the ad is
used with an incentive. It
actually improves the game
experience since it is seen
as a cool feature.
— Matti Kallonen,
Two Men and a Dog Co-Founder
Helsinki, Finland
www.twomenandadog.fi
facebook.com/vungle@vunglevungle.com

2. CASE STUDY
Results: Users Play 25% Longer After Watching a Mobile Ad
Turns out, getting back in the game faster also encourages players to stay in the game longer.
Kallonen estimates that video ads extend player session time by more than 25 percent.
“It truly encourages people to play the session once more after watching the video,” he said. “We
wanted to give a reward that is very meaningful, and we’re happy with the placement. We really liked the
15-second format of the video, and, Vungle was easy to implement.”
Normal game flow: IAP or wait Opt-in placement: monetizes users who
don’t want to purchase or wait
About Vungle
Vungle is the way developers put video ads in apps. Vungle’s breakthrough video ad-serving
technology and user-first approach has led to its track record of success and made it necessary
infrastructure for applications. Vungle was founded in 2012 and has offices in San Francisco,
London, Berlin, and Beijing. Vungle reaches more than 150 million unique viewers monthly, and
is championed by the developers of popular apps like Fruit Ninja and Cut the Rope. For more
information visit www.vungle.com and follow @vungle.
facebook.com/vungle@vunglevungle.com