By Eugene Chernysh, Chief Operating Officer at AdsAdvisor

Mobile advertising in the Middle East has entered a new phase of competition as user expectations rise, acquisition costs climb, and attention spans continue to shrink. In a region where nearly 595 million people identify as gamers and mobile penetration remains among the highest in the world, audiences no longer respond to static impressions. They expect interaction, value, and entertainment. This shift is accelerating the adoption of gamified, reward-based, and interactive formats that consistently outperform traditional creatives. It is fast becoming a foundational growth driver for mobile businesses across the region.

Why reward-based and interactive creatives work

Static creatives struggle to break through noise in a market where users spend hours each day navigating fast, visually rich digital ecosystems. Global studies show that interactive formats can lift engagement by up to 150%, while reward-based ads deliver higher opt-in rates and longer session times compared to passive formats. In the UAE, brands that adopted gamified engagement strategies have recorded increases of up to 47% in interaction.

The logic behind this is that human attention is drawn to challenge, reward, and progression. When users feel a sense of agency, they stay longer and convert faster. As privacy changes reshape how companies track and measure performance, reliance on creatives that generate clear, high-intent signals has intensified. Interactive formats deliver this clarity because they reflect real user behaviour, not assumptions based on passive impressions.

These shifts align naturally with the digital habits of younger audiences, who spend up to 7.5 hours online each day and prefer content that is dynamic and participatory. With 65% of Gen Z gamers playing for more than three hours daily, mobile advertisers now target an audience that is conditioned to expect interactivity as a default.

Playables, mini-games, and AR are becoming core UA engines

Playable ads and mini-games are now among the most effective tools in user acquisition. They allow users to test an experience before downloading, which increases downstream retention and improves ROAS accuracy. Global data consistently shows that users acquired through playables demonstrate higher engagement because they enter the funnel with clearer intent.

The Middle East is particularly well-positioned for this shift as its gaming market is projected to reach $7.1 billion by the end of 2025, driven by one of the world’s fastest-growing gaming populations. AdsAdvisor has introduced a playable reforming tool to the region that adapts playables across multiple ad networks and formats while reducing production time and cost. This type of automation removes barriers that once made playable development slow or expensive. Today, regional advertisers can scale interactive creatives as quickly as they iterate static ads.

Augmented reality is also becoming a growth driver, and mobile advertisers are already experimenting with lightweight augmented reality (AR) interactions, from virtual try-ons to location-based mini-games. AR formats deliver a strong sense of immersion, helping brands stand out in competitive categories.

Why non-gaming verticals are turning to gamification

Fintech, lifestyle, health, and fitness apps across MENA are now integrating gamified mechanics to encourage retention and repeat behaviour. These categories operate in highly competitive environments where loyalty must be earned, not assumed.

Interactive ad formats are an extension of the product experience, inviting users to participate. Game mechanics such as streaks, levels, challenges, and virtual currencies create behavioural patterns that are difficult to replicate with static creatives.  One example is Coca-Cola’s Chok! Chok! Chok! campaign in Hong Kong, where a mobile app reacted to a TV ad’s audio cue and let users shake their phones to collect virtual caps for rewards. It became the top free app in few hours and passed 380,000 downloads within weeks.

This creative strategy mirrors what mobile users already do in their daily digital lives: play, explore, and experiment. The more closely an ad reflects the satisfaction cycle of a real in-app experience, the higher the likelihood a user will convert.

The future of interactive advertising in MENA

The next phase of mobile advertising in the Middle East will be defined by deeper immersion, automation, and personalization. 

Competition has intensified, and businesses want ad formats that reveal clear intent, which is driving investment into playables, reward-driven ads, and interactive video. With the global mobile gaming market expected to surpass $175.3 billion by 2027, audiences are already primed to respond to game-like interactions.

As hardware, SDKs, and creative toolkits mature, regional advertisers will be able to deploy AR experiences at scale, including virtual product trials, mixed-reality activations, and interactive out-of-home extensions.

There is also a rising emphasis on loyalty-based engagement as customer acquisition costs increase. Brands are prioritising formats that build ongoing behaviour instead of one-time clicks. Gamification reinforces this direction because it builds habits, rewards progress, and strengthens the emotional link between user and brand.

In the Middle East, gamified and interactive advertising is moving from experimentation to essential strategy. The combination of a young, mobile-first population and a fast-growing gaming culture has permanently raised the standard for what audiences expect from mobile campaigns. Brands that embrace this shift early will be better positioned to achieve efficient acquisition, stronger retention, and more durable customer relationships.