Having spent most of my career on the supply side of web advertising, there are probably many better placed people than me to write about this topic, however, I’m pleased to have been given the opportunity and I’d like to share what drew me to move into the world of mobile advertising.
Despite being around for over 20 years, mobile advertising is still on the rise. eMarketer estimated that US mobile ad spend will exceed $228 billion in 2025, an increase of over 12% year on year, with plenty of innovation and growth opportunities making it an amazing industry to work in. Mobile phone adoption is now ubiquitous, and with many mobile apps and sites being monetised by ads, it has become a key marketing channel that simply can’t be ignored by marketers who want to reach an audience within a trusted and measurable environment to drive both brand uplift and performance metrics.
Mobile app developers are some of the most lovely people to work with; they are super switched on, highly data-driven, and among the quickest to adopt and experiment with new technologies, in particular AI, data analytics and automation. There is also a constant desire to test innovative new ad formats like rewarded ads, playable ads and in-game ads among others. It was this that enticed me to make the switch to mobile adtech, and I don’t regret it for a minute.
When I asked my colleagues what got them into mobile advertising, the best response came from one of them on the gaming side of our business:
“Growing up, there was nothing like the thrill of seeing those iconic logos flash across the screen—Sega, Take-Two, Gameloft, Nintendo—right before diving into a new world. Those moments weren’t just about playing games; they were about experiencing something bigger, something magical. Now, years later, I get to work with these very developers, partnering with the same industry giants who shaped my love for gaming. Helping them continue to create, innovate, and bring incredible experiences to players around the world—that’s why I love working in mobile. It’s a full-circle moment.” Chandresh Balasubramanyam, Director, Customer Success, Gaming @ InMobi Advertising
While gaming is a huge part of the mobile advertising opportunity as most people play games on their phone in some shape or form these days, there remains a need to shift perceptions that mobile app advertising is just young gamers in their bedroom. The channel offers the ability to reach whatever target customer that advertisers desire and optimise the ad experience to help achieve the optimal outcome for their campaign across a whole range of types of content.
Mobile is also at the heart of so much of what we do. We shouldn’t think of mobile in isolation with “dual screening" on the rise, people are increasingly using multiple devices simultaneously, like watching TV while also scrolling on their phone. This presents further opportunities for progressive marketers and adtech providers who are able to deliver relevant messaging to consumers across multiple devices that complement each other and help drive tangible performance from a medium that was traditionally measured purely on brand uplift.
So hopefully I’ve given you pause for thought as to why you should consider working in mobile advertising, there are such a broad range of opportunities in this ever-evolving space. Are there challenges? Sure. But where would the fun be without a challenge?
Finally, to round things off, a career in mobile advertising would likely provide the opportunity to work and interact with a number of the other types of Adtech companies who have contributed to the catalogue of blogs on this wonderful site.
Ollie Morgan, Head of Supply Partnerships (Non-Gaming), InMobi Advertising