2019 Mobile In-App Advertising Survey Japan

Following a global study commissioned in 2018, PubMatic commissioned Digital InFact to take a deeper dive into how media buyers in Japan plan and execute in-app advertising. The findings of this study provide a blueprint for steps publishers, buyers and tech providers can take to see this format realize its full potential in Japan. 

Key findings from the research include:  

  1. In-app spend accounts for an average of 28% of digital ad budgets in Japan. 
  2. Excluding walled garden apps such as facebook and LINE, the most popular app verticals among media buyers are News (71.4%), Health/Lifestyle (50%) and Gaming (40.5%).* 
  3. The primary purpose of in-app advertising differs according to buyer type – with branding being the primary objective for brand advertisers vs. app installation for agencies 
  4. While 50% of media buyers say that they buy in-app ads on Facebook, Twitter, LINE and Google APP Campaigns, only 16% use a DSP to buy in-app ads programmatically. 
  5. Concerns over inventory quality are key reasons that prevent media buyers from transacting on in-app inventory programmatically**, with 51% citing brand safety concerns and 48% citing ad fraud. 

Download the full study for additional insights and recommendations.

*Advertising agency respondents were asked to limit responses to one key client.
**Programmatic in-app ads were defined as those purchased via DSPs, these do not include ads purchased via ad networks or social media apps.

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