MolocoUnwrapping Seasonal Strategies: Where the Growth Lives Across Q4 and Q5
The article analyzes seasonal ad performance across gaming, social, and entertainment verticals in the US, Korea, and Japan. It highlights that the holiday season spans from mid-October (Diwali) through Q5 (Valentine's Day, Lunar New Year, Holi). Key data points: For US gaming, downloads surge >40% during Christmas-New Year, with peak ROAS +32% iOS and +15% Android after Black Friday competition subsides.
In Korea, gaming ROAS peaks pre-Lunar New Year (+25-32%). In Japan, gaming ROAS spikes +36% iOS/+60% Android during Christmas-New Year, plus a March Spring holiday opportunity. For US social apps, ARPPU peaks during Halloween, Thanksgiving, year-end holidays, and Lunar New Year, driving ROAS gains of +100-217%.
For entertainment apps, Christmas week delivers +88% ROAS due to high revenue and low CPI. Actionable takeaways include: test creatives in early Q4, scale UA during Christmas-New Year efficiency windows, use holiday-timed creative refreshes, and extend into Q5 with retention campaigns. The playbook emphasizes phased strategy aligning spend with user behavior shifts.
You Might Also Like
AdjustMobile app trends over the 2025 festive season | Adjust
The 2025 festive season drove significant mobile app activity across categories. Entertainment installs peaked post-Christmas, with video streaming up 54% on New Year's Eve. E-commerce saw highest installs on Dec 26-28, while sessions peaked earlier during deal discovery periods. Finance apps had highest sessions in early December, dipping during holidays. Food delivery maintained steady growth throughout. Gaming installs rose after Christmas, peaking at +18% on New Year's Day. Travel apps peaked Dec 26-28. Key takeaway: marketers should time campaigns to each category's unique engagement windows to maximize ROI.
AppsFlyerWinning every stage of the shopper journey with data – your ultimate guide to eCommerce app growth
App measurement is fundamentally different from web analytics due to data fragmentation across ad networks, devices, and apps. A Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) like AppsFlyer bridges these gaps, enabling unified attribution, fraud protection, and LTV measurement. For eCommerce, granular event tracking, deep linking, and privacy-safe data collaboration are critical. Leaders should focus on metrics like IR, CPI, LTV, and ROAS, and adopt AI-driven optimization to overcome challenges like ad fraud and privacy changes. The future is Connected Commerce—integrating apps, web, retail media, and AI.
Liftoff(Vungle)Q5 Opportunities Mobile Game Marketers Can’t Afford to Miss
Q5 (late Dec-early Jan) offers mobile game advertisers lower CPMs and CPIs due to reduced brand ad spend, with Android CPMs dropping sharply and puzzle CPIs halving from December highs. Casual genres benefit most. Key strategies: run seasonal campaigns, shift Q1 budget to early January for cheaper installs, and re-engage lapsed users. Act early to build momentum for 2026.
MetaCyber 5 2025: What worked, what changed and how to win Q5
Cyber 5 2025 saw $44.2B in online sales (+7.7% YoY), with Black Friday outpacing Cyber Monday for the first time. Mobile dominated (57.5% of Cyber Monday sales), and AI shopping assistants surged 670% YoY, converting 38% better than traditional sources. The efficiency paradox emerged: higher CPMs but lower CPAs due to spike in conversion rates (Black Friday CPA down 14% vs. early Oct). Omnichannel campaigns delivered 35% lower CPA. Q5 (post-Cyber Monday) offers the most efficient period with low CPMs and high purchase intent. Key tactics: creative diversity, automation, creator partnerships, and remarketing.
Liftoff(Vungle)Data-Backed Insights to Boost E-Commerce Sales This Holiday Season
For 2025 holiday success, ad ops decision-makers should ramp up UA spend early (summer to September) to build a user base for Q4, balance with year-round remarketing that spikes on key shopping days, and leverage interactive ads and UGC to convert shoppers. Front-loading UA on iOS and optimizing for sustained in-app revenue via loyalty flows are critical. Use AI to scale creative testing and personalize campaigns.
AppsFlyerHow banks measure marketing ROI across every channel: Paid, owned, and app
Banks lack unified attribution for owned channels (email, SMS, push), web, QR codes, and re-engagement, causing budget misallocation. Omnichannel attribution connects all touchpoints to deposits and loans, revealing that owned channels can be 2-3X more cost-efficient than paid ads. Cross-device journeys (e.g., mobile ad to desktop conversion) remain invisible in single-device attribution. Banking-grade compliance (SOC 2, ISO 27001) is maintained. Ad ops decision-makers can optimize budget allocation by comparing true cost per deposit/loan across channels.
TikTokThe AI Uprising in Advertising: TikTok is Leading the Charge | TikTok For Business Blog
TikTok's full-funnel automation, integrating creative, media, and measurement, addresses fragmentation in AI tools. Brands using Smart+ and GMV Max see improved ROAS and CPA. Case studies show Naturium achieved 3.5x ROAS, PHLUR 191% higher ROAS, and Leatherman 97% revenue increase. Symphony and Content Suite enable scalable, authentic content. The key is pairing automation with strategic storytelling.
SensorTowerTop 10 Worldwide Mobile Games By Revenue and Downloads in December 2025
In December, top mobile games like Last War: Survival drove revenue through holiday live ops, skins, and discounts. Whiteout Survival, Royal Match, and MONOPOLY GO! leveraged events and collaborations. Global consumer spending hit $6.9B, up 3.5% MoM, led by US (32%), China (13.6%), Japan (12.7%). Download leader Block Blast! doubled events; Red Dead Redemption mobile debut surged. Takeaways: Seasonal events, IP collabs, and live ops boost engagement and spending.
More from Moloco
Is your channel mix resilient in an AI-disrupted world?
AI is reshaping consumer behavior, with 80% of Google searches ending without a click and half of consumers using AI for...
The Singular 2026 ROI Index showcases Moloco as a top partner outside walled gardens
Moloco ranks 5th in the 2026 Singular ROI Index with 29 leaderboard appearances, highlighting consistent ROI across glob...
Costco Chooses Moloco to Power AI-Driven Retail Media
Costco partners with Moloco Commerce Media to power onsite ads on Costco.com, aiming to replicate in-warehouse discovery...
The Race for the Interface: Why Customer Relationships Are Your Best Defense Against AI Disruption
AI-driven disruption is reshaping consumer journeys, with 67% of marketing leaders expecting high impact. Brands risk lo...
Super Bowl LX: Why Sportsbook Advertisers Should Bet on January
The Super Bowl drives huge deposit volume but is only average in cost efficiency due to competition. January NFL and col...
🚀 Moloco Commerce Media Helps eCommerce Capture the Holiday Traffic Surge 🎁
MCM's outcome-based smart bidding enhancements help e-commerce platforms and advertisers thrive during Q4 holiday surges...