Samsung Ads Unveils Mobile Conversion for Gaming: Turning CTV into App Installs

Key takeaways
  • Unified Measurement: Mobile Conversion connects CTV impressions on Samsung TV Plus to mobile game installs via AI and first‑party data.
  • Performance Gains: Beta tests showed up to a 150% lift in seven‑day ROAS, proving CTV’s efficacy in driving app downloads.
  • Advanced Audience Intelligence: Proprietary machine‑learning models identify viewers with high install propensity, optimizing bids and creative.
  • Privacy‑First Targeting: A closed‑loop device and household data approach delivers secure, precise cross‑screen attribution.
  • Scalable Expansion: Initially for gaming, the solution will soon extend to travel, QSR, retail, financial services and beyond.

A new AI‑powered solution links connected‑TV viewing with mobile game downloads for superior cross‑screen performance.

For years, connected‑TV (CTV) advertising has been celebrated for its unparalleled ability to captivate large audiences, yet marketers have lamented its limited measurability and direct‑response capability.

Samsung Ads’ newly launched Mobile Conversion for Gaming addresses this gap head‑on, offering game publishers a turnkey path to transform passive TV viewers into active mobile gamers.

By harnessing AI, advanced machine learning, and Samsung’s vast first‑party data, the product forges a direct, measurable connection between CTV ad exposure and subsequent game downloads, delivering the unified, outcome‑driven model that today’s performance marketers demand.

Building on Unrivaled Reach and Secure Data

Samsung’s unique position as both a leading smart‑TV and smartphone manufacturer lays the foundation for Mobile Conversion’s success. According to Samsung Ads, three‑quarters of U.S. households own at least one Samsung device, granting the company an unparalleled footprint across screens.

This breadth of reach is amplified by Samsung TV Plus—ranked the top free ad‑supported streaming app on Samsung TVs—which supplies premium inventory for the Mobile Conversion algorithm.

Crucially, Samsung’s closed‑loop data ecosystem ensures privacy‑first targeting. Viewers’ device and household signals are anonymized and aggregated in compliance with evolving regulations, sidestepping the pitfalls of third‑party cookies.

The result is a secure, device‑level audience graph that powers precise propensity modeling and cross‑screen attribution without compromising user trust.

Under the Hood: AI‑Driven Audience Intelligence

At the core of Mobile Conversion lies a multi‑stage, AI‑powered workflow. First, Samsung Ads ingests viewing behavior—such as ad engagement, session frequency, and content affinities—across Samsung TV Plus. Proprietary machine‑learning models then sift this data to assign an install‑propensity score to each household.

Michael Scott, vice president and head of ad sales and operations at Samsung Ads, explains:

“Measurement has long been fragmented across TV and mobile, making it difficult for marketers to see the full impact of their spend. With Mobile Conversion, we’re closing that gap—connecting viewing behavior on the biggest screen to action on the smallest, giving brands a unified, measurable view of their consumer across channels.”

Once high‑propensity audiences are identified, the solution automatically adjusts bid pricing in real time, ensuring that media spend concentrates on the households most likely to convert.

Concurrently, a creative‑optimization engine selects and serves the ad variant best matched to each viewer’s preferences, whether that is a dynamic gameplay clip or a personalized call‑to‑action.

Finally, integrations with leading mobile measurement platforms such as AppsFlyer and Adjust close the loop, attributing each install back to its originating TV exposure to provide full‑funnel visibility.

Proven Performance: Exceeding Industry Benchmarks

In beta tests with gaming advertisers, Mobile Conversion consistently outperformed expectations. Samsung Ads reports that clients saw up to a 150 percent index on Day‑7 return‑on‑ad‑spend (ROAS) benchmarks compared to prior campaigns.

This uplift underscores the potency of CTV as a conversion channel, especially at a time when mobile‑to‑mobile user acquisition has become increasingly saturated and expensive.

Advertisers have lauded the tangible benefits of this unified approach. One game publisher noted that by reallocating a portion of its mobile budget to Mobile Conversion, it not only achieved higher install rates but also gained clarity on how TV and mobile worked in concert.

The transparent attribution model empowered marketers to refine creative strategies, optimize media mix, and forecast outcomes with greater confidence.

Strategic Implications for Cross‑Screen Marketing

Mobile Conversion for Gaming arrives amid a broader industry pivot toward integrated, performance‑driven advertising. As mobile‑only app marketing costs climb and competition intensifies, brands are seeking alternative channels that balance scale with accountability.

Samsung’s solution reframes CTV from a purely brand‑awareness medium into a direct‑response powerhouse, enabling marketers to:

  • Optimize Budgets Holistically: Rather than siloed TV and mobile campaigns, marketers gain the flexibility to shift spend dynamically based on real‑time performance insights.
  • Enhance Attribution Accuracy: By unifying measurement across screens, brands escape fragmented reporting and gain a single source of truth for ROAS analysis.
  • Leverage Privacy‑First Data: Samsung’s closed‑loop device graph offers a robust alternative to deprecating third‑party cookies, maintaining targeting precision under tightening privacy norms.

Beyond gaming, Samsung Ads has outlined plans to expand the Mobile Conversion framework into verticals such as travel, quick‑service restaurants, retail, financial services, and broader media and entertainment.

Future releases are slated to introduce Web Conversion CPA and TV Conversion CPA solutions, completing a full suite of cross‑screen conversion offerings.

Voices from Samsung Ads Leadership

Michael Scott articulates the product’s mission succinctly:

“With Mobile Conversion, we’re closing the measurement gap and empowering brands with a unified view of consumer behavior. It’s a game‑changer for performance marketing.”

His colleague, Minai Bui—director of product marketing, Europe—adds that the same technology principles underpinning Samsung’s interactive GameBreaks format and user‑behavior integrations now drive this conversion product:

“Advertisers need outcomes, not just impressions. By linking Samsung TV Plus engagement with mobile app installs, we’re offering a turnkey path from discovery to download that no other ecosystem can match.”

The Future of TV‑Driven Performance

Samsung Ads’ Mobile Conversion for Gaming represents a pivotal inflection point in advertising. By harnessing AI, machine learning, and a vast first‑party data network, the solution bridges the long‑standing divide between brand storytelling on television and direct‑response engagement on mobile.

Its early successes signal that CTV can—and should—play a central role in performance marketing strategies. As Samsung expands the product into new verticals, advertisers across industries will have the opportunity to tap into this unified model, crafting campaigns that deliver both broad reach and measurable business outcomes.

In the age of cross‑screen behavior, Mobile Conversion charts a bold new course: turning every screen moment into a catalyst for action.

About the Author
Nadica Naceva writes, edits, and wrangles content at Influencer Marketing Hub, where she keeps the wheels turning behind the scenes. She’s reviewed more articles than she can count, making sure they don’t go out sounding like AI wrote them in a hurry. When she’s not knee-deep in drafts, she’s training others to spot fluff from miles away (so she doesn’t have to).