Based on the analysis of 1.1 million video ad creatives, the report uncovers the motivations, storytelling formats, and creative signals that drive installs and long-term retention.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – April 30, 2025 – AppsFlyer has released the 2025 edition of its State of Creative Optimization report, an extensive analysis of creative performance trends and emotional drivers across mobile advertising. 

Drawing on 1.1 million ad creatives across 1,300 Gaming and Non-Gaming apps, the report reveals that overall creative winners still matter, but marketers are starting to diversify creative investment. In Gaming, the top 2% of creatives still drive a dominant 53% of total ad spend, while in Non-Gaming, that figure drops to 43%. This 10-point gap signals a shift toward broader creative testing, fatigue mitigation, and audience segmentation.