Hookin blog · 128 articles
Practical guides, teardowns, and platform notes for teams building and scaling playable ads.
128 articles
AI
Travel apps spend billions on ads that show the same beach photo carousel. Playable ads let users spin a destination wheel, scratch a deal card, or pack a virtual suitcase — and the ones who download already feel like they've started the trip.
22 min read49 views
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Ad Networks
TikTok offers two interactive ad formats, interactive add-ons and playable ads, but they serve very different purposes. Learn how each format works, when to use them, and how to create TikTok-compliant playable ads.
6 min read35 views
Performance
A studio got quoted $15K for one playable ad. Another team shipped the same quality creative for $29/month. Here's the full pricing breakdown across agencies, freelancers, SaaS tools, and in-house teams.
13 min read50 views
Tutorial
Everything you need to launch playable ads on Meta: specs, creative requirements, campaign setup, A/B testing tips, and how to export Meta-compliant playable ads automatically.
9 min read47 views
Performance
January 2025 saw 3.6 billion health and fitness app downloads worldwide. Fewer than 10 out of every 100 survived to February. Playable ads let users experience the workout, the meal plan, and the progress tracker before they install — turning resolutioners into retained users.
23 min read53 views
Game Design
Video ads plateau. Playable ads don't. Here's exactly how top gaming studios use interactive creatives across every genre — with real data, real mechanics, and the mistakes that waste budget.
15 min read34 views
AI
A complete catalog of game types you can generate with AI for playable ads — from simple tap-to-collect to 3D product showcases. Learn which mechanics work best for each industry and how AI handles them.
8 min read40 views
Performance
Most mobile users decide whether to engage with an ad in under three seconds. Here's how to design playable ads that survive the scroll — from tutorial design to loading screens to that critical first tap.
8 min read62 views
Tutorial
Every major ad network caps playable ads at 5MB — and some are even stricter. Here's a practical breakdown of what takes up space, how to compress every asset type, and how to hit your size targets without sacrificing quality.
10 min read29 views
AI
Not all game engines are equal when it comes to playable ads — and the gap widens when AI writes the code. We compare HTML Canvas, Phaser.js, and Three.js on file size, mobile performance, AI code generation reliability, and ad network compatibility to help you pick the right engine for every type of playable ad.
11 min read48 views
User Acquisition
Education apps lose 98% of users within 30 days. Playable ads let learners try the lesson before downloading — five mechanics, full COPPA compliance breakdown, and the honest limitations of the format.
18 min read28 views
Tutorial
A step-by-step walkthrough of creating a playable ad from scratch using Hookin — from signup to export, with prompt examples for gaming, e-commerce, and fintech.
11 min read51 views
AI
Interactive automotive advertising already drives measurable results — Volvo's interactive CTV campaign generated a 35% sales lift. Playable ads bring that same hands-on engagement into mobile ad units, letting potential buyers configure, drive, and compare cars before they ever visit a dealership.
19 min read37 views
Tutorial
Everything you need to build and ship playable ads on AppLovin: file specs, MRAID 2.0 implementation, MAX mediation quirks, performance metrics, common rejections, and how to get your creative approved on the first try.
8 min read46 views
AI
An honest look at where AI shines and where it still struggles when generating playable ads — plus how Hookin's refinement workflow bridges the gap between AI output and production-ready creative.
7 min read25 views
Performance
A practical guide to A/B testing playable ads — which variables move the needle, which metrics to track, and how to reach statistical significance without burning your budget.
8 min read48 views