Emotion-led storytelling & A-B testing

Gameloft is a renowned video game publisher specializing in mobile games. With a global user base, their titles span a variety of genres, with Dragon Mania Legends being one of their popular long-running games.

Gameloft wanted to re-engage lapsed players of Dragon Mania Legends, encouraging them to return to the game, play longer sessions, and ultimately level up, potentially leading to in-app purchases. The campaign needed to work with their existing studio-approved static assets and deliver messaging centered around one key idea: “Feed your dragons.”

Given the crowded mobile gaming landscape, it was important for these ads to stand out visually and emotionally, and to drive action fast.

My goal was to create high-impact creatives that could be deployed across multiple ad formats and maximize app re-opens. While we were limited to using the static assets provided by the client, I saw an opportunity to push beyond by turning them into animated, emotionally driven videos that could scale across devices.

The Solution - I pitched the idea of using emotional targeting by leveraging emotional triggers that would drive more app opens. Studies in consumer neuroscience suggest that emotionally charged advertisements activate areas of the brain associated with memory, making the content more memorable. The baby dragon in the original static materials was already adorable, but by showing it with a sad expression or tears, we created a stronger emotional connection and sense of urgency, encouraging users to return to the game and “feed” their dragon.

Created three full ad sets featuring different emotional states of the dragon, paired with subtle animations to bring the characters to life. We also rebuilt the static banners using these expressions to support a unified and scalable campaign.

Design Process - We started by breaking down the layered Photoshop files provided by the client. These high-resolution assets made it easy to isolate and animate the dragon. We created new facial expressions in Illustrator and Photoshop, and built looping animations that were short enough to ensure fast load times without sacrificing quality.

I also made sure the messaging and CTAs were clearly visible on every screen size, and collaborated with the team on implementing versions tailored to different platforms and devices. We even explored a playable version, where users could “feed” the dragon by swiping across the screen.

Gameloft loved the campaign’s direction and execution. The emotional variants sparked curiosity and engagement, and the client was excited to see how well the playable ad aligned with their goals. We went on to test different copy combinations with the same visuals, extending the life and reach of the campaign.

This project reinforced the power of emotion-led storytelling, but more importantly, the strategic value of testing creative variants. While we hypothesized that a sad face or teardrop could drive more actions, the real insight was in creating simple, focused iterations that isolated and tested one element at a time.

This allowed us to optimize the campaign based on real behavioral insights. It was a reminder of how important it is to develop theories, bring them to life creatively, and let the data guide refinement.

This campaign was a great exercise in enhancing pre-existing creative assets through emotional storytelling and strategic animation. By turning static images into engaging, emotionally resonant ads, we extended the campaign’s reach and impact while staying true to the brand’s tone and creative direction. It was a fun and rewarding challenge to turn a simple reminder into something users could feel compelled to act on.