Unlock the Differences Between Branding and UA Advertising with Genshin Impact

Exploring differences and effective leverage.

In today's digital marketing landscape, two primary advertising strategies stand out: Brand Advertising and User Acquisition (UA) Advertising.

While both aim to promote products or services, they differ significantly in their approach, goals, and measurement metrics. This post will dip my toe to discuss these differences.

Defining the Two Approaches

Brand Advertising: The Long Game

The Genshin Impact YouTube channel has been producing phenomenal content several times a week for the past five years, covering various topics such as version updates, character demos, and animations. Their latest uploads continue to achieve high viewership.

• Brand advertising focuses on creating and maintaining a long-term image and reputation for a company or product.

• It’s about building recognition and trust over time. Think of it as the foundation of your marketing efforts — it’s not always immediately visible, but it supports everything else you do.

• Brand advertising often tells a story, evokes emotions, or presents a lifestyle that consumers can aspire to.

• It’s less about immediate action and more about creating a lasting impression. For example, Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign isn’t about selling a specific shoe, but about associating the brand with determination and athletic achievement.

UA (User Acquisition) Advertising: The Sprint

Data by AppGrowing

• UA advertising aims to achieve immediate, measurable results by acquiring new users or customers. It’s designed to drive specific actions quickly, such as app installs, website sign-ups, or product purchases. UA is the sprinter of the advertising world — fast, focused, and results-driven.

• UA campaigns often leverage data-driven targeting to reach potential customers who are most likely to take the desired action.

• They typically include a clear call-to-action and may offer incentives for immediate engagement. For instance, a mobile game might run ads offering bonus in-game currency for users who install and play within 24 hours.

Key Differences

Let's break down the main distinctions between these two advertising strategies:

Aspect	Brand Advertising	UA Advertising
Primary Goal	Brand recognition and trust	Immediate user actions (installs, sign-ups, purchases)
Timeline	Long-term	Short-term
Approach	Wide reach, memorable content	Targeted, data-driven
Media Examples	TV ads, billboards, sponsorships, YouTube brand channels, online video series, influencer partnerships	Social media ads, search engine marketing, app install ads, retargeting campaigns
Key Metrics	Reach, exposure, brand lift, video views, engagement rate	CPC, CPA, ROI, CPI
Problem Solved	"Which to buy when needed"	"Whether to buy or not"

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Let’s look at how the popular game Genshin Impact uses both Brand and UA advertising:

Edited by Kellen.G

While brand and UA advertising have distinct characteristics, they often work best when used together.

Brand advertising creates awareness and trust, making UA campaigns more effective. Successful UA campaigns, in turn, can reinforce brand image and loyalty.

For example, a consumer might repeatedly see brand ads for a new streaming service, creating familiarity and positive associations. Later, when they encounter a UA ad with a free trial offer, they’re more likely to sign up because of the brand recognition and trust already established.

For games, we often see UA and branding teams synergize to promote special occasions. For example, Genshin Impact invested more in UA while promoting a new version. As shown in the graph below, the number of new ads increased, accompanied by updates in store screenshots and on their YouTube channel.

Data by AppGrowing

Screenshots Update

Youtube Channel

The synergy between these two approaches deserves a deeper dive. Stay tuned for a future post where we’ll explore how these strategies can work together to drive both short-term results and long-term brand growth.