In Merge Mayor, a casual Merge game with a broad target audience, I experimented with various creative approaches from hyper-casual styles to more narrative, story telling concepts. Main highlight is, by integrating AI tools, I streamlined my workflow and transformed our creatives setup, enabling faster iteration and more engaging storytelling in marketing assets.
All of these videos are top-performing creatives, built with the Best performing elements.
I designed a unique Paisley-style level with smooth, satisfying motion that was later adopted by top titles like Gardenscapes. This approach led to a significant boost in retention through high-performing ad creatives. I also introduced inertia-based levels that leaned into humorous, simple fail gameplay , one of which became iconic enough to influence the game’s app icon. These “Pull the Pin” style ads and levels remain effective even years later, demonstrating their lasting impact.
Paisley levels
Inertia levels
I introduced animal elements with passive and active reactions to enrich gameplay and bring surprise moments to ads, increasing viewer engagement. For the U.S. market, I implemented localized elements such as national flags and classic "find the difference" mechanics, which helped boost performance through familiarity and cultural relevance.
In this game, designing clearly fail-prone levels and gameplay, combined with the use of vibrant color tones that resonate with the audience, significantly increased impressions and installs. Additionally, adding a commentary character at the top of the levels helped enhance engagement and viewer retention.
