Test layout
The ads are grouped so each ad set compares different hooks rather than near-copies. Round 1 runs in Brazil and Spanish-speaking Latin America, because September's players there played longest (Brazil 34 minutes each, Mexico 17). So all twelve ads need Portuguese and Spanish text. English-speaking Africa joins as a smaller cell in round 2 with the winners in English.
What September means for the creative. Paid players left early: 21% came back on day 1, and the biggest drops came after levels 2, 5 and 11. An ad that promises something the first ten minutes don't deliver raises installs and lowers day 1. So every ad is judged on day 1 retention as well as cost per install. C3 (ship building) and C4 (Captain's Hook) show features that only about a quarter and a sixth of September's players reached, so watch their day 1 closely.
| Ad set | Ads | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| A · Hooks | C1a, C1b, C2a, C2b | Rescue tension against the match-and-spin reward |
| B · Progress | C3a, C3b, C4a, C4b | Building and collecting against a short bonus-game loop |
| C · Characters | C5a, C5b, S1, S2 | Character-led video against image and carousel |
| Round | Markets | Audience | Ad sets | Daily budget | Length | Spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil (PT) · Mexico, Colombia, Argentina (ES) | 18+ broad | A, B, C in each cluster (6) | $20 each | 7 days | ≈ $840 |
| 2 | Best cluster from round 1, plus a South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya cell (EN) | 35–65+ against 18+ broad | Top 4 ads, 4 ad sets | $25 each | 7 days | ≈ $700 |
| 3 | Same as round 2 | The better age cell | Top 2 ads plus 4 new variants | $70 total | 7 days | ≈ $490 |
Total about $2,030, inside the plan's $1,500–2,500 for Phase 1. Every round needs your approval before it starts. All ad sets: Android app installs, Advantage+ placements, ages 18+ as Meta requires for social casino games.
How each ad is judged
| Metric | How it's read | Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Hook rate | 3-second video plays ÷ impressions | ≥ 25% |
| Link CTR | Link clicks ÷ impressions | ≥ 1.0% |
| Installs per 1,000 impressions | Installs ÷ impressions × 1,000 | ≥ 5 |
| Cost per install | Spend ÷ installs | ≤ $0.40 |
| Tutorial completion | From the app event, by ad | ≥ 70% |
| Day 1 retention | GA4 cohort by first-user campaign and ad name (September paid: 21%) | ≥ 30% |
Kill rule from the plan: pause an ad with link CTR under 0.7% after about 3,000 impressions. A low hook rate with a good CTR means the opening second needs a recut, not that the concept failed.
Specs and rules for every ad
| Item | Spec |
|---|---|
| Master format | 9:16, 1080 × 1920, MP4 (H.264), 30 fps or more, for Reels and Stories |
| Second cut | 4:5, 1080 × 1350, for Feed. Same edit, reframed |
| Length | 15 seconds unless the brief says otherwise. C4a is an 8-second loop |
| Safe zone | In 9:16, keep text and logos out of roughly the top 14% and bottom 35%, where Reels puts its own buttons and caption |
| Sound | Game music and sound effects. Every line of text burned in, because most people watch muted |
| End card | Last 2–3 seconds: SlotoMatch logo, "Free to play", the Google Play badge, and a small "For entertainment only. No real-money gambling." line |
| File name | SM_P1_C1a_SaveOtto_916_ES_v1.mp4 (phase, ad, short name, ratio, language, version) |
| Ad name in Ads Manager | Same as the file name without the extension, so results map back to files |
Rules
- Real gameplay only. Every board, level and moment shown must be in the current build. Meta and Google Play both act on ads that show gameplay the app doesn't have, and players who feel tricked leave on day 1. If a moment below doesn't exist in the game, capture the closest real one.
- No money language. Coins, moves, boosters and rewards only. Never "win money", "cash", "payout" or "jackpot prize". "BIG WIN!" appears only as the in-game banner, never in ad copy.
- Character names. The briefs use the store spellings (Otto, Red, Poli). The shark is called "the shark" until Romzy confirms whether it is Rex.
- Translations. The Spanish and Portuguese text below is a first draft. A native speaker should check it before the ads run.
C1 · Save Otto
- Hypothesis
- A character in danger and a visible move counter make people want to try. Rescue hooks are a match-3 staple for the 35–65 audience.
- Source art
- The Pirate Cove key art (Otto on the planks, the shark below)
- Watch-out
- Only run this if the Otto rescue level exists in the game. If it doesn't, Romzy builds it first or we drop C1.
C1a
Near miss, then the rescue
15 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 s | Tight on Otto tied up, the shark circling below. MOVES counter shows 3. | SAVE OTTO! | Tense drum hit |
| 1–5 s | A finger swipes a match. Tiles around Otto clear; one blocker is left. | 2 moves left | Match pops |
| 5–8 s | The next swipe misses the blocker. The shark leaps and snaps just short. | So close… | Splash, comic gulp |
| 8–12 s | Last move: a cascade fills the reel meter, the board reels spin and land cannons, which blast the blocker. Otto is free and cheers. | Spin for a power-up! | Reel spin, cannon boom, cheer |
| 12–15 s | End card. | Free to play | Theme sting |
C1b
"Can you do it in 3?"
15 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–2 s | The same board, frozen. A pulsing ring marks the blocker and the counter shows 3. | 3 moves left. Can you do it? | Clock tick |
| 2–4 s | A hand hovers over two possible swaps, hesitating. | Which one? | Tick |
| 4–11 s | The right three moves in a row, ending in the reel spin that frees Otto. | 1… 2… 3! | Rising pops, reel spin |
| 11–15 s | Otto waves, then the end card. | Your turn | Theme sting |
C2 · Match, then spin
- Hypothesis
- The in-board reels are what no other match-3 game has. Showing the moment they fire gives the clearest reason to install.
- Source art
- Store screenshots 2 and 3 (BIG WIN and EPIC WIN banners), the reel meter (0/40)
- Watch-out
- Keep the reels on the board, surrounded by tiles, so the ad reads as a puzzle with a twist and not a slot machine.
C2a
Fill the meter, fire the reels
15 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 s | The reels at the top of the board mid-spin, tiles below. | MATCH TO SPIN! | Reel whirr |
| 1–6 s | Fast matches; each one ticks the meter up (12/40, 27/40, 40/40). | Fill the meter | Pops rising in pitch |
| 6–10 s | The reels stop on three cannons, which fire and clear a third of the board. | Power-up! | Three clunks, cannon boom |
| 10–12 s | The in-game BIG WIN banner and a shower of coins. | (banner only) | Fanfare |
| 12–15 s | End card. | Spin, match & solve! | Theme sting |
C2b
Satisfying close-ups
15 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 s | Macro shot of one cascade in slow motion: crowns and gems falling into place. | (none) | Clean pops, no music |
| 3–10 s | Three more chain reactions, each bigger, cut on the beat. | (none) | Soft music enters |
| 10–12 s | A full-board clear. | So satisfying | Whoosh |
| 12–15 s | End card. | Free to play | Theme sting |
C2b tests whether a quiet, text-free opening holds attention better than a loud hook. Compare its hook rate with C2a's.
C3 · Rebuild the ship
- Hypothesis
- Visible progress (wrecked to finished) appeals to older casual players who like decorating and building meta games.
- Source art
- Store screenshot 4 (BUILD!, the split wrecked and rebuilt ship)
- Watch-out
- Show only build steps the game really has. If the ship has fewer stages than shown here, cut to the real ones.
C3a
Before and after
15 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 s | The wrecked ship with torn sails. Poli holds up the map. | Help Poli rebuild the ship! | Creaking wood |
| 1–9 s | Three quick level wins, each followed by one piece snapping on: mast, sails, cannons. | Win levels, build the ship | Pops, then a hammer tap per piece |
| 9–12 s | A wipe reveals the finished ship sailing. | Set sail! | Swell of music |
| 12–15 s | End card. | Free to play | Theme sting |
C3b
From wreck to legend
15 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–2 s | Split screen: wrecked ship on the left, finished ship on the right, a line sweeping across. | From wreck to legend | Whoosh |
| 2–10 s | Fast montage of the real build stages, a level number counting up in the corner. | Level 1… 10… 25… | Music building |
| 10–12 s | The crew on deck: Otto, Red and Poli wave. | Join the crew | Cheer |
| 12–15 s | End card. | Free to play | Theme sting |
C4 · Captain's Hook
- Hypothesis
- A claw grab is instantly understood and loops well in Reels, so it should be cheap to show.
- Source art
- Store screenshot 5 (GRAB!, the Captain's Hook machine)
- Watch-out
- The prizes are gems and coins with no money value. Never show a prize that looks like cash or a real item.
C4a
The perfect grab, looped
8 s · seamless loop| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 s | The claw hangs over a pile of gems; the shark grins beside the glass. | GRAB! | Arcade chime |
| 1–5 s | The claw drops, closes on the big red gem and lifts it out. | (none) | Whirr, clack |
| 5–8 s | The gem drops into the chute; the frame ends exactly where it started, so the video loops. | Free to play | Gem clink |
No end card on this one, because a hard end breaks the loop. The logo sits small in the top-left safe area for the whole 8 seconds.
C4b
"Which one would you grab?"
12 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 s | Three prizes highlighted in the machine: red gem, purple gem, coin pile. Labelled 1, 2, 3. | Which one would you grab? | Arcade chime |
| 3–8 s | The claw sways between them and drops. | Tell us in the comments | Whirr |
| 8–12 s | Cut away before the result, then the end card. | Find out in SlotoMatch | Theme sting |
This one is built for comments, which lower cost on Meta. Someone needs to answer comments daily while it runs.
C5 · Meet the crew
- Hypothesis
- Characters build recognition and work for Page followers and lookalikes, even if they install less well than gameplay.
- Source art
- Character renders from the store screenshots; Romzy's clean renders are better (see the asset list)
C5a
Roll call
15 s · video| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 s | All four characters pop in on the beach in a row. | Meet the crew | Pirate "arr!" sting |
| 1–9 s | Each one steps forward for 2 seconds with a name card: Otto cheers, Red lifts the cup, Poli waves the map, the shark grins. | Otto · Red · Poli · ? | A short sound for each |
| 9–13 s | Straight into 4 seconds of real gameplay with the crew beside the board. | Play with them | Match pops |
| 13–15 s | End card. | Free to play | Theme sting |
C5b
"POV: the shark has your trophy"
15 s · video with voice| Time | Picture | On-screen text | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–2 s | The shark holding Red's gold cup, grinning. Red's paw reaches in from the edge. | POV: the shark has your trophy | Red (voice): "Hey! That's mine!" |
| 2–10 s | Red plays a level fast; each match knocks the shark back a step. | Match to get it back | Pops, comic bonks |
| 10–13 s | Red snatches the cup back and poses. | Got it! | Red: "Never touch the cup." |
| 13–15 s | End card. | Free to play | Theme sting |
Needs a voice actor for two short lines in each language, or subtitles only if the budget doesn't allow it. The playful conflict should stay friendly: the shark is cheeky, never scary.
Image ads
S1
Key art single image
1080 × 1350 and 1080 × 1920The Pirate Cove key art, cropped tight on Otto and the shark, with "Save Otto!" in the SlotoMatch gold lettering at the top and the logo and Google Play badge at the bottom. Same rule as C1: only if the level is real.
S2
Four-card carousel
1080 × 1080 per card| Card | Picture | Card text |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red with the BIG WIN board (store screenshot 2) | Match! |
| 2 | Otto with the EPIC WIN board (screenshot 3) | Spin! |
| 3 | Poli and the ship (screenshot 4) | Build! |
| 4 | The shark and the claw (screenshot 5) | Grab! |
The store screenshots we have are only 500 × 1024. They will look soft at 1080. We need the original files from Romzy before S2 can be made.
Copy deck
On-screen hook text
| Ad | English | Spanish (LatAm) | Portuguese (Brazil) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1a, S1 | Save Otto! | ¡Salva a Otto! | Salve o Otto! |
| C1b | 3 moves left. Can you do it? | Quedan 3 movimientos. ¿Puedes lograrlo? | Restam 3 jogadas. Você consegue? |
| C2a | Match to spin! | ¡Combina para girar! | Combine para girar! |
| C2b | So satisfying | Qué satisfactorio | Que satisfatório |
| C3a | Help Poli rebuild the ship! | ¡Ayuda a Poli a reconstruir el barco! | Ajude o Poli a reconstruir o navio! |
| C3b | From wreck to legend | De ruina a leyenda | De destroço a lenda |
| C4a | Grab! | ¡Atrapa! | Pegue! |
| C4b | Which one would you grab? | ¿Cuál atraparías? | Qual você pegaria? |
| C5a | Meet the crew | Conoce a la tripulación | Conheça a tripulação |
| C5b | POV: the shark has your trophy | POV: el tiburón tiene tu trofeo | POV: o tubarão pegou seu troféu |
| S2 | Match! · Spin! · Build! · Grab! | ¡Combina! · ¡Gira! · ¡Construye! · ¡Atrapa! | Combine! · Gire! · Construa! · Pegue! |
| End card | Free to play · For entertainment only. No real-money gambling. | Gratis · Solo para entretenimiento. Sin apuestas con dinero real. | Grátis · Apenas para entretenimento. Sem apostas com dinheiro real. |
Primary text (the copy above the ad)
| Use with | English | Spanish (LatAm) | Portuguese (Brazil) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1a, C2, S1 | Match 3, spin the reels on the board and rescue Otto. Hundreds of pirate puzzles, free to play. | Combina 3, gira los rodillos del tablero y rescata a Otto. Cientos de rompecabezas piratas, gratis. | Combine 3, gire os rolos do tabuleiro e resgate o Otto. Centenas de quebra-cabeças piratas, grátis. |
| C1b | Only 3 moves left. Can you save Otto? | Solo quedan 3 movimientos. ¿Puedes salvar a Otto? | Só restam 3 jogadas. Você consegue salvar o Otto? |
| C3, C4, C5, S2 | Solve puzzles, rebuild the pirate ship and set sail with Otto, Red and Poli. | Resuelve rompecabezas, reconstruye el barco pirata y zarpa con Otto, Red y Poli. | Resolva quebra-cabeças, reconstrua o navio pirata e zarpe com Otto, Red e Poli. |
| Every ad, last line | For entertainment only. No real-money gambling. | Solo para entretenimiento. Sin apuestas con dinero real. | Apenas para entretenimento. Sem apostas com dinheiro real. |
Headline and button
| Field | English | Spanish (LatAm) | Portuguese (Brazil) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headline | Spin, match & solve! | ¡Gira, combina y resuelve! | Gire, combine e resolva! |
| Button | Install Now | Meta translates the button automatically | |
What we need from Romzy
- Screen recordings from the current build at 1080 × 1920 and 60 fps, with no debug overlay. A build with level select or unlimited moves makes the planned moments much faster to capture.
- Confirmation of which moments exist: the Otto rescue level, the reel meter and cannon power-up, the ship build stages, the Captain's Hook machine.
- Clean character renders (PNG with transparent background) of Otto, Red, Poli and the shark, plus the shark's name and whether "Poly" or "Poli" is correct.
- The original store screenshots and the logo at full resolution, the game's music, and its sound effects as separate files.
- Spanish and Portuguese store listing text, so people landing from the LatAm ads see their own language.
- Someone on Romzy's side to approve each round's ads before upload, as the brief requires.