Vivo Ads: Advertising Capabilities, Formats, Performance Value, and Strategic Use for App Marketers

Company Overview and Advertising Context

Vivo Ads is the mobile advertising platform associated with Vivo, a global smartphone manufacturer headquartered in China that serves tens of millions of users worldwide. Vivo is one of the leading Android OEMs with a substantial market presence in key regions such as Southeast Asia, India and parts of Europe, offering advertisers access to device-level inventory and first-party signals directly on Vivo devices and services. Vivo’s global footprint and hardware ecosystem enable advertising opportunities that go beyond traditional in-app networks, giving marketers direct access to high-intent users across multiple device surfaces and operating system placements.

In an era where user acquisition costs continue to rise and privacy changes affect cross-app tracking, OEM advertising via platforms like Vivo Ads has grown in relevance. Because Vivo’s ad placements are integrated into system-level applications and experiences, advertisers can reach users during natural device usage — often before users engage with third-party apps — making Vivo Ads a complementary channel to traditional mobile ad networks. 

Marketing Approach and Strategic Positioning

The core value proposition of Vivo Ads for marketers lies in its combination of device-level reach, first-party data context, and performance-driven formats. As an OEM-linked advertising environment, Vivo Ads enables campaigns to be activated at key user touchpoints — such as the built-in browser, the default app marketplace and pre-install opportunities — that are typically unavailable or less efficient through conventional app install networks.

Unlike open programmatic channels, Vivo Ads is designed so that advertisers can launch campaigns using CPI (cost per install) bidding models and measure outcomes such as install volume, regional performance and engagement metrics directly from the platform. This approach aligns spend with results, enabling marketers to manage costs while scaling user acquisition in markets where Vivo smartphones have notable penetration. 

Advertising Formats and Campaign Types

Vivo Browser Ads represent one of the primary placements available within the Vivo ecosystem. Because Vivo Browser is preinstalled on many devices and often placed on the home screen, it offers significant potential reach for both branding and performance objectives. Formats include:

  • Splash Ads, which occupy the full screen for a set duration and can direct users to app install pages or websites.
  • Banner Ads, positioned within the browser interface to capture attention without interrupting usage flow.
  • Popup Ads, smaller overlay ads that require user interaction to dismiss, commonly yielding higher visibility engagement.
  • Speed Dial Icons, which serve as persistent visual placements with deep linking capabilities for apps or landing pages.

Vivo Appstore Advertising leverages Vivo’s default app marketplace, where apps can be featured in sections such as “Recommended for You,” “Must Have,” “Top Charts” and homepage placements. These placements benefit from high-quality impressions because users actively browse the store with intent to discover or install apps. Vivo also supports creative treatments such as GIF icons — which can significantly increase click-through performance — and floating icons that remain visible for extended periods.

Pre-Installed/Preloaded App Opportunities represent a premium channel unique to OEM advertising. Partnering to have an app preloaded on a device means installation occurs before a user’s first device experience, creating a direct acquisition path that is otherwise difficult to replicate. While this may raise concerns about user perception if treated as generic bloatware, in markets where users can select which pre-installed apps remain, it can contribute to long-term user engagement and retention through early visibility. 

Additional placements extend across the device, including lock screen wallpaper ads and push messaging formats that can reach users outside of the traditional screen-in-app context. These formats expand campaign reach and add depth to performance strategies, especially in user acquisition and re-engagement. 

Practical Use Cases and Performance Applications

Migrating user acquisition campaigns to include Vivo Ads can deliver measurable advantages:

For app publishers targeting Southeast Asia or India — where Vivo maintains a strong device presence — Vivo Ads allows campaigns to capture installs from users who might be less reachable through standard third-party networks. Vivo’s OEM inventory provides early-journey exposure, which can improve CPI efficiency and reduce dependency on crowded app install markets. 

In performance environments where marketers need to optimize spend toward results, the CPI bidding model and real-time analytics available through Vivo Ads help teams refine regional targeting, creative placement and budget pacing. By analyzing install trends and engagement behavior, advertisers can allocate spend to the highest-performing device surfaces and ad formats. 

Vivo Ads also supports deep linking and app install optimization workflows in ways that enhance post-install engagement. By directing users not only to installations but into targeted app destinations, brands can improve downstream user quality and retention. 

Effectiveness and Strategic Value for Marketers

One of Vivo Ads’ core advantages is its integration with first-party device experiences. Because placements operate at the system level — in browser interfaces, OEM app stores and system apps — campaigns can influence user behavior early in the customer journey. This direct access often results in higher ad viewability and engagement compared to traditional in-app placements.

Advertisers benefit from the device-level audience signals that Vivo Ads taps into, enabling precise targeting based on region, device usage patterns and user preferences without reliance on third-party cookies or external SDKs in some cases. While markets like Southeast Asia and India are often cost-sensitive, Vivo’s inventory provides an alternate performance channel that diversifies acquisition sources and reduces over-dependence on mainstream networks. 

By paying based on outcomes (e.g., installs via CPI), marketers maintain cost control and can attribute measurable performance across campaign components. As traditional app install networks become more competitive and expensive, having a diversified acquisition mix that includes OEM platforms like Vivo Ads can contribute to sustainable growth and predictable media efficiency. 

Key Benefits for Advertisers

Strategic Device Reach is one of the primary benefits of Vivo Ads. With reported access to over 400 million active users across Vivo devices, marketers can scale acquisition in high-growth regions without fragmenting spend across multiple networks. 

First-Party Data Advantage enables precision targeting and engagement insights that improve the relevance and performance of campaigns. Because Vivo controls the endpoint inventory, advertisers gain access to system-level placements that are often not available through standard ad exchanges. 

CPI-Based Campaign Optimization aligns cost with performance outcomes. Pay-per-install models help marketers manage cost efficiency while scaling user acquisition systematically. 

Diverse Format Availability — from splash and banner ads in the browser to app store and pre-installation exposures — supports both broad awareness objectives and targeted performance goals within a unified environment. 

Conclusions

Vivo Ads stands out as an increasingly relevant channel for mobile app promotion and performance marketing. Its integration with Vivo’s device ecosystem — spanning browsers, app store placements, pre-installed apps and system-level surfaces — provides advertisers with unique inventory that complements traditional in-app and programmatic channels.

For marketers seeking to diversify mobile acquisition strategies, especially in regions with strong Vivo device penetration, Vivo Ads offers a compelling mix of scale, targeting granularity, and performance-aligned pricing models. When combined with real-time analytics and iterative optimization, Vivo Ads can contribute to more predictable user acquisition results and a more resilient marketing mix in a competitive mobile landscape.

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