Apptivate: App Marketing Explained

James Dickins, Team Lead of Technical Support at Gamelight, joins Taylor Lobdell to discuss how rewarded UA and behavioral targeting shape user acquisition in 2025’s privacy-first landscape. From the company’s laser-eyed cat mascot to the mechanics of lookalike models, James explains how his team balances precision with ethics and how algorithms are trained on aggregated behavior data. He also discusses creative testing and when human intuition should override machine logic. He breaks down the real limits of automation, why model decay demands constant retraining, and how to build campaigns that adapt as fast as user behavior changes.Questions that James answered in this episode:What is Gamelight, and how does its rewarded game recommendation model work?How does the team identify and replicate high-value users?What causes lookalike model decay, and how do you avoid overfitting?How can UA teams respect privacy while maintaining performance?What signals matter most when predicting player retention?How can creative teams and data teams collaborate more effectively?What are the most common mistakes UA managers make when scaling campaigns?How do rewarded ads reshape consent and engagement models?What role does human judgment play in interpreting algorithmic outputs?How will privacy and regulation continue to shape UA in the next five years?Timestamps(0:00) – Intro: James Dickins and Gamelight overview(0:54) – The story behind Gamelight’s laser cat mascot(1:35) – What makes a high-value player, and how to identify them(2:04) – Using behavior profiles to guide acquisition strategy(2:55) – Lookalike models and the value of aggregated data(3:51) – Avoiding overfitting and model decay(4:50) – The surprise of discovering unexpected audience segments(5:20) – Privacy-first UA and ethical targeting(6:24) – Rewarded UA and consent-based engagement(6:30) – Managing ad fatigue and creative burnout(7:12) – When human intuition beats the algorithm(8:25) – Balancing optimization with experimentation(9:45) – Measuring engagement and long-term retention(10:17) – Designing for compliance before regulation hits(10:57) – Treating creative testing as data science(11:42) – Building the feedback loop between creative and data teams(12:52) – What keeps UA leaders up at night(13:07) – Predicting the future of user acquisition(17:35) – Wrap-up: how to connect with JamesSelected quotes(3:40) – “A strong lookalike model is always learning and changing, predicting not just who might install but who will stick around.”(4:24) – “Lookalike models are amazing, but they’re not magic. Model decay happens, and what worked last quarter might fail today.”(5:59) – “Precision targeting and privacy can feel like opposites, but they can work together when you focus on aggregated signals.”Mentioned in this episodeGamelightArchers.ioJames on Linkedin

Shilpa Reddy, CMO of Down Under School of Yoga and former Marketing VP at Acorns, maps her journey from fintech to wellness and explains why the same principles drive both: make time-tested tools accessible, and build a community that keeps people engaged. She breaks down her three-stage marketing flywheel, and shows why marketers must dismantle the false divide between direct response and brand storytelling. The conversation moves from Acorns’ spare-change investing to Down Under’s community-driven yoga. She interrogates the role of podcasts as the new TV, the measurement gaps left by ATT, and how authenticity risks becoming uniform in an AI-saturated content world.Questions Shilpa answered in this episode:What drew Shilpa from Acorns to running a yoga business?How curiosity and human-centered marketing let her adapt across industriesWhat is the three-stage marketing flywheel, and how do you know when to move from one stage to the next?Why brand and performance are one continuum, not opposing forces?How LTV makes the case for brand investment with a CFOWhy podcasts function as the ‘new TV’ for reach, trust, and ad effectiveness?How marketers should balance host-read storytelling with direct response calls to action?How AT&T’s affected mobile marketing measurementWhy authenticity should mean varied storytelling, not uniform brand policingWhat advice Shilpa gives to early-stage wellness founders with no marketing budget?Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro; Shilpa’s journey from Acorns to Down Under Yoga(2:00) – Growing up with yoga, curiosity, and career pivots across industries(3:50) – Acorns’ mission and how it relates to yoga(8:00) – The three-stage marketing flywheel explained (fit, LTV, brand)(13:50) – Signs you’re ready to move between stages (NPS, brand love, data)(15:15) – Making the CFO case for brand investments through LTV(17:00) – The orchestration problem: aligning funnel mechanics with brand reach(19:00) – Podcasts as the new TV: hours consumed, trust, and ad-to-content ratio(24:40) – ATT’s impact: creativity up, measurement lagging(26:20) – Authenticity vs. uniformity: the danger of AI-generated generic content(29:30) – Advice to early-stage wellness founders: start with your most loyal clients(55:00) – Wrap-up: Down Under Yoga, on-demand classes, how to connectQuotes:(12:30) – “Stage one is finding who your product is loved by. Stage two is increasing their lifetime value. Stage three is broadcasting your brand story.”(15:30) – “LTV almost by definition is long-term. It allows you to justify investments in brand.”(19:10) – “Podcasts are the new TV. Americans average three hours a week, and the trust in the host feels one-to-one, not one-to-many.”(27:20) – “Authentic does not have to mean uniform. It’s the opposite. It means telling varied, engaging stories rooted in what you stand for.”Mentioned in this episode:AcornsDown Under School of YogaShilpa’s Linkedin

Alejandro Hernandez, Senior CRM Notifications and Lifecycle Specialist at Babbel, explains how AI and human creativity intersect to drive retention in language learning. He shares how Babbel uses ecosystem segmentation, predictive models, and deep links to re-engage millions of learners worldwide. From predicting churn with behavior signals to ensuring that every push notification feels like a supportive nudge rather than spam, Alejandro shares his thoughts on the CRM strategies that lead to habits -- not hassle.Questions Alejandro answered in this episode:What is Babbel, and what role does CRM play in its learning ecosystem?How does an ecosystem approach to segmentation help map multiple user journeys?What signals does AI track to predict churn and reactivation opportunities?How does Babbel blend AI-driven insights with human empathy in its messaging?What role do deep links play in removing friction between a notification and action?How does Babbel balance engagement without overwhelming users?Why is CRM more than marketing, and what role does it play in habit formation?What advice does Alejandro give to new CRM specialists entering the field?What’s the most overlooked opportunity in mobile lifecycle marketing?Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro; Alejandro’s role and Babbel overview(3:30) – The ecosystem approach to segmentation: multiple user journeys(5:48) – How AI predicts churn and identifies user behavior signals(7:49) – AI vs human in copy: empathy, tone, and realistic learning nudges(9:10) – Preventing notification fatigue and balancing opt-outs(11:00) – Removing friction with deep links, and why they matter for busy users(14:32) – Balancing predictive intelligence with human creativity in messaging(17:03) – What CRM teams must do to prepare for an AI-driven future(18:45) – The overlooked role of CRM in mobile marketing strategy(20:01) – Advice for newcomers to CRM and lifecycle marketing(29:06) – Wrap-up: where to connect with AlejandroQuotes:(6:16) – “AI is helping us detect signals like when a user who was practicing every day shifts to three times a week - that’s when we step in with personalized communication.”(9:45) – “If a user doesn’t respond to our first or second message, we stop. That silence is also a signal.”(11:50) – “Deep links are critical. If someone clicks to review yesterday’s lesson, we send them straight to it, not to the home page where they need extra taps.”(18:54) – “CRM is still underrated in mobile companies. Done well, it’s not a random push, it’s the difference between feeling interrupted and feeling supported.”Mentioned in this episode:BabbelAlejandro on Linkedin

Advi Bishnoi, Head of Consulting at Social Plus, argues that in 2025, retention has overtaken acquisition as the real growth engine for apps. From Ulta Beauty to Harley Davidson, Advi has helped brands turn community features into measurable revenue streams. In this episode, he explains why micro-communities and in-app social layers transform loyalty programs, how first-party data becomes indispensable in a privacy-first world, and why marketers need to stop fixating on CPMs and CAC. The conversation maps out how fitness apps, travel platforms, sports teams, and retailers all harness community differently and why organic engagement often beats promotions or retargeting in driving long-term retention.Questions Advi answered in this episode:What is Social Plus, and how do its in-app social features work?Why is retention ‘the new acquisition’ in 2025?What mistakes do marketers make when they think about retention?How do community features increase CLV across verticals like fitness, travel, and retail?How can first-party data from in-app communities transform marketing and personalization?Who inside a company should ‘own’ retention marketing, product, or success?How can loyalty programs be built on organic engagement instead of just promos?What is the ‘spaces model’ for understanding community ROI?How should marketers balance personalization with scale across millions of users?What metrics should marketers stop obsessing over, and which deserve more focus?What new revenue opportunities do brand partners unlock inside communities?Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro; Advi’s background and Social Plus overview(1:38) – Micro-community examples: surf shops, fitness apps, Nike sneakerheads(7:03) – Why ‘retention is growth’ in 2025: CAC vs CLV(9:30) – Marketing silos and the ownership problem in retention(13:40) – Why promos and events are less effective than organic engagement(17:21) – First-party data: insights, sentiment analysis, and privacy advantages(20:00) – Loyalty vs. hypergrowth: why CLV is a long-term play(22:37) – Signals of churn, and how to intervene before users leave(25:41) – Balancing personalization and scale with AI-driven sentiment and clusters(28:20) – Metrics that marketers overvalue (CAC, ad spend) versus those they undervalue (LTV, frequency, order size)(31:00) – Brand partnerships inside communities: CPM rethink and new revenue models(33:32) – Rapid fire: food in Thailand vs Italy, habits, dream jobs, favorite brandsSelected quotes:(12:50) – “Promos and gamified events help, but organic engagement helps more. People join a 30-day fitness challenge not for the discount, but because others are posting daily and they want to participate.”(21:22) – “Customer acquisition is measurable and fast, which is why VCs love it. Retention is a long-term play, it’s demand gen, brand equity, and profitability over three to five years.”(28:30) – “Marketers need to stop obsessing over CAC. In my world, it’s 30% CAC, 70% retention and lifetime value.”(32:23) – “For sponsored posts in-community, we’ve seen brands charge $15 to $60 CPMs, because the audience is hyper-focused and conversion rates are so much higher.”Mentioned in this episode:Social Plus (social.plus)Advi on Linkedin

Louis Tanguay, founder and managing director of App Growth Summit, traces his arc from music magazine founder to film marketer to architect of a global mobile industry community now marking its 100th event. Louis explains why mobile marketers keep missing the basics: custom product pages, team silos, overreliance on AI and how AGS forges authentic connection in a field where ‘networking’ usually means sales pitches. Louis argues for true community as a defense against industry fads and reveals practical tactics for getting actual value from events.Questions Louis answered in this episode:Why Louis started App Growth SummitThe moment AGS’s ‘community first’ format revealed the gap in existing event cultureWhat are mobile marketers missing in custom product page strategy?Where does AI actually help and where does it actively dull critical thinking?Why do marketers keep separating teams and failing to optimize collaboration?How can retargeting go beyond surface-level re-engagement to real value?What separates high-ROI event vendors from the time-wasters?How does AGS build authentic community, and what’s the actual ROI of belonging?What advice does Louis give first-time sponsors and networkers who want more than a sales lead?Why do so many marketers waste the opportunity of an event, and how is AGS structured to avoid this?Where is the industry headed, and what does Louis see as the next phase?Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro, Louis’s journey from music to mobile marketing(2:45) – First AGS event: origin story, first sponsors, finding the ‘sweet spot’(4:23) – The ‘community not scale’ thesis: AGS’s unique approach(7:20) – Venue selection, why environment shapes event outcomes(9:33) – Industry blindspots: custom product pages, marketing-product silos(11:00) – Getting CPPs right: landing page principles, offer-matching, creative basics(14:00) – AI’s role: when it elevates, when it destroys value(23:00) – Maximizing events: actionable networking, why ‘closing deals’ is a dead-end(30:35) – AGS global: favorite cities, the meaning of event #100(36:10) – Rapid fire: first thing at an event, dream speakers, live shows, Austin food, travel recs(39:40) – Closing: next AGS events, community calls to actionQuotes:(11:33) – “ If you match your creative and the offer to the campaign, you’re going to get way more conversions.”(14:15) – “AI is more ‘A’ than ‘I’ right now…It’s a supercharged research tool, but it’s not going to replace real creative strategy anytime soon.”(24:12) – “If you want ROI from an event, don’t cluster with your coworkers. Talk to people you don’t know, open doors, and don’t expect a deal by Friday.”Mentioned in this episode:App Growth Summit (appgrowthsummit.com)App Growth Snacks newsletterLouis on Linkedin

Piotr Prędkiewicz, Senior Marketing Analyst at FORMEL SKIN, exposes the myth of ‘perfect data’ and charts the future of privacy-centric analytics in mobile growth. With a career spanning fintech, dating and health tech, Piotr unpacks how to track users legally, ethically, and creatively before they even register. He also discusses why device data is always noisier than you want, and where most marketers go wrong on privacy, attribution, and fraud. The episode blends practical strategies for data-driven marketers with a clear-eyed critique of the industry’s alignment failures, fraud incentives, and the inescapable limitations of tracking in the GDPR era.Questions Piotr answers in this episode:What is FORMEL SKIN, and how does it solve dermatology’s bottleneck in Germany?How did Piotr’s career in analytics develop across multiple verticals?Why is ‘perfect data’ a myth in mobile marketing?How do you responsibly track and aggregate users before registration?What’s the difference between front-end and back-end behavioral data?How do device/user mismatches and changes create analytics headaches?What are the new challenges and gray areas in privacy (GDPR, CCPA, device fingerprinting)?Where does fraud hide in aggregated data, and how do you find it?Why does fraud persist, and what incentives make it so durable?How could success in mobile marketing be measured differently to promote collaboration and integrity?Timestamps:(0:00) – Introducing FORMEL SKIN, Piotr’s role, and Germany’s digital dermatology(1:18) – Marketing analytics in dating, fintech, health(2:50) – Why ‘perfect data’ is a myth(5:00) – Assigning pseudo-user IDs, device-based tracking(6:00) – Aggregated data, ‘chasing ghosts,’ and its pitfalls(8:00) – Combining front-end and back-end data; challenges in stitching(9:36) – Device vs. user: confusion, mismatches, and noise(11:13) – Balancing privacy vs. marketing needs; legal and business conflicts(12:30) – Device fingerprinting: what’s legal, what’s risky, and why(14:22) – The end of one-to-one attribution; rise of aggregated, top-level analysis(16:05) – Marketing fraud: what’s changed, sneaky affiliate/network tricks(19:08) – Incentives, alignment failures, and why fraud persists(21:40) – Filtering fraud: long onboarding, compliance, and technical vigilance(23:38) – ‘Success’ in mobile marketing and why responsibility must be shared(32:08) – Wrap upQuotes:(2:50)  “Don’t expect perfect data – especially in marketing where different data sources are being combined.”(5:10)  “You try to anchor it to the device…within all the data security and the privacy setup and anchor it to this entity and create one entity.”(15:26) “We can use aggregated data for strategic decisions, like how to shift budgets from channel A to B.”Mentioned in this episode:Piotr Prędkiewicz’s LinkedinFORMEL SKIN

Seema Shah, VP of Research and Insights at Sensor Tower, dispenses with the industry’s fixation on superficial growth metrics. Her analysis exposes the fundamental asymmetry in e-commerce: scale without retention leads nowhere, and price wars favor only those insulated by infrastructure and sunk-cost bias. Shah parses the machinery of loyalty and why brands that depend on incentives or viral hacks collapse as soon as ad spend falters. She dissects the nature of ‘engagement’ and how most apps can mistake installs for allegiance. She also explores why friction points like returns, shipping, and checkout, aren't a minor feature set, but the primary front in the battle for behavioral lock-in. This challenges the fantasy that small brands can out-spend or out-feature incumbents, insisting instead on granular tactics: how to interrogate user data, how to manufacture urgency without eroding trust, and how event-driven design transforms disposable installs into measurable lifetime value.   Questions Seema answered in this episode:What is Sensor Tower, and how does it analyze the digital retail economy?What tactics actually drive engagement and conversion for e-commerce apps?How are loyalty programs, membership fees, and incentives engineered to retain users?Why is ‘engagement’ more critical than mere app downloads?What happens when acquisition ad spend dries up (Temu, Shein) and retention isn’t there?How do free shipping, fast returns, and frictionless checkout rewire user habits?What does the data say about the new ‘in-app event’ wars among major retailers?What are the most common blind spots for mid-sized brands trying to compete with giants?How can smaller brands leverage data, urgency, and unique value to build sustainable engagement?What emerging trends should e-commerce marketers prepare for?Timestamps:(0:00) – Intro: Sensor Tower, Seema’s role, scope of data and products(3:00) – Why engagement beats downloads: session length, frequency, retention(4:00) – The mechanics of loyalty programs: Amazon Prime, Target Circle, Ulta, and more(8:30) – Tariff threats and the new ad spend math: what happens to MAU when you cut UA?(11:00) – Small brand playbook: driving downloads, boosting engagement, and using incentives(23:32) – In-app events: the new engagement arms race (Amazon, Walmart, Target)(26:00) – The difference between frequency and discretionary shopping(34:00) – Platform evolution, removing friction, and why smaller features win(37:00) –Emerging trends in e-commerce apps(52:15) – Wrap-up: How to connect with Seema, Sensor Tower, and what’s nextQuotes:(8:50) “Since the removal of the de minimis tax exemption and also the tariffs, we’ve seen a decline in advertising spend and a shift to other countries.”(13:43)  “If you’re a smaller brand and you want to compete, you have to really know who your customer is and what attracted them to you in the first place.”(24:45)  “Frequency seems huge for retention and how much time they’re spending on the app, but how do these top brands keep users coming back without fatiguing them with advertising?”Mentioned in This Episode:Sensor TowerSeema Shah Linkedin

Moshe Even-Israel, Head of Business Development at Scrambly, unpacks the real stakes and shifting standards in the rewarded user acquisition ecosystem. From onboarding and fraud, to retention and data transparency, Moshe interrogates both the promise and pitfalls of incentivized platforms. This episode covers vendor selection, long-term retention strategies, KYC (know your customer) challenges, and the real metrics for measuring UA quality. Whether you see rewarded UA as a growth hack or a strategic pillar, this conversation drills into the mechanism that deliver high-intent, loyal users in a market crowded with lookalike vendors.Questions Moshe answered in this episode:What is Scrambly, and how does it fit into the rewarded UA landscape?Why is rewarded user acquisition resurgent in gaming, finance and surveys?What distinguishes high-intent, high-quality traffic from traffic that’s likely to churn?How does Scrambly fight ad fraud and guarantee legitimate acquisitionWhat’s the business impact of knowing your customers, and how does it transform retention and campaign targeting?What are the new best practices for brands choosing UA partners?Why is data transparency and long-term communication with vendors crucial for ROAS?How does Scrambly’s approach to retention and lookalike targeting shape user LTV?What does Moshe see for the future of rewarded UA and engagement platforms?Timestamps:(0:00) – Introduction; why rewarded UA, why now?(1:20) – Scrambly overview: what, where, and whom they serve(2:00) – Rise of rewarded UA vendors; market evolution(2:25) – From high-engagement to high-intent UA: how the space is changing(2:45) – Scrambly’s difference: user selection, intent, offer-matching(3:10) – Loyalty, drop-off, and the “churn” problem(5:00) – Fraud, VPN spoofing, and Scrambly’s KYC protocol(8:00) – Retention campaign setup, advertiser best practices(9:45) – Why transparent ROAS data matters(10:55) – Playtime clock and KYC’s impact on extended retention(11:40) – Where is rewarded UA headed? What’s next?(12:14) – Wrap-upQuotes:(2:11) “Traffic used to be engagement-focused to get high rankings on the App Store, but this has evolved to more high-intention UA strategies.”(8:18) “For gaming companies, you should make at least a sixty-day event window for targeting so we can engage the users as much as possible.”(11:56) “The connection that brands have with users from rewarded traffic is super important for the long run.”Mentioned in This Episode:ScramblyMoshe Even-Israel Linkedin

Udhara de Silva, who leads loyalty marketing for Singapore Airlines in Australia, walks through the launch and rapid growth of Kris+, the digital rewards app that enables members to earn and spend miles in restaurants and retail stores – a first for any airline rewards app outside of Singapore. The discussion tracks why Australia was chosen as the testbed, the challenges of localizing a QR-based payment app in a card-centric market, and the dual work of building merchant trust and user habits from zero. Udhara details what drives engagement, how to “double dip” on points, and why genuine merchant partnerships matter more than technical bells and whistles. Listeners get insight into evolving loyalty marketing tactics, campaign strategies, and the real mechanics of building an airline’s everyday brand.Questions Udhara answered in this episode:Why did Singapore Airlines expand Kris+ to Australia first?What unique challenges come with launching a QR code–based payment app in Australia?How do you pitch and onboard merchants before an app is live?What technical features make Kris+ easy for partners to adopt?What’s different about marketing an airline app versus a retail loyalty app?What tactics actually drive repeated use and engagement?What does merchant “densification” mean, and why is it critical?How does Kris+ expand the loyalty audience beyond high-income credit card holders?What’s next for Kris+ in Australia and globally?Timestamp:2:00 – Scope of KrisFlyer: Australia’s place in the global member base3:00 – The origins and purpose of Kris+5:30 – How Kris+ works: earning, spending, “double-dipping” on miles6:00 – Selecting Australia: market sophistication and loyalty culture9:00 – Pitching and onboarding merchants, early business development12:10 – Overcoming the QR code adoption barrier15:10 – Building merchant trust with low technical overhead16:00 – Tactics for engagement: push notifications, highlight tiles, gamified challenges17:00 - Kris+ challenges18:00 – Advice for marketers launching in new regions20:00 – The future: merchant densification, market expansion, next stepsQuotes:(3:30) “It’s a custom-built app. You scan a QR code, enter the amount, and you get to decide whether you want to either spend your miles that you might have earned from a flight, or you can pay with Apple or Google Pay, and then you earn miles on that transaction. You’re double dipping.” (13:00) “There are certain high-volume merchants where they have started educating and frontliners have started educating partners. But it's a combination of factors, I think. We're very mindful of the fact that QR codes aren't mainstream yet, and so it's a bit of a slow burn.”  (14:10) “Tailoring the message to the Australian voice, the Australian landscape, the whole lack of familiarity with QR codes — that was something we had to really learn from the ground up.” Mentioned in this episode:Udhara de Silva’s LinkedInKris+ (Singapore Airlines digital rewards app)KrisFlyer frequent flyer programContact for merchant/partner queries: krisplusau@singaporeair.com.sgBrunetti (Melbourne café, case study for merchant adoption)

Andre Kempe is the CEO of Admiral Media, a performance marketing agency based in Europe. He returns to Apptivate to discuss the role of AI in creative development for mobile app marketing campaigns. Find out what types of apps can leverage AI in their ads, where the human touch still outperforms the machine, and where AI makes the biggest impact from a mobile marketing standpoint.Questions Andre answered in this episode:Tell us about what Admiral Media does and who you serve.As you’re integrating AI into the creative development process for clients, what were some of the surprising challenges your team encountered?How do you decide when to use a particular AI tool versus a person?What quality and branding assurances do you have in place when developing creatives with AI for clients?Can you quantify how much faster the production of creative variation has become by integrating AI into your workflow?Are there any changes to your process that have had a meaningful impact on ad campaign performance?What types of developments in AI are you most eagerly anticipating when it comes to creative development?Timestamp:1:20 About Admiral Media5:36 Challenges working with AI in creative ad development7:43 Quality control when working with AI tools11:30 How much faster is creative production with AI, really?14:00 The greatest AI advantage15:15 Where AI needs progress in ad productionQuotes:(9:58-10:04) “AI, from my perspective and what I’ve seen so far, is really not where it should be for big brands.”(13:19-13:35) “The time saved with AI is good for sure, but it’s not that much that it’s replacing people easily, because having a human touch to a creative, from what we see so far, is still outperforming on the channels.”Mentioned in this episode:Andre Kempe’s LinkedInAdmiral Media