Apptivate: App Marketing Explained

Joaquín Flores is the Global Online Vice President at Kavak, a digital ecosystem of services for buying and selling used vehicles in Latin America, including financing, maintenance, and auto insurance. Kavak changed the way people buy and sell cars in Mexico and beyond. Joaquín discusses how consumers can adapt to new purchasing habits and why building an app was integral to Kavak’s marketing strategy. Joaquín is a mathematician who moved into the world of tech when he realized that individuals have the ability to change consumer behaviors. Before his role at Kavak, he worked in a variety of roles, from search engine marketing for Linio México and strategic planning for Coca-Cola FEMA to Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Business Intelligence for Variv Venture Builder. Joaquín is based in Mexico City.Questions Joaquín Answered in this Episode:Why do you think the digital startup industry has been accelerating in Mexico, and when did it become apparent to you that the industry was growing significantly?Where do your focuses lie today as Global Online VP for Kavak?What was the reason for building out an app?How do you see the app playing within the consumer lifecycle?How do you educate people about a platform like Kavak? And what is their readiness to use a platform like this?What’s got you really excited about 2022?Timestamp:3:18 From mathematician to tech startup9:41 Joaquin’s background15:34 Why Kavak exists18:43 Joaquin’s focus22:37 Why Kavak built an app31:20 Showing a new way to buy/sell cars35:23 What’s to comeQuotes:(6:34-6:50) “It was interesting to see that users evolve. Our habits evolve. The way we consume evolved, and it’s not fixed. It’s something that you can actually change as an individual, that with an idea you can actually change the mindset.”(23:57-24:10) “Why build an app? I think because we have to be able to create long-lasting relationships with our users. We need to be able to not only offer services that we create but to actually listen to the user in every step.”Mentioned in this Episode:Joaquín Flores’s LinkedInKavak

Andre Kempe, founder of the mobile app and performance marketing agency Admiral Media, returns to Apptivate to discuss The Growth Loop. The e-book covers the processes and details needed to grow apps through marketing campaigns, from planning and setting KPIs to mapping events and optimizing once a campaign is live. The Growth Loop is for CEOs, senior marketers, and junior marketers alike.Since the last time Andre aired on Apptivate, the size of Admiral Media’s team has quadrupled. Prior to starting the agency, Andre has been the Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Performance Marketing at several companies, including LOVOO, Zalando, and Free2Move. Andre currently doubles as a marketing advisor and is living his best life in Marbella, Spain.Questions Andre Answered in this Episode:●   What has been your biggest challenge in expanding your team so dramatically?●   What made you want to start Admiral Media?●   Where do you find that you help your mobile app clients the most at your agency?●   Why is NFT marketing so different?●   What is “The Growth Loop” and why did your team go through the effort of creating this e-book?●   What is the audience for this e-book?●   Is there a topic that marketers tend to have the most challenges with?●   Have you observed a lot of confusion around how to best implement conversion value mapping?●   Are you seeing the marketers are getting smarter with effectively spending on Facebook campaigns or programmatic?Timestamp:●   3:30 Challenges for an agency founder●   7:40 Andre’s background●  10:58 Why Andre started Admiral Media●  13:00 Admiral Media specialties●  16:23 NFT marketing● 18:48 The Growth Loop e-book●  22:33 Who is The Growth Loop for?●   24:30 What most marketers get wrong●   29:37 Conversion value mappingQuotes:(20:54-21:05) “With The Growth Stack we see a lot of tooling. With The Growth Loop you get all the processes and tiny bits of information that you need to actually execute on some of the pieces seen on The Growth Stack.”(23:05-23:11) “Maybe the CEO needs to learn how to run a Facebook campaign because later on you can challenge the agency.”Mentioned in this Episode:●  Andre Kempe’s LinkedIn●  Admiral Media●  The Growth Loop

When the Marketing Director of Brazil’s leading ride-hailing app, 99, went looking for a brand cause, she discovered a significant disproportion between Brazil's percentage of women  versus 99's percentage of women drivers. The more 99 listened to its female users, the more they realized how national domestic abuse, public safety, and financial independence affected them. The app added several features to empower Brazilian women to become drivers and feel safer as passengers using the app - this not only boosted their brand’s popularity, but also significantly impacted the society at large.Questions Juliana Answered in this Episode:When you say “mobility,” what is that specifically?Can you tell us what it’s been like directing the marketing efforts given your industry and restrictions during the pandemic?How have you been able to differentiate yourself in the female market?How do you market all the features 99 has created with women in mind?How can we encourage other organizations to prioritize equitable opportunities for women employees?Timestamp:1:11 Juliana’s role at 993:45 Built for agility7:31 Why 99 is focused on women11:25 Female drivers vs male drivers13:41 Safety features for female passengers19:55 SOS feature for women24:16 Cause for the Brand25:55 If cities were built by women…32:48 Ways to support womenQuotes:(9:01-9:08) “Here in Brazil, one in four women suffered from domestic violence during the pandemic.”(7:58-8:18) “More than 50% of the population in Brazil are women, but when we look at our base of active drivers, only 5% are women. So this shows a business opportunity. And then we started to listen to them, and we saw that they really didn't recognize driving as an option.”(11:38-12:00) “When we talked to women drivers for the app, they were super proud. They really choose to drive. When we listen to male drivers, they’re like, ‘I lost my job. I didn’t have options, so I decided to drive.’ For women, it’s the opposite.”Mentioned in this Episode:Juliana Biasi’s LinkedInInstagram: @jubiasi99 app

Martijn Lancee is the Director of Business Development and Growth at LinkedIn. His team is responsible for the company’s success in getting the app preloaded on 800 million cell phones worldwide. In this episode, Martijn discusses all things mobile preload programs, including tips on how to succeed, how to optimize once campaigns are launched, how to evaluate your program’s performance, and the differences between open market channels and carrier channels.Prior to his role at LinkedIn, Martijn was the head of the preload program at Google. From shaping surfboards in Barbados to leading strategy and business for Heineken in Rwanda, Martijn has been around the world. Now he hangs his hat in San Francisco with his family where he enjoys surfing and mountain biking.Questions Martijn Answered in this Episode:Were you working with preloads before you joined LinkedIn?What do you think has been the key to LinkedIn’s success with its preload program?What are the differences between the approaches to getting your app preloaded on a cell phone?How do you assess the performance of preloads as it compares to other channels?Once a preload campaign is off the ground, is there anything you can do to the settings to drive strong performance?Timestamp:7:00 LinkedIn’s mission7:54 Martijn’s background12:00 Keys to success for preload programs14:06 How to ask for $100 million budget16:15 Frictionless consumer experience18:10 Preloads: Open Market Channels vs Carrier Channels21:23 The complexity of partnerships OEMs25:00 Performance evaluation for preloads28:16 Optimization levers for preload campaignsQuotes:(13:01-13:17) “I think repetition is key. It’s something I’ve learned throughout the years. Everyone, especially at a big tech company, has their own agenda. They’re definitely really busy. So in order for the preload program to become a part of their agenda and part of their projects’ DNA, it’s all about repetition.”(17:03-17:16) “For anyone who is not yet bought into the app, how can we provide the value for them to understand it’s worth it to at least check out the app to see what it can do for you? And that’s where retargeting programs come in.”Mentioned in this Episode:Martijn Lancee’s LinkedIn

If you work in the mobile app industry, you may have noticed a mass consolidation of companies taking place across verticals. Today’s guest discusses what factors have accelerated these mergers and acquisitions, how this affects the app ecosystem, and what we might expect to happen next.Satya Vinnakota is the Director of Ads at Vinted, an app for second-hand fashion. He’s kept a pulse on the app economy since he started his career in Delhi at Startup Tunnel and moved onto business development for the performance advertiser, Applift. He is based in Berlin.Questions Satya Answered in this Episode:● Why wasn't it difficult to acquire customers when you started at Applift?●   Tell us about Vinted.●   Is it fair to say that community is a big part of the ethos that drives loyalty to Vinted?●   What are you focused on at Vinted?●   What’s surprised you the most about what’s happened these past two years?●   Would you agree that the Apple privacy changes are a big impetus for the consolidations happening in the industry now?●   What do you expect to happen following the massive consolidation we’re seeing now across the app industry?●   What mergers and acquisitions were a smart move in the last couple of years, in your opinion?Timestamp:●   2:37 Satya’s background●   11:24 About Vinted●   16:17 Satya’s role as Director of Ads●   19:00 Post-pandemic consolidation in AdTech industry●   21:16 How privacy changes accelerated M&A●   23:00 What will happen next?●   30:20 Do advertisers truly want transparency?●   32:00 Smart acquisitions●   35:10 It’s all about contextQuotes:(4:03-4:23) “India is really a mobile-first country. I don’t think my grandfather has ever touched a Mac, but he has definitely used an iPhone, for example. I think that really changed everything for us in the sense that we had our own Flipkart, which is like Amazon but in India; we have our own travel apps; everything is app-first basically.”(19:35-19:45) “What has surprised me in the last couple of years when it comes to mergers and acquisitions in our industry is the scale of it. I’m not just talking about the number of deals, but the sizes of the deals.”(32:04-32:11) “What I find very, very smart is gaming companies buying AdTech companies, and AdTech companies buying gaming companies.”Mentioned in this Episode:●  Satya Vinnakota’s LinkedIn●   Vinted

Lily Dempster is the Founder and CEO of One Small Step, a free app using behavioral science and technology to help people reduce their carbon emissions through personalized carbon reduction plans and lifestyle changes. In this episode of Apptivate’s Women in Mobile segment, Lily takes us on her entrepreneurial journey, pivoting from working as a grassroots environmental campaigner to becoming an app founder in Australia. Listeners will learn why Lily decided an app would be the best way to address the gap she saw in the environmental movement to address climate change. You’ll find out how she brought her app idea to fruition and the biggest lessons she learned along the way.Questions Lily Answered in this Episode:Can you tell us about your company and what you do there?What made you want to start an app to address climate change?What was it like pivoting your career to start One Small Step? What advice would you give to someone thinking about pivoting their career?How do you structure your day? And how has that changed over time?How did you break out of the mindset of feeling like you haven’t done enough?How did you go about choosing an executive coach?What is some of the best advice you’ve received? The worst?How have you grown One Small Step’s user base?How have your habits changed since creating the app?Timestamp:1:18 About One Small Step5:58 Why create an app to address climate change7:32 Empowering users to set their own notification prompts8:40 Getting started building the app12:00 Advice on pivoting your career17:11 Managing energy, not time22:46 Executive coaching26:04 The worst advice Lily’s received, and the best28:42 The impact and growth of One Small Step35:00 A word to climate change empathizers38:05 Lily’s habit changes since the app43:20 A reason for hopeQuotes:(15:45-15:51) “If you make mistakes, they’re your mistakes. You’ll learn more quickly than if you’re making mistakes because someone else told you what to do and you did what they told you.”(21:48-22:12) “I think that when you look at human cognition—what you can get done, how intensely you can work on something, problem-solving, and knowledge work, and how do you that in an effective way and sustain peak performance for as long as possible—you need to build in rest. It’s really critical for your brain function. And so once I understood that intellectually and built systems to support that, it started to sync in emotionally as well.”(36:00-36:23) “It’s not just about the kilograms or pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent emission reductions. It’s actually about ‘I feel more connected to myself and my community and I’m caring for my family and I’m also caring for the environment around me.’ There’s a spiritual or psychological wellbeing that comes from sustainability. And I think once people tap into that then it’s pretty self-sustaining.”Mentioned in this Episode:Lily Dempster’s LinkedInOne Small StepBook: Principles by Ray DalioFilm: Tomorrow (French film “Demain”)

Jeff Perkins, CEO of ParkMobile, helped grow America’s most popular parking app from 8 million users to 31 million, and counting. Of all the marketing strategies to throw money at, listeners will be surprised to learn what tactic had the greatest impact. Jeff also shares what he’s learned about engaging with users in a way that’s helpful and not, well, annoying. Jeff is the author of How Not to Suck at Marketing. In this episode, he touches on what he calls the three fundamentals for modern marketers: focus, flexibility, and resiliency. He also discusses how he repositioned himself through personal branding to move past the limitations of his Marketing Manager title to become a Chief Marketing Officer.Questions Jeff Answered in this Episode:Was it always a career aspiration to become a CEO?What’s the biggest jump you’ve made in your career?What will people learn from your book?What’s the biggest problem you’re currently facing at ParkMobile, and can marketing solve it?What’s one of the most impactful marketing strategies you’ve applied at ParkMobile to grow to 31 million users?How do you retain and engage your users?Timestamp:2:44 Jeff’s background5:06 Breaking out of the “Marketing Manager” title10:15 Advice on LinkedIn profiles12:46 How Not to Suck at Marketing19:31 A ParkMobile example of focus23:00 Their most important UA strategy26:40 Retention & engagement28:54 Lesson learned in appropriate messagingQuotes:(2:11-2:20) “Don’t sell yourself short. I’ve probably had points in my career I could never imagine being a CEO either, but like anything, you don’t know what you can do until you try.”(7:38-7:46) “The big step for me was redefining my brand because if you don’t define yourself someone else will.”Mentioned in this Episode:Jeff Perkins LinkedInParkMobile Parking AppHow Not to Suck at Marketing by Jeff Perkins

Renato Camargo is the Country Manager and Chief Marketing Officer of RecargaPay, one of the biggest fintech companies in Brazil. He left retail to work for the financial services app for two reasons: He saw a business opportunity in democratizing banking in Brazil where over 60 million people can’t access banks; and, the mobile marketing industry provided a space for Renato to be himself and use his voice. He is passionate about leveraging his corporate power to create more inclusive opportunities for the LGBTQ community and other minorities.Renato was nominated as one of the Outstanding Top 100 Executives of 2021 by Yahoo Finance. He is based in São Paulo.Questions Renato Answered in this Episode:Coming from a retail background, why were you interested in fintech?What is RecargaPay?How have you worked towards inclusively in your business?How are your messages about inclusivity generally received in the fintech space ?Timestamp:3:30 Mobile tech boom in LATAM5:22 Renato’s journey to CMO10:33 The fintech opportunity in Brazil15:25 What is RecargaPay19:18 Being a voice for LGBTQ24:01 Black Voices Matter - Taking over LinkedIn28:12 Hiring for diversityQuotes:(11:21-11:33) “About 44% of the population in Brazil does not use banks nor have access to financial services. They pay in cash, so they store cash at home.”(22:32-22:54) “I need to understand my privilege, recognize them, and to use my voice, my corporate power, to be more inclusive with the people. It’s almost an obligation for me to give back to the world all the things I had the privilege to receive throughout my career.”Mentioned in this Episode:Renato Camargo’s LinkedInRecargaPay

Laura Spikermann began her career in mobile marketing from the ground up at Customlytics, a full-stack app marketing agency based in Berlin. Today she is responsible for managing the company’s six service departments as the Client Services Lead. In this episode, Laura shares what she’s learned about stepping into a leadership role—from setting boundaries with friends at work and discovering her leadership style, to restoring her energy through yoga and mental health services.Questions Laura Answered in this Episode:What does Customlytics do and what’s your role there?Can you tell us about your transition into a leadership position at Customlytics?What was it like making the case to the CEOs that they should hire you before you had any mobile marketing experience?How have you been able to discover your leadership style?What do you need in your routine to be successful in such a demanding role?Do you have any advice for women starting their careers in mobile marketing?Timestamp:1:13 Customlytics & Laura’s role2:58 Laura’s transition to Client Services Lead9:14 Challenges of stepping  into leadership11:22 Not always being prepared12:40 Growing into your leadership style14:27 Managing your time17:24 Adjusting to working remotely19:18 Keeping your balance21:13 Career advice for younger women24:43 Recommended resourcesQuotes:(11:27-11:36) “As a manager, you always have to be adapting to new situations because in the end people come to you with new problems, things that have never been there before, and conflicts that are boiling up.”(22:14-22:24) “Don’t be afraid to get into a room and start a conversation. It’s fine. You’re worthy of being there. And most people will be open and happy to speak to you.”Mentioned in this Episode:Laura’s LinkedInCustomlyticsEmail: laura.spikermann@customlytics.comFeedly

Liia Palipea, Global Head of Food Marketing at Bolt, joins Apptivate’s Women in Mobile series to talk about working smarter, not harder. Liia brought the ride hailing app’s new food delivery feature to market in over 20 countries and 70 cities in Europe and Africa during the pandemic. This experience taught her how to evaluate what’s important and how to cope with stress when nothing can be cut from the to-do list. That’s not all. Liia encourages marketing managers to model work-life boundaries and to take long vacations. She also brings a refreshing perspective to women in the mobile tech industry who fear they will be penalized for what they’ve missed while on maternity leave.Liia is based in Estonia. Prior to Bolt, she worked at an agency as a freelance strategic marketing consultant.Questions Liia Answered in this Episode:How do you deal with the stress of such a demanding role?How did the pandemic transform what you do as the global lead for marketing Bolt’s food delivery services?What does your day-to-day look like? And, what have you learned about prioritization?How have you encouraged your employees to take care of their wellbeing?As a manager, how do you balance being available but respecting your offline boundaries?What’s the best advice you’ve received?How can we help women leave the ever-changing mobile tech industry on maternity leave without penalizing them for what they've missed while they were out?What advice would you give to women just starting out in their careers?Timestamp:1:29 Bolt & Liia’s role3:52 When food delivery exploded8:11 A culture of supporting mental health10:19 Modeling work boundaries for employees15:45 The value of a project17:21 Fixable vs objectively tough moments21:40 Taking a proper vacation25:10 The state of maternity leave policy29:44 You will bounce back from time away32:00 Advice to women beginning their careers39:28 Resource recommendationsQuotes:(22:22-22:39) “I took a month off and it helped a lot. It helps give the perspective you need to better understand the value you’re bringing to the table. And, it helps my team, and hopefully other teams, to resolve certain bottlenecks—things they think are on my table but actually aren’t.”(30:40-30:53) “At a high level nothing changes with mobile marketing, so in that sense people shouldn’t be scared to take some time off—be it traveling around the world, having kids, or doing whatever else they want to do, save penguins or turtles.” Mentioned in this Episode:Liia Palipea’s LinkedInBoltInvisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado PerezNever Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz_Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear