Apptivate: App Marketing Explained

Remerge
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Marketing
  • Twice monthly

Apptivate is a show that explains app marketing, one expert at a time. It's produced by retargeting specialist Remerge, focusing on the challenges and advancements in the ever-evolving world of mobile marketing. Every week, we interview marketing game-changers and app experts to share industry insights and real-life lessons, covering optimization, incrementality, creative strategy, data science, and more. Subscribe now to stay on the cutting edge of app marketing strategy.

  1. Using incentives as your primary growth channel - Natasha Saviuk (Wealthsimple)

    22 hr ago

    Using incentives as your primary growth channel - Natasha Saviuk (Wealthsimple)

    Natasha Saviuk, Growth Director at Wealthsimple, joins Apptivate to discuss how incentives evolved from simple promotions into one of the company's most effective growth channels. The conversation explores the lessons Natasha brought from her background in neuroscience, how Wealthsimple scaled from $15 billion to more than $125 billion in assets under management, and why physical rewards often outperform cash incentives. Natasha and Taylor also discuss campus growth strategies, virality, incrementality, account transfer incentives, and the surprising results of campaigns, ranging from free bubble tea to Apple products and even a house giveaway. Questions addressed in this episode How did Natasha transition from neuroscience into growth marketing? What lessons from scientific research apply to experimentation? How did Wealthsimple approach growth in its early years? Why did bubble tea outperform cash incentives? How do incentives function as a standalone growth channel? How can marketers measure incrementality in incentive campaigns? Why did Wealthsimple pivot away from paid acquisition in 2022? How can incentives drive high-value customer behavior? How do you avoid attracting low-quality users through promotions? What can marketers learn from Wealthsimple's house giveaway campaign? Timestamps (0:41) — Natasha's background and transition from neuroscience to growth (2:02) — Research, experimentation, and finding growth opportunities (4:03) — Introduction to Wealthsimple and early growth challenges (5:27) — Building network effects through campus growth strategies (7:05) — The bubble tea experiment and local partnerships (9:06) — Why physical rewards outperform cash incentives (10:50) — Incentives as a dedicated growth channel (12:23) — Measuring quality, incrementality, and long-term value (14:02) — The 2022 market downturn and shifting growth strategy (15:28) — Asset consolidation and scaling incentive programs (16:25) — Avoiding reward-driven user behavior (18:00) — Incentivizing long-term customer commitment (19:46) — How marketers can get started with incentives (20:10) — Common mistakes when launching incentive campaigns (21:14) — The Wealthsimple house giveaway campaign (22:31) — Rapid-fire questions begin (25:06) — Where to find Natasha and closing remarks Quotes (7:19)  “It's not until we started doing partnerships with the local food places, in particular bubble tea, that we really stumbled upon something that was working.” (16:50) “By having these stricter hold periods and clawbacks, it does deter people who maybe did just have the intention to gamify.” (22:18)  “Sometimes the channel you should invest in is one that doesn't even exist, and you kind of just need to try and see what's resonating with your audience.” Mentioned in this episode Wealthsimple Natasha on LinkedIn

    26 min
  2. AI governance, trust, and app growth - Adeel Shaikh Muhammad (Adeel Solutions)

    24 Jun

    AI governance, trust, and app growth - Adeel Shaikh Muhammad (Adeel Solutions)

    Adeel Shaikh Muhammad, founder of Adeel Solutions, is an advisor on cybersecurity, AI governance, and digital risk. He joins Apptivate to discuss the growing tension between AI-powered growth and user trust. The conversation explores why AI governance is becoming essential for modern marketing teams, how over-personalization can create a sense of creepiness for users, and where companies are introducing AI without clearly defined use cases. Adeel and Taylor also discuss shadow AI, human oversight in automated systems, the security implications of AI agents, and practical frameworks that organizations can use to balance innovation, speed, and accountability as AI adoption accelerates. Questions addressed in this episode What is AI governance and why does it matter? How should companies balance growth, personalization, and user trust? What mistakes are marketers making when adopting AI? What is shadow AI and why is it becoming a problem? When does AI-driven personalization become creepy? How can AI improve marketing performance while hurting long-term value? Which parts of marketing workflows should always include human oversight? What are the biggest security concerns surrounding AI agents? Who should own AI governance inside an organization? What practical steps can companies take to implement AI guardrails? Timestamps (0:00) — Introduction to Adeel Muhammad and his background (1:58) — Where companies are in their AI adoption journey (2:34) — Defining AI governance and the role of guardrails (3:30) — The biggest mistakes marketers make with AI (4:38) — AI use cases, visibility, and the rise of AI wrappers (5:40) — The creepiness problem and over-personalization (6:00) — When AI-driven growth starts eroding user trust (7:41) — Shadow AI and unauthorized AI usage (8:19) — Balancing speed, security, and business priorities (9:45) — Warning signs that trust is breaking down (10:12) — Why human oversight still matters (11:00) — The biggest cybersecurity risks in AI (13:11) — AI compliance, over-documentation, and risk prioritization (15:26) — Who should own AI governance? (16:57) — Human responsibility, AI access, and awareness training (19:02) — Adeel's seven-step AI governance framework (20:45) — The governance steps companies skip most often (21:25) — Trust as the foundation for AI growth (24:07) — Where to find Adeel and closing remarks Quotes (6:24)  “Growth breaks when the user feels watched, not when ads perform badly.” (6:53) “AI is optimized for CTR but not LTV, so you get high clicks from low-quality users.” (21:25) “The companies that win won’t be the fastest, but they will be the ones that scale trust alongside the growth.” Mentioned in this episode Adeel Solutions Adeel Muhammad on LinkedIn

    25 min
  3. Fixing growth systems from the inside out - Ekaterina Gamsriegler (Mygroove)

    10 Jun

    Fixing growth systems from the inside out - Ekaterina Gamsriegler (Mygroove)

    Ekaterina Gamsriegler, former Head of Growth and Marketing at MyGroove and longtime advisor across music, education, and health apps, joins Apptivate to discuss why sustainable growth depends on systems rather than isolated wins. The conversation explores the nature of modern growth funnels, how creative strategy impacts retention and churn downstream, and why many teams optimize acquisition while misunderstanding activation and long-term value. Ekaterina and Taylor also discuss localization as a full-funnel growth lever, pricing strategy during high-intent seasonal periods, the realities of founder-led and offline growth channels, and how mapping the complete user journey can uncover hidden bottlenecks that data alone often misses. Questions addressed in this episode Why does Ekaterina compare growth systems to a house of cards? How do creative strategies affect retention and subscriber churn? What mistakes do apps make during seasonal growth periods like Q5? How should marketers evaluate long-term value instead of short-term ROAS? Why can localization improve the entire growth funnel? How did MyGroove grow paying subscribers 10x in one year? What role should brand, PR, and offline channels play in app growth? How should teams define activation properly? What should marketers focus on during their first 90 days at a company? How can apps balance credibility with accessibility for beginners? Timestamps 0:12 — Introduction to Ekaterina Gamsriegler and MyGroove 0:52 — MyGroove's global launch and mission 1:41 — Growth as a "house of cards" rather than a puzzle 3:18 — Diagnosing funnels and identifying hidden bottlenecks 4:42 — How creatives shape retention and churn downstream 6:56 — Credibility, UGC, and "fake podcast" creative concepts 7:51 — Why acquisition mistakes appear 60–90 days later 9:43 — Planning for Q5 and evaluating long-term value 11:25 — Pricing strategy, willingness to pay, and cancellations 12:52 — Localization as a full-funnel growth lever 15:23 — Founder-led growth, PR, and offline channels at MyGroove 18:23 — The biggest unlock behind 10x subscriber growth 20:38 — Mapping the user journey and identifying bottlenecks 23:08 — Activation metrics and offline user behavior 25:56 — Personalization and contextual onboarding examples 29:48 — Rapid-fire questions begin 31:08 — Norway, Iceland, and travel recommendations 31:33 — Vienna recommendations and closing remarks Quotes (2:22)  “Growth feels more like a house of cards because just one little change can completely ruin the whole system.” (4:59) “What I see happening sometimes is a mismatch between the product, the user experience and the people who are being targeted with creatives.” (22:38) “Build a user journey by mapping every single step from ad impression to renewal to purchase. This allows you to see where the bottlenecks are in your journey.” Mentioned in this episode MyGroove Ekaterina on Linkedin

    33 min
  4. Remerge and the evolution of app retargeting - Pan Katsukis (Remerge)

    20 May

    Remerge and the evolution of app retargeting - Pan Katsukis (Remerge)

    Remerge CEO and founder, Pan Katsukis, joins Patrick Eichmann for the first video edition of Apptivate. They discuss the evolution of mobile advertising, the origin story behind Remerge, and where the industry is heading next. The conversation explores the rise of app retargeting, how ATT and privacy changes reshaped mobile growth, why probabilistic targeting is driving renewed momentum on iOS, and how AI is changing campaign optimization behind the scenes. Pan also reflects on Berlin’s startup scene in the late 2000s, the early days of mobile advertising before smartphones, and how infrastructure, automation, and user behavior will shape the next five years of app marketing. Questions addressed in this episode How did Remerge get started in the early mobile era? What was Berlin’s startup ecosystem like in 2008? How did mobile advertising evolve before smartphones? Why did app retargeting become such a large market? How did ATT and privacy changes affect app marketers? What role will AI play in campaign optimization? Why is probabilistic retargeting becoming more important on iOS? How does Remerge think about long-term product strategy? What trends will define the next five years of mobile growth? Timestamps 0:00 — Apptivate intro and Remerge video announcement 1:27 — Introducing Pan Katsoukas and Remerge’s origin story 2:11 — Pan’s background in mobile advertising before smartphones 3:33 — Why Remerge was founded and the rise of app retargeting 4:13 — Berlin’s startup ecosystem in the late 2000s 7:27 — Evolution of mobile advertising and measurement infrastructure 8:18 — User acquisition, app retargeting, and post-install marketing 10:15 — ATT, privacy changes, and the industry shift on iOS 12:23 — AI, automation, and the next generation of campaign optimization 14:10 — The future of mobile usage and emerging business models 16:14 — Probabilistic retargeting and the iOS “unlock” opportunity 18:57 — Where Pan sees Remerge in the next five to ten years 21:10 — Favorite app, running, and AI companions 22:10 — Favorite travel destinations and closing rapid-fire questions Quotes (10:20)  “One of the big things that also everybody is aware of is with Apple and the privacy changes with ATT in 2020, 2021, when they launched it, there was a big shift in the whole industry.” (12:27)  “With all the technology that is out there and what is capable, AI is one of the biggest drivers to just get better.” (16:42)  “AI just gets better and better, so even without a clear 100% deterministic match, you’re still able to get good retention and good results for retargeting campaigns on iOS specifically.” Mentioned in this episode Remerge Pan Katsukis on LinkedIn

    24 min
  5. What mobile gaming learned from AI-driven creatives - Michal Bubernik (Pixel Federation)

    22 Apr

    What mobile gaming learned from AI-driven creatives - Michal Bubernik (Pixel Federation)

    Michal Bubernik, Head of Marketing at Pixel Federation, joins Patrick Eichmann of Apptivate to discuss how AI is transforming creative production inside mobile gaming. The conversation covers how Pixel Federation scaled from producing around 10 polished creative assets per month to roughly 700 variations through AI-assisted workflows, why post-IDFA growth requires higher creative volume, and how teams can use testing systems to identify winning creatives faster. Michal and Patrick also explore leadership during technological change, overcoming fear around AI adoption, how creative teams can become proactive tool scouts, and why speed, experimentation, and adaptability now define high-performing marketing organizations. Questions addressed in this episode How did Pixel Federation scale creative production so dramatically? What changed for gaming marketers after the deprecation of IDFA? Why does AI increase output without expanding headcount? How should teams test hundreds of creative variations? What mistakes do companies make when adopting AI tools? How do leaders reduce fear around automation and job change? What does a proactive creative culture look like in 2026? How should marketers think about speed versus polish? Timestamps 0:00 — Introduction and Michal Bubernik’s background in gaming marketing 0:32 — Pixel Federation overview and flagship train games 0:56 — Michal’s leadership role and managing the marketing team 1:34 — Team size, in-house creative structure, and collaboration 2:14 — How IDFA changes impacted gaming marketers 2:53 — From 10 creatives a month to 700 variations 4:05 — Internal AI tools versus best-in-market external tools 5:28 — How large-scale creative testing works in practice 6:51 — Biggest mistakes teams make with AI adoption 8:10 — Fear, resistance, and job security concerns around AI 10:24 — Leadership advice for marketers behind on AI 11:20 — Lightning round begins 12:24 — Where to learn more about Pixel Federation 12:53 — Closing remarks Quotes (2:22) “I think IDFA deprecation has impacted every single company in the mobile free-to-play industry.” (6:51) “With AI, it’s moving forward so fast that the only mistake you can make is not testing it in every way you can.” (10:50) “Don’t be afraid to try at least one AI tool -- and you will see how much it can help you.” Mentioned in this episode Pixel Federation Michal Burbernik

    14 min
  6. Remerge’s take on mobile marketing in 2026 - Patrick Eichmann & Taylor Lobdell (Remerge)

    8 Apr

    Remerge’s take on mobile marketing in 2026 - Patrick Eichmann & Taylor Lobdell (Remerge)

    Description Apptivate hosts and Remerge team members, Patrick Eichmann and Taylor Lobdell, sit down to discuss the outlook for mobile marketing in 2026 and the shifts shaping the industry. The conversation covers the move toward probabilistic attribution, the growing role of AI in campaign execution, and how advertisers are adapting to signal loss. They explore why retargeting strategies are becoming simpler and more holistic, where teams still fall short in testing and budget allocation, and how growth organizations are reorganizing around the full user lifecycle rather than channel silos. Patrick and Taylor also examine what defines a strong DSP partner today, along with how automation, CTV, and consolidation are influencing the future of programmatic advertising. Questions addressed in this episode How is mobile advertising changing in 2026? What does the shift from deterministic to probabilistic attribution mean in practice? Is iOS retargeting still viable? What mistakes are advertisers making with testing and budget allocation? Why should UA and retargeting be treated as one system? How are growth teams restructuring around lifecycle marketing? What should marketers look for in a DSP partner? What optimizations should be happening behind the scenes in programmatic? How will automation, AI, and CTV shape the next phase of mobile growth? Timestamps (0:04) — Opening: 2026 landscape and market pressures (0:39) — Key shifts: probabilistic attribution and AI (1:57) — iOS retargeting misconceptions and probabilistic unlock (2:47) — Simplifying retargeting strategies and segmentation (3:15) — IDFA impact and rediscovering lost audiences (4:00) — Testing challenges and budget inconsistency (4:58) — UA and retargeting as one system (5:58) — Lifecycle-based marketing and team structure shifts (7:09) — Advice: continuous testing beyond creative (7:33) — Campaign experimentation and automation tools (8:33) — AI vs fundamentals in marketing (9:39) — What makes a strong DSP (12:55) — Post-launch optimization and AI-driven bidding (14:25) — Fraud detection and prevention (15:42) — Future outlook: consolidation, lifecycle, automation (17:07 — Rise of CTV as a performance channel (17:36 — Lightning round begins Quotes (0:52)  “I think one thing we see a lot in our business is the shift from deterministic to probabilistic attribution.” (2:27) “Normal opt-in rates sit around 20%-40% depending on the app. And we're able to get a ton more users targeted through probabilistic retargeting.” (4:20)  “There's a real willingness to test different approaches, but people are not necessarily putting consistent budget behind this testing.” (6:30)  “I think we have to think less about channel-specific or technique-specific approaches and really think more about the lifecycle of the user itself and build around that.” Mentioned in this episode Patrick Eichmann on LinkedIn Taylor Lobdell on Linkedin Remerge

    25 min
  7. How motion data from phones can inform your growth strategy - Dieter Rappold (Context SDK)

    25 Mar

    How motion data from phones can inform your growth strategy - Dieter Rappold (Context SDK)

    Dieter Rappold, co-founder and CEO of Context SDK, joins Apptivate to explore how motion sensor data and on-device AI are reshaping mobile marketing strategies. He explains how contextual signals from accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other device inputs can help marketers identify the right moment to engage users, optimize conversion timing, and improve monetization without relying on personal data or tracking permissions. The conversation covers the evolution from event-based to moment-based optimization, practical implementation considerations, privacy implications, fraud detection use cases, and how contextual intelligence could power the next generation of agentic AI and decision-making in mobile growth. Questions addressed in this episode: What types of smartphone sensor signals can marketers use today? How does Context SDK turn motion data into actionable growth insights? What is the difference between event-based and moment-based optimization? Which app categories benefit most from contextual engagement timing? How does on-device AI change personalization in a privacy-first world? What implementation effort is required to test contextual optimization? How can motion signals support fraud detection and ad performance? Where could contextual intelligence influence agentic AI and future UX? What strategic priorities should mobile marketers focus on next? Timestamps (0:04) — Motion sensor data in mobile marketing (0:56) — Accelerometer and gyroscope explained (2:06) — Founding story and origins of Context SDK (3:10) — Awareness gap among mobile marketers about sensor data (4:24) — Airbnb example illustrating real-world user intent (5:44) — Physics-based data vs opinion-driven marketing models (6:55) — Session duration differences and conversion timing opportunities (8:22) — Event-based vs moment-based optimization strategy (10:13) — App verticals and use cases for contextual timing (11:15) — Additional signals beyond motion sensors (12:02) — Model training requirements and data scale needed (14:02) — Privacy compliance, ATT and permissionless personalization (15:11) — Fraud detection applications using motion behavior (15:43) — Ad network integration and performance uplift example (17:28) — Context data as signal layer for agentic AI (19:18) — Strategic priorities and competitive positioning for marketers (20:23) — Limits of sociodemographic targeting frameworks (22:06) — How to connect with Context SDK team (22:29) — Rapid-fire questions  (24:58) — Episode wrap  Quotes (4:45) “If you're walking down the street and open Airbnb. You probably look for the key code of the apartment that you have booked. But if you're comfy on the sofa and open Airbnb, you are probably planning your next vacation.” (5:03) “Humans constantly move in a three dimensional space while they're using their smartphones and the apps on it… we have different needs, different pain points, different session durations and different likelihoods to convert in different actions.” (8:47)  “I do believe that we should not get rid of event based, but we should combine it with moment based because both things can tell us something. Event based gives us behavioral context, meaning the behavior in the app. But the question is, when is the timing right?” (13:35)  “Based on how we built this, our architecture and our approach, we don't need ATT, we don't need any permissions, and we are out of the box GDPR compliant because we don't collect any PII, we don't collect a unique user ID, we don't collect unique device ID.” Mentioned in this episode: Dieter Rappold on Linkedin Context SDK

    26 min
  8. How to find the leaks in your app’s marketing funnel - Bani Malhotra

    11 Mar

    How to find the leaks in your app’s marketing funnel - Bani Malhotra

    Bani Malhotra, former head of personalization and site experience for Walmart’s e-commerce platform, joins Apptivate to unpack the real drivers of revenue growth in modern digital products. She explores how recommendation systems, search behavior, ratings and reviews can influence conversion rates across the funnel.  She also discusses why many teams misdiagnose the cause of revenue leaks, and how behavioral signals increasingly outperform demographic targeting. Bani also discusses the evolving responsibilities of product leaders, including ownership of go-to-market and revenue outcomes, and shares lessons from building AI-native consumer apps where product systems must handle probabilistic outputs, uncertainty, and the balance between automation and user control. Questions addressed in this episode Which product levers most reliably drive revenue in e-commerce? Where do companies actually lose revenue in the funnel? How should teams think about personalization without creating discovery problems? What behavioral signals best predict purchase intent? How is the product leadership role evolving? What changes when building AI-native consumer products? How should teams design systems when AI outputs are probabilistic? Timestamps (0:03) — Bani Malhotra’s background and experience leading personalization at Walmart (3:17) — Why revenue growth comes from multiple connected drivers (4:02) — Recommendation systems and the evolution of personalization (5:10) — The impact of ratings and reviews on customer confidence (8:37) — Search behavior as a signal of user intent (13:35) — Diagnosing revenue leaks across the funnel (20:03) — When personalization becomes an echo chamber (27:27) — Why upselling can damage customer trust (32:35) — Behavioral signals versus demographic targeting (37:41) — How the product leadership role has evolved (40:54) — Designing AI-native consumer products (44:44) — Rapid-fire questions and closing Quotes (3:30) “Revenue isn't just working on one level. There are multiple revenue drivers that connect to each other, and when they work together in tandem, it compounds.” (8:48) “When somebody searches, not only are they starting consideration, they are giving you intent.” (13:39) “More often than not I have seen the biggest revenue leaks to be mid-funnel and bottom of the funnel.” Mentioned in this episode Bani on Linkedin

    49 min
See All (239)

About

Apptivate is a show that explains app marketing, one expert at a time. It's produced by retargeting specialist Remerge, focusing on the challenges and advancements in the ever-evolving world of mobile marketing. Every week, we interview marketing game-changers and app experts to share industry insights and real-life lessons, covering optimization, incrementality, creative strategy, data science, and more. Subscribe now to stay on the cutting edge of app marketing strategy.

Information

You Might Also Like