Apptivate: App Marketing Explained

Hosted by Remerge

Business Marketing Careers ManagementInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Facebook Instagram YouTube

Episodes

237

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

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.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 10, 202632 min

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

May 20, 202623 min

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

April 22, 202614 min

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

April 8, 202625 min

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

March 25, 202625 min

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

March 11, 202648 min

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

February 25, 202632 min

Common LTV mistakes and how to avoid them - Artsiom Kazimirchyk (Campaignswell)

Artsiom Kazimirchyk, co-founder and CEO of Campaignswell, joins Apptivate to break down predictive LTV modeling, the critical flaws in how teams measure unit economics, and why today's mobile marketers need unified tools that connect profitability analysis across channels. The conversation covers what's broken in traditional LTV reporting, the technical pain points of fragmented data definitions across platforms, and how accurate cohort analysis can unlock smarter budget allocation. Questions addressed in this episode: What is Campaignswell, and what problem is it solving for mobile marketers? What is wrong with traditional LTV reporting? What exactly is predictive LTV and how far out can you forecast? Which monetization models are easiest versus hardest to predict LTV? When teams estimate their own LTV, how accurate are they usually? What immediate changes can marketers make if their LTV is poorly defined? How does Campaignswell guide budget allocation across different channels? What is the elevator pitch for Campaignswell to get teams to adopt it? Why is cohort analytics misunderstood by most marketing teams? How should marketers think about payback periods when measuring campaign efficiency? Timestamps: (0:26) — What Campaignswell is and what problem it solves for marketers (1:24) — Building Campaignswell as a single source across all teams (5:20) — Why speed matters in campaign decisions (7:50) — The hidden costs in LTV (9:47) — Predictive LTV and calculating on specific horizons (11:19) — Why subscription monetization is easiest to predict (16:19) — Client LTV predictions: When teams' numbers are off by 2x or more (20:27) — Matching optimization targets to the right LTV metrics across channels (26:22) — Why cohort analytics is misunderstood by most marketing teams (28:20) — Lightning round: First thing every morning (29:49) — Closing: Where Artsiom wants to travel next Quotes: (8:07) "Apple takes 30 percent of your revenue by default. It's really huge. It might be all your margin. And if you cannot calculate it, your comparison with customer acquisition cost might be wrong.” (25:20) “Using Campaignswell, you won't be in a situation where one team says they have a CPA of $20 bucks and another team says it’s $30.” (29:14) "I noticed that marketing spend was $600,000 per day with really strong performance. ROI was something around 30 percent. So it's a really huge amount of marketing budget. The first thing I thought was there’s probably something wrong." Mentioned in this episode: Campaignswell Artisom on Linkedin

February 11, 202636 min

Dissecting app growth - Louis Tanguay (App Growth Summit)

Louis Tanguay, founder of App Growth Summit, returns to dissect why user retention is defining success for mobile in 2026. The conversation ranges from in-person event strategy to hands-on UX tactics, with practical lessons for product teams facing an era of AI, off-app payments, and high user expectations. Louis shares what top apps get wrong about onboarding, how to use gamification without gimmicks, and where the next phase of community is headed.Questions addressed in this episode:What does it take to build a real app community in 2026?Why has retention overtaken acquisition as the key metric?Where do most onboarding flows lose users?What old-school tactics still drive engagement in an AI world?How can product teams bridge the gap between digital and in-person experiences?Timestamps:(0:03) — Louis Tanguay: first steps in app growth and events(2:20) — Building in-person communities and event philosophies(4:10) — User experience, retention, and the changing funnel(6:05) — Off-app conversion and new payment strategies(9:12) — Why retention is the hardest metric(12:04) — What product teams miss on onboarding(15:08) — Early wins, gamification, and balancing friction(19:12) — Testing, analytics, and segmenting users(21:24) — Human connection, digital convergence, and long-term habits(25:42) — Lightning round: daily routines, advice, and closing thoughtsQuotes:(5:34) “You have to do the research and see how much traffic you are actually losing by sending people out of your app or your site.”(8:22) “Growth is more like a circle than a funnel. I never really liked the funnel term.”(19:24) "If you're going to gamify, then in the user preferences, allow me to turn off gamification. Some people want those experiences, but always give users control. You can't force everyone into the same play pattern."Mentioned in this episode:App Growth SummitLouis Tanguay on Linkedin

January 28, 202632 min

How AI is reshaping trip discovery at booking.com – Jyoti Pannu (Booking.com)

Jyoti Pannu, Product Manager at Booking.com, shares how AI is transforming the way travelers discover, plan, and book their next adventure. From AI trip planners that surface new possibilities to the integration of GenAI and ChatGPT into the core product, Jyoti explains why travel discovery is moving beyond simple search, how user intent is now mapped through nuanced signals, and what the rise of LLMs means for attribution, retention, and the future of app UX. She also dives into cross-vertical product lessons, balancing novelty and personalization, and offers advice for elevating women in product management.Questions addressed in this episode:What is Booking.com, and what does Jyoti’s role cover?How is AI being used at Booking.com beyond chatbots and content generation?What does intent-based and natural language discovery look like in practice?How is the app experience changing with AI-driven trip planners and smart filters?How does Booking.com balance user personalization and novelty in recommendations?How do LLM-based discovery channels affect paid UA and retargeting strategies?What guardrails and metrics are important for launching new AI features?What lessons cross over from fintech, e-commerce, and travel in app retention?How should product teams think about post-purchase and post-trip experience?What advice does Jyoti have for women building a career in product and tech?Timestamps:(0:03) – Jyoti’s role at Booking.com and scope of the app(1:39) – AI trip planners and intent-driven product development(3:17) – Smart filters and natural language input for hotel discovery(4:03) – How Booking.com infers trip purpose and personalizes UX(6:09) – LLMs, ChatGPT, and new search/discovery interfaces(8:13) – Attribution, channel mix, and UA economics in an AI-first world(11:01) – Avoiding the filter bubble in travel recommendations(13:41) – Booking.com plugins and booking via ChatGPT(15:41) – Cross-vertical product lessons from e-commerce, fintech, and travel(17:58) – Brand omnipresence, loyalty, and retention(19:04) – Emotional stakes and UX in travel vs. transactional apps(21:37) – Post-trip and post-purchase: product touchpoints(22:50) – Testing AI features for retention and quality(24:24) – Guardrails, review, and data governance(25:29) – Elevating women in product and leadership(27:50) – Rapid-fire: travel, career, life, and favorite placesQuotes:(3:35) “We have an option for users called smart filters, where they can make searches in the form of natural language, like how you would interact with a human. We map this in our systems to provide personalized results for these users.”(17:00) “If a user has interacted with our platform and they have made a purchase from two different categories, they are more likely to become a high value customer than someone who has bought multiple times in the same category.”Mentioned in This Episode:Jyoti Pannu on LinkedInBooking.com

January 14, 202638 min

The new era of rewarded traffic - Lenny Rabin (Brown Boots)

Lenny Rabin, founder of direct advertising group Brown Boots and their reward app platform GoKart, joins Taylor Lobdell to dissect the evolution of rewarded user acquisition, focusing on how direct publisher-advertiser relationships can solve long-standing industry inefficiencies. Rabin, with over a decade in rewarded traffic and ad tech, explains why most publishers dislike third-party monetization platforms, how custom tech stacks like GoKart enable deeper, more transparent deals, and what both advertisers and publishers must do to thrive in an increasingly mainstream and competitive rewards ecosystem. This episode tracks the practical realities of running direct-sold inventory at scale, dives into shifts in audience intent (from GPT sites to fintechs), and breaks down why most campaigns fail. Rabin also shares founder lessons for building in ad tech without an engineering background.Questions addressed in this episode:What’s the origin story behind Brown Boots and Go-Kart?Why do most publishers dislike monetizing via third-party networks?What core problems do direct publisher-advertiser relationships solve that networks can’t?What are the unique challenges in building a tech stack for rewarded offers?How does Go-Kart’s programmatic model differ from legacy platforms?Who is the ideal client for Brown Boots vs. Go-Kart?What major changes has Rabin seen in rewarded marketing over 15 years?How do publisher audiences shape campaign strategy and outcomes?What retention and LTV signals matter most for performance marketers?What timeline is realistic for testing new rewarded channels?Where do most advertisers and publishers fail in UA campaign collaboration?What’s Rabin’s advice for ad tech founders without a technical background?Timestamps:(0:04) – Intro and Lenny’s background(0:27) – Brown Boots & Go-Kart origin story(1:55) – Direct publisher-advertiser relationships explained(3:22) – Building custom tech for publishers(5:20) – Ideal customer for Brown Boots and Go-Kart(6:30) – Fintech, UA, and why rewarded offers are growing(9:00) - What has changed the most in rewarded traffic acquisition(11:15) – How intent differs between GPT sites and fintech audiences(13:05) - How does that change the value proposition for app marketers(13:45) – Advertiser mistakes: not understanding publisher audiences(15:06) – How long to test new channels; why 90 days matters(16:46) – The retention metric and why it drives value(17:46) – Go-Kart’s programmatic disruption(18:18) – Why last-mile delivery in rewarded UA is broken(21:00) – The tech stack vision: features, flexibility, and future(27:00) – Lessons in building ad tech as a non-engineer(35:00) - Rapid fire roundQuotes:(1:05) "Publishers wanted less opaqueness in the revenues that they were making and also deeper partnerships with the advertisers."(5:00) "Rewarded traffic is a medium which continues to grow and is becoming more mainstream."(6:46) "Any app that has a core product offering not related to rewarded marketing and has a rewarding mechanism is a good target."(11:29) "On a GPT site, users come to the site specifically to earn rewards... Your quality of your user is inherently low."(13:55) "Every publisher will have a specific and unique audience and catering the campaign specifically to that audience is a big miss."(21:55) "Let's not be spending our time dealing with data loss and dealing with small decisions. Let's spend our time talking about how we create custom campaigns."Mentioned in this episode:Brown BootsLenny on LinkedinGoKart