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 Summit
• The moment AGS’s ‘community first’ format revealed the gap in existing event culture
• What 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 action

Quotes:

• (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 newsletter
Louis on Linkedin