Our Guest this week is Jonathan Kay, Co-Founder, and CEO of Apptopia. Apptopia is a real-time competitive intelligence tool that provides actionable insights into mobile industry data.

This week we discuss the ethics of competitive app intelligence in the context of the recent SEC enforcement actions against App Annie. We dive deep into the allegations, discuss the tactics App Annie allegedly used to manipulate their data modeling, and talk about what it takes to build predictive models in a way that respects the privacy of individual companies. We also discuss the tension of regulation against innovation, and how it can be an important lever to level the playing field.

Plus, a U.S judge orders Apple to ease their App Store rules, and Stillfront acquires Jawaker for $205 million dollars.

Guest: Jonathan Kay

Industry Insights

App Annie and co-founder charged with securities fraud, will pay $10M+ settlement - TechCrunch

App of the Week

Rachio

Our Guest this week is Ryan Anthony. Ryan is a creative technology expert and the Co-Founder and CEO of DIRT. DIRT is a revolutionary consumer insights research platform and Neuro/AI delivery system.

This week we discuss neuroscience in advertising and how applying neuroscience technology to the creative processes can help creators anticipate what resonates with their audiences. We talk about how neuromarketing tools measure physiological reactions to create a predictive testing environment based on emotional responses, and how DIRT is making these tools more accessible to a wider audience with its innovative tech.

Plus, Facebook sells itself short with iOS 14 bug, South Korea passes law to force Google and Apple to allow third-party payments, Apple allowing developers to redirect users to sign up for services outside the App Store, and Apple delays Child Safety Features to ensure they get it right.

Guest: Ryan Anthony

Industry Insights

Facebook Undercounted SKAdNetwork Conversions For iPhone 12 Users Since February

App of the Week

Workflowy

Our Guest this week is Sasha Mackinnon, CEO of Mino Games. Mino Games is a Montreal-based mobile games company best known for their games Mino Monsters 1 & 2, Cat Game, and Dog Game.

This week we discuss leadership styles and strategies in the context of building a fast-growing mobile gaming company. We dive into how mutual trust and empowering your team leads to optimal business outcomes. And we describe how to make actionable company values to drive decisions in times of ambiguity.

Plus, LiftOff and Vungle announce their merger, Supercell launches Everdale into Public Beta, and Google’s new approach to privacy will be less heavy-handed than Apple’s.

Our Guest this week is Margartia Vasilevskaya, a mobile gaming user acquisition expert. Margarita's background in games marketing is vast, spanning from social casino to hard and midcore strategy games.

This week we discuss universal truths of UA buying across game genres. We talk about the importance of platform and creative diversity, and that fitting algorithms to player segments can be as important as fitting creative. We dive deep into how an app’s monetization model can inform your user acquisition strategy and geo-mix.

Plus, MOLOCO raises $150M Series C, Embracer Group acquires 3 developers, and Mountaintop raises $30M Series A.

Guest: Margarita Vasilevskaya

References

MOLOCO raises $150M Series C led by Tiger Global at a $1.5B valuation

Embracer Groups gets more than 200 game devs as it ads 3 more acquisitions

Mountaintop raises $30M Series A

App Of The Week

Axie: Infinity

The Ants: Underground Kingdom

Discord

This week we are syndicating a panel conversation hosted by Joseph Kim of GameMakers and LILA Games featuring Warren Woodward, Brian Bowman and Matej Lančarič. 

The panel discusses a series of issues focusing on the impact iOS 14.5+ has had on running a large multi-title user acquisition portfolio. We discuss the macro KPI trends seen across the major ad networks, how to adjust your buying models to still be predictive and informative with less accurate data, and how large portfolios are actually optimizing their campaigns and creative strategies to buy profitably in the new measurement paradigm. 

Plus, the Senate introduces a new bill to regulate App Stores and Facebook outlines it’s new plan for addressing user privacy.

Guests:

Joseph Kim - CEO at LILA Games

Brian Bowman - CEO at Consumer Acquisition

Matej Lančarič - UA & Marketing Consultant

References:

Senators target Apple’s App Store exclusivity in new bill

Privacy-Enhancing Technologies and Building for the Future

Facebook is rebuilding its ads to know a lot less about you

Apps of the Week:

Yoroi Wallet

‎Loóna

Our Guest this week is Chuka Ikokwu, Co-Founder and CEO of Divercity. Divercity is a mobile-first job platform dedicated to building the world’s largest underrepresented professional hub.

This week we discuss the lack of diversity within the mobile industry. We dig into the data to inspect the breadth of mobile’s inclusivity problem and highlight the strategic value investing in diversity can bring to your business. We also provide specific tactical, actionable steps companies can take to improve diversity in their hiring process.

Plus, industry events are back, Skillz invests in Exit Games, and Kongregate is set to launch it’s new NFT gaming portal later this year.

Guest: Chuka Ikokwu

Resources:

Apps of the Week:

Our Guest this week is Andrew Green, Group SVP of Operation and Growth at Stillfront Group. Stillfront is one of the preeminent mobile game publishers consisting of 20 studios across Europe, North America, and MENA.

This week we discuss the trend of mega-publishers in mobile gaming. We describe the advantages gained by joining a number of developers under one roof and discuss how to operationalize a large game portfolio effectively. We weigh the pros and cons of a “city-state” vs. command economy model for large publishing organizations and describe how ultimately it’s critical for developers to feel autonomy and ownership over their projects to find outsized success.

Plus, Netflix is breaking into gaming, Jam City cancels its SPAC, Apple warns of slowing growth, and Polygon Studio set up a $100M crypto gaming fund.

Guest: Andrew Green

References:

Apps of the week:

Our Guest this week is Christen Luciano, Strategic Partnerships at HubSpot. HubSpot is a CRM and automation platform for small and mid-market companies.

This week we discuss the intersection of mobile and B2B. We compare and contrast how B2C companies often utilize mobile apps as a core revenue driver, while B2B businesses tend to utilize apps for engagement and retention. We dive into how messaging is becoming increasingly important B2B mobile apps and we discuss the holy grail of cross-platform measurement (and why HubSpot may be uniquely positioned to solve the white whale of attribution).

Also, Pollen VC is pitching a new UA funding method, Electronic Arts Acquires Playdemic for $1.4B and Singular says ad dollars are feeling iOS ecosystem for Android.

Plus Upptic is hiring! Visit upptic.com to apply!

Guest: Christen Luciano

References:

App:

Our Guest this week is Arun Gupta, CEO of Attribution App. Arun’s career has spanned ad tech including working at an ad network and spending 6 years build the Go-To-Marketing organization at the attribution company Adjust.

In this week's episode we step outside our core competency and interrogate the crossover between web and mobile measurement. We discuss some of the core differences between web and app attribution, and break down specific differences between B2B and D2C within the web measurement.

Also, Vungle buys JetFuel to continue building its ad tech empire, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven permanent adoption of new gamers, and iOS 14.5+ mass adoption finally here.

Plus, checkout the webinar Upptic is participating in with Singular and Adikteev at June 23rd at 10am PT

Guest:

Arun Gupta

References:

Vungle Buys JetFuel

75% of pandemic-driven mobile gaming lift will remain

App of the Week:

Lemonade

Helium

Future

Our guest this week is Natalie Rozenblat, Senior Performance Marketing Consultant at Phiture. Natalie has spent her career in the growth consultancy space helping grow mobile apps.

In this episode we investigate our own place in the industry: growth consultancies and agencies. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using outsourced growth teams, how specific expertise can benefit your company, and how unaligned incentives can hurt your growth.

Also, tons of news. Apple is updating it’s privacy to allow users to opt-out of GAID by 2021, massive privacy updates on the horizon from Apple, new simple A/B ASO conversion product from Apple, and more M&A!

Guest:

References:

App of the Week:

Agencies, Consultancies and Outsourced Marketing Services with Natalie Rozenblat