Advertising Technology Blog

Adjust introduces 'Agentic Growth Management' at MAU Vegas 2026, a goal-driven AI system that automates the campaign optimization loop. Instead of manual intervention, it sets a business objective (e.g., increase ROAS), analyzes performance, generates actionable recommendations (e.g., budget reallocation, creative refresh), and executes with marketer oversight. The system tracks impact and iterates, allowing teams to shift from execution to supervision. This approach aims to reduce operational burden while accelerating progress toward revenue targets, with automation scaling as AI confidence grows.

Data collaboration platforms are consolidating under ad-centric owners, threatening measurement neutrality. Publicis bought LiveRamp, WPP acquired InfoSum, and LiveRamp absorbed Habu, leaving AppsFlyer as the only major independent player. Brands must vet partners for conflicts: does the platform or its parent benefit from ad spend? Without independence, budget allocation and ROAS calculations may reflect agency incentives over actual performance. Key questions: revenue from ads, cross-channel attribution consistency, data governance, and auditable methodology.

WWDC26 focused on AI, with minimal changes to iOS attribution. Apple introduced Foundation Models, Core AI, and App Intents updates, but no significant AdAttributionKit or SKAN updates. For ad ops, this means continuity in measurement strategies. Key AI announcements include Siri AI, Xcode 27 agentic coding, and cross-developer subscription bundles. The lack of attribution changes provides stability for teams optimizing existing iOS measurement approaches.

In Q1 2026, Kroger led grocery RMNs with 2.4B impressions, over 2.5x more than Albertsons. Meijer and Publix grew fastest, with Meijer up 7x since Jan 2024. Facebook dominated as the top channel. P&G's impressions surged 930% YoY to 212M, driven by a multi-brand strategy including Crest and Super Bowl campaigns.

Home and lifestyle retailers like Wayfair, Kohl's, and Macy's use different digital strategies. Wayfair leads in web traffic and app metrics, while Kohl's shows highest traffic growth. Despite similar app audience sizes, Macy's targets fashion-forward users, and Kohl's appeals to value-driven shoppers. Audience Insights reveal distinct personas, highlighting the need for tailored approaches across channels.

LABX Clinic, a leading Thai beauty chain, uses Meta Business Agent on Messenger to handle 90% of leads. AI answers FAQs, collects details, and hands off booking-ready customers to human admins. An A/B test showed 10.3% more leads captured and 9.4% lower cost per lead. AI's instant response and consistent data collection improved lead conversion, reducing admin workload and enabling focus on closing sales.

Meta launches Business Agent, an AI tool enabling 24/7 customer responses via WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. Set up in minutes, it handles FAQs, product recommendations, appointments, and sales. Over 1 million businesses already use it. A new platform allows integration with Shopify/Zendesk for enterprise customization. Future expansions include search discovery and agent-driven daily operations. Free initially, transitioning to paid subscriptions.

At MAU 2026, the industry agreed that attention, not production, is the bottleneck. Cross-platform web-to-app attribution is now achievable with AppsFlyer's mobile-grade measurement extending to web, giving ad ops a unified view. AI is in production, with Square's team shipping six live workflows. Web-to-app is the most efficient top-of-funnel for app businesses, and retention overtakes acquisition. Ad ops must prioritize clean signal layers and incrementality testing over single-metric attribution.

YouTube receives MRC brand safety accreditation for the sixth year, now expanded to include YouTube Shorts. This makes YouTube the first platform with MRC accreditation for short-form video. The certification covers three inventory tiers: Maximum, Moderate, and Limited Mode. With 200 billion daily views on Shorts, brands can confidently advertise.

OneLink API 2.0 turns deep link creation into scalable infrastructure, addressing the surge in owned-media conversions (67% growth) and web-to-app journeys (250%+). It adds programmatic QR generation, custom TTL controls, and an upgraded developer experience. For ad ops decision-makers, this means automating personalized links across channels, improving conversion rates, and enabling measurable offline-to-app acquisition—without manual overhead or separate vendors.

Analysis of 2022 World Cup mobile data reveals that the tournament's largest engagement window occurs early, with sports entertainment installs spiking 189% and sports news 204% on November 22. Engagement revolves around national team matches, with significant spikes from non-participating markets like China (+1,294% sports entertainment installs). For 2026, brands must adapt in real-time to shifting attention across matches and regions. Adjust's AI-powered attribution and analytics provide the visibility needed to capitalize on these global events.

The Ads Decoded podcast final episode features Google product teams discussing Gemini models for Search and YouTube, plus roundtable on AI Search, measurement, and creative tools.

IPL 2026 drove significant cross-platform engagement for JioHotstar, with downloads up 25% PoP, DAU up 41%, and sessions up 60%. Tadka launch within app shows strategy to extend engagement beyond live sports. Instamart leveraged IPL with record ad impressions and 44% open rate. super.money downloads nearly doubled, with paid-channel installs rising to 25% and ad impressions surging 5.5x. Brands should invest in IPL-driven moments to capture high-intent, mobile-first audiences.

Adjust's presence at MAU 2026 in Las Vegas highlighted its Agentic Growth Management, leveraging AI for automated campaign optimization. Key sessions covered agentic AI for budget, bid, and creative adjustments. The event underscored the industry's shift toward automation in mobile marketing to handle complex growth loops. Adjust's booth and side events facilitated discussions on measurement, fraud prevention, and ROI. The week concluded with a call to explore Adjust's solutions for future growth.

TikTok and Salesforce expand partnership with integrations across Agentforce Sales, Marketing, Commerce, and Data 360. Key benefits: real-time lead syncing from TikTok Lead Gen ads into Salesforce CRM, automated product catalog sync for commerce campaigns, first-party data activation for targeting and lookalike audiences, and AI-powered workflows. This enables advertisers to streamline operations, improve conversion tracking, and turn TikTok discovery into measurable customer relationships.

AI is reshaping consumer behavior, with 80% of Google searches ending without a click and half of consumers using AI for product research. This disrupts traditional channels like search (CPC up 10-25%) and affiliate marketing (revenues down 7%). Meanwhile, mobile apps and CTV offer stable, high-engagement alternatives. Advertisers should diversify away from disrupted channels, targeting the independent app ecosystem where Day 30 ROAS can be 116% higher. Key metrics: organic direct traffic share (target >51%) and disrupted channel spend share (target <34%).

Ad monetization is a critical yet often overlooked revenue stream for mobile apps. Sensor Tower's new reports provide granular data on ad revenue, network performance, and ad formats. Key insights: 72% of top-grossing games use hybrid IAP+ad strategies, and ad revenue is growing across verticals like News, Ecommerce, and Entertainment. The reports enable benchmarking competitors' ad revenue, ARPMAU, and ads per minute, identifying effective networks, and evaluating acquisition targets using total revenue (IAP+ads). These insights help app developers optimize monetization strategies and maximize profits beyond in-app purchases.

Google Display Ads is transitioning into a unified Demand Gen platform, allowing display advertisers to manage GDN presence directly. Early adopters see a 9.5% average ROI increase. Migration tool provided, completion expected by 2027.

The Q1 2026 Digital Index reveals headwinds in the US mobile market, with IAP revenue declining for two straight quarters. However, digital ad spend jumped 15% YoY to $48B, led by Gen AI brands tripling investment to $430M. Mobile web visits surpassed desktop for the first time, but desktop dominates engagement with 70% of time spent. Key opportunities lie in Western Europe's growth, Google Play's rising IAP performance, and Gen AI ad channels like Reddit and TikTok. Ad ops decision-makers should pivot to high-impression platforms and prepare for cross-device engagement strategies.

Sensor Tower's Web Insights now covers 4M websites and 12M paths across 56 countries. Three new reports help marketers track user journeys (Traffic Flow), AI platform usage (LLM Market Share), and brand visibility in LLM conversations (Gen AI Brand Mentions). With AI referrals growing, these tools enable smarter traffic acquisition, benchmarking, and content optimization. Spike Analysis automatically identifies traffic anomalies. For ad ops, these features provide actionable data on referral networks, competitive ecosystem, and AI-driven discovery.