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Episode: Stephen Upstone Discusses LoopMe’s Focus on Brands In-App
Host: Ari Paparo & Eric Franchi
Release Date: July 28, 2025
Introduction
In this episode of the Marketecture Podcast, hosted by Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi, CEO and founder of LoopMe, Stephen Upstone, delves into the intricacies of brand performance advertising within mobile applications. The conversation explores LoopMe's unique approach to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for real-time measurement and optimization, the challenges and opportunities in in-app advertising, and the transformative impact of generative AI on the advertising industry.
LoopMe Overview
Duration: [01:51 - 03:50]
Stephen Upstone begins by introducing LoopMe, a company he founded 13 years ago alongside his co-founder, Marco. LoopMe operates in the realm of brand performance advertising, a concept Stephen refers to as "brandformance." This approach integrates disciplined, AI-driven real-time measurement to optimize brand advertising beyond traditional metrics like reach and frequency.
“We work in the area of brand performance advertising or as what Michael Kasson likes to call brandformance... optimizing well beyond just reach frequency and using standard segments to produce much better results for customers.”
— Stephen Upstone [02:06]
LoopMe distinguishes itself with a comprehensive, end-to-end platform that encompasses a buying platform, measurement tools, proprietary audiences, and a marketplace. The company predominantly drives its value through mobile apps, which accounted for 80% of revenue before acquiring Chartboost from Zynga, pushing it to 90%. With around $400 million in media spend channeled through the platform this year and a global team of approximately 400 employees, LoopMe has established a significant presence in the mobile advertising space.
“We have the kind of buying platform, the measurement platform that's all entirely owned and built by LoopMe... 400 million of revenue media spend will see through the platform this year.”
— Stephen Upstone [02:38]
In-App Advertising: Opportunities and Challenges
Duration: [03:50 - 07:15]
The discussion shifts to the realm of in-app advertising, an area often met with hesitation from brands despite its vast potential. Stephen underscores the immense opportunity within mobile apps, drawing parallels to YouTube's early days when it was underestimated as a platform for brand building.
“We see mobile app, which has a lot of gaming, it has also a lot of other great apps as well, is still massively undervalued by brands.”
— Stephen Upstone [05:05]
Stephen emphasizes that mobile app advertising is poised to become the future of brand advertising, noting its superior ability to create emotional connections through concise, impactful content. He illustrates this with the observation that while traditional television involves limited device usage during family viewing, mobile devices are ubiquitous, especially among younger demographics who dominate mobile video consumption.
“It's the future of all advertising, but particularly brand advertising. That's a really exciting opportunity.”
— Stephen Upstone [05:45]
Measurement Suite: Enhancing Brand Performance
Duration: [07:15 - 13:26]
A pivotal segment of the conversation focuses on LoopMe's proprietary measurement suite. Stephen explains that LoopMe has developed a brand lift measurement system that transcends traditional metrics like install-based measurement used by Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs). This system operates in the mid-funnel space, capturing insights that link brand awareness directly to sales outcomes.
“We run about 300 million consumer surveys a year... and tie it back to our DMP.”
— Stephen Upstone [08:35]
LoopMe's measurement approach involves running extensive consumer surveys within ad spaces, allowing for real-time data collection and optimization. This method provides higher fidelity data at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional panels, enabling brands to target niche audiences effectively and measure the true impact of their campaigns.
“With real-time data, some of our customers can optimize in flight and drive better results, often increasing performance two to five times.”
— Stephen Upstone [12:15]
AI Integration: Transforming Advertising Efficiency
Duration: [16:46 - 23:50]
AI plays a central role in LoopMe's strategy, with Stephen highlighting the company's evolution from basic machine learning to advanced computational and generative AI. LoopMe utilizes a vast array of algorithms (over 2,400) that continuously compete and optimize campaigns in real-time, ensuring superior performance and adaptability.
“We have 2,400 algorithms that all compete against each other on every single campaign, swapping out the best performer every five minutes.”
— Stephen Upstone [17:20]
Moreover, Stephen discusses the advent of generative AI and its potential to revolutionize the advertising landscape. Generative AI allows for rapid content creation and sophisticated data analysis, which can significantly enhance campaign creativity and measurement accuracy.
“Generative AI is like having a million business or English language students who can return the result of all their considered thoughts within seconds.”
— Stephen Upstone [18:49]
He anticipates that the integration of generative AI will lead to substantial efficiencies and innovations in ad creation and optimization, ultimately benefiting both advertisers and consumers.
Future of Advertising: Adapting to Technological Shifts
Duration: [23:50 - 27:10]
Looking ahead, Stephen envisions a future where AI-driven platforms dominate the advertising ecosystem, creating new opportunities for startups and challenging traditional agency models. He notes that while major players like Google and Amazon have significant strengths, they also face regulatory challenges and disruptions that could pave the way for agile companies like LoopMe to thrive.
“AI is going to transform so much faster than what the Internet did. It's really exciting for startups.”
— Stephen Upstone [25:50]
Stephen also touches on the potential consolidation within the industry, driven by technological advancements and the need for more efficient, outcome-focused advertising solutions. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a strong company culture amidst rapid growth and acquisitions to sustain innovation and performance.
“Creating an incredible global culture and making sure everyone is heard is one of the biggest, most important things in my mind.”
— Stephen Upstone [24:26]
Challenges and Strategic Focus
Duration: [24:26 - 27:10]
When asked about LoopMe's primary business challenge, Stephen highlights the complexities of scaling the team from 50 to 400 employees post-acquisition. Ensuring seamless integration, fostering a collaborative culture, and maintaining high performance across a rapidly expanding global team are top priorities.
“How do we create an incredible global culture and keep everyone make sure that everybody is heard in that business and able to contribute to it?”
— Stephen Upstone [24:26]
Conclusion
Duration: [27:10 - 28:19]
In the final segment, Stephen reflects on the broader implications of AI in advertising, expressing optimism about the future for both advertisers and consumers. He envisions a more efficient, ethical, and effective advertising ecosystem driven by AI advancements, which will enhance consumer experiences and deliver measurable outcomes for brands.
“AI is going to make advertising a lot, lot better. The two key constituents for advertising are the advertisers and the consumers and they will both be massive winners in this.”
— Stephen Upstone [22:50]
Stephen concludes by likening LoopMe to a thoughtful and ethical animal, embodying the company's commitment to innovation and ethical practices.
“If LoopMe was an animal, what animal would it be? ... a kind of chimpanzee or monkey of some type. So very kind of social, very thoughtful and hopefully quite sort of giving and with a good strong sense of ethics and self.”
— Stephen Upstone [27:15]
Key Takeaways
- Brandformance Advertising: LoopMe integrates AI to optimize brand advertising in real-time, moving beyond traditional reach and frequency metrics.
- In-App Advertising: Mobile apps represent a significant, yet undervalued, opportunity for brand advertising with high engagement potential.
- Proprietary Measurement Suite: LoopMe's unique brand lift measurement system offers high-fidelity, cost-effective insights that enhance campaign optimization.
- AI and Generative AI: Advanced AI algorithms drive LoopMe's campaign performance, while generative AI promises to revolutionize ad creation and measurement.
- Future Outlook: The advertising industry is poised for rapid transformation through AI, presenting opportunities for agile startups and challenging existing giants.
- Organizational Growth: Scaling the team while maintaining a strong, collaborative culture remains a critical focus for LoopMe's continued success.
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