This week the Redbox team have been in Las Vegas at the MAU (Mobile Apps Unlocked) event - a huge convention of exhibitors and speakers, all coming together to discuss, promote, demo and sell their many and varied app marketing solutions. From Adjust to Yodel and beyond, the A-Z of the app world was in attendance with close to 100 booths for delegates to visit.
We’ve been out there meeting Apple, our partners and our clients, but primarily our big reason for being at MAU was to introduce the mobile app world to Astra, our major Search Ads platform release. Read our detailed press release here.
We won't lie, it’s not all been work, work, work, we've been to a couple of absolutely cracking parties here. If there’s one thing Vegas does well, it’s party, the kick-off bash hosted by Singular / Vungle / Liftoff was quite possibly the best ever. Held in the Barbershop, a laid-back speakeasy bar and music venue, we can confirm that both the band and the crowd were outstanding, we soft-rocked our faces off.
The AppsFlyer / Braze / Amplitude event at Hakkasan Nightclub was a big-beats dancefloor extravaganza of neon lights and pristine white sneakers. It was a foot stomping, fist pumping night with a DJ who took it all to another level for the already amped-up crowd by shredding the 6 strings on his electric guitar!
Outside of the essential networking (and occasional, ahem, essential partying), the three big take-outs from MAU for us were:
- Partnerships are key: perhaps fuelled by Covid-19, which created a desire for mobile partners to collaborate and educate online, we are seeing a positive focus on the mobile world forming complementary partnerships for networking and learning events. This can only be good for the growth of our industry.
- ASA automation is a hot topic: It seems that the launch of our adtech Astra, as a major self-service Search Ads platform, is well-timed to meet a growing desire for ASA automation. We have only received positive feedback about the granular level of ASA campaign management we're offering, and the advanced machine learning that enhances Astra's bid processes.
- The Europeans were in town: This may be a US-based show, but a lot of European businesses attended as sponsors/exhibitors, demonstrating their growing global reach and relevancy.
So, that’s it, Redbox is leaving on a jet-plane, don’t know when we’ll be back again, but thanks Vegas, you’ve been great…