So I just took a trip to Vegas.
And no, it’s not what you think.
I went for MAU Vegas—one of the biggest mobile app conferences in the US.
My days were great -
talking to incredible founders,
getting interviewed on camera,
playing mini basketball (subtle flex: I hit the high score),
and making some great new friends.
But going in, I had one big question:
How is AI going to reshape app marketing?
I left with so much more than just an answer.
From deep conversations with brilliant minds to tactical insights from founders,
here are the 3 biggest lessons I’m taking back—
and how we’re already applying them at Trendify.
1. AI Isn’t Replacing Creatives—It’s Supercharging Them
One of the biggest lessons from MAU was this.
“AI isn’t going to replace marketing—it’s going to replace the marketers who don’t use it.”
What does that mean?
It’s not about generating everything with AI.
It’s about using AI to accelerate what’s working.
Think:
AI-generated insights to analyze creative performance
AI-assisted briefing to speed up iteration cycles
Smart predictions on what might hook users based on historical data
The future isn’t fully automated—it’s AI-enhanced creativity.
That’s the wave. And we’re already riding it.
2. The Formula for High-Performance Video Is Simple, But Relentless
After an insightful talk from Michael Stenbakken and Paul Gildard from Copper Banking, here’s what really stuck with me:
“Use data to make your ads better”
That’s it.
The best brands aren’t obsessing over making perfect videos.
They’re obsessed with making lots of smart bets, fast—and letting the data lead.
It’s not about guessing.
It’s about testing, learning, and adapting.
I’ll share a (excuse the low quality) visual breakdown here of what actually makes a short-form video ad great:
3. Don’t Outsource Everything
One panel I attended with Jeet Niyogi (CMO of Fliff) and a few others flipped my perspective:
“Don’t outsource too much.”
At first, it felt counterintuitive.
I run a creative agency myself.
After chatting with them, I realized something.
They weren’t saying not to to hire agencies.
They just said to be intentional of bringing on partners who don’t outsource everything themselves.
Because if you can find a great partner who cares about what you’re building, you both win long-term.
Final Thoughts: What’s Next?
The conversations I had this week were energizing.
So many app founders told me the same thing:
“We love the idea of building a real creator team in-house.”
That’s where we’re headed.
Trendify is evolving beyond just a creative deliverable shop.
We're becoming your growth partner—plugging into:
Reporting
Creative strategy
Daily iteration
A real team of creators (and yes - AI to help us make things better)
the creator side of me had to make an appearance
Anyways - hope this was helpful!
If you enjoyed this read then you’ll love our podcast:Â
It’s your ultimate playbook for scaling your app smarter and faster.
Cheers.
- Srikar Karra