On May 7th, AppTweak Amplify took place in Barcelona, bringing together growth leaders to discuss how Apple Ads is evolving and what app marketers are seeing directly in campaigns today.
As part of the panel, Xavier Bourlard, Senior VP EMEA & Global Media Partnerships at Rocket Lab, joined other industry experts to share how teams are approaching scale, automation, Custom Product Pages, seasonality, and new placements.
The discussion focused on what’s actually working today and how Apple Ads is becoming increasingly more complex for growth teams worldwide.
One of the clearest takeaways from the panel was that Apple Ads is becoming much more than a single placement strategy. Today Tab, Product Pages, Custom Product Pages, competitor visibility, automation, and seasonal campaigns are all starting to play a bigger role in app growth strategies.
Growth today depends less on simply increasing spend and more on understanding intent.
At Rocket Lab, that means taking a consultative approach to Apple Ads strategy: analyzing competitor keyword activity, identifying which terms bring valuable in-app events beyond installs, and using market signals to determine when geographic expansion makes sense for each growth objective.
Automation was another key focus throughout the conversation. While AI and rule-based systems are becoming essential to manage campaigns efficiently, the consensus was clear: strategy still needs human decision-making behind it. Automation helps scale what works and reduce wasted spend, but context, positioning, and growth opportunities still require a more strategic approach.
Seasonality and personalization also continue gaining importance. Events like Black Friday, Hot Sale, and the World Cup are changing how users search and interact with apps, making Custom Product Pages and tailored messaging more relevant than ever.
One thing became very clear in Barcelona: Apple Ads is becoming more scalable, more competitive, and more complex at the same time. The teams that adapt faster to that shift will be the ones that stay ahead.
Want to talk about what this looks like for your app? Get in touch with our team.