Brutally Honest #141: UA in the Post IDFA World

This industry newsletter provides a strategic overview of the current mobile user acquisition (UA) landscape, focusing on creative optimization and market trends in a post-IDFA environment. The primary thesis emphasizes that success in modern UA relies on a blend of broad creative freedom for content creators and specific strategic boundaries, particularly when utilizing platforms like TikTok. The analysis covers global mobile gaming trends, with specific focus on the Asian market and major industry players like Habby, Miniclip, and Peak.

Key findings highlight the effectiveness of the TikTok Creative Challenge (TTCC), where the author suggests that briefs should define the "who, what, when, and why" of the audience while allowing creators room for original execution. Data points from the soft launch of Archero 2 reveal significant scaling potential, with the title reportedly generating $1 million in daily revenue on Black Friday despite not yet reaching a full global launch. The analysis also notes a trend of "parallel evolution" or heavy inspiration in creative production, citing nearly identical ad concepts between Triple Match 3D and Match Factory.

The scope of the insights spans various industry segments, including hybrid-casual publishing, creative production, and executive movements. Methodological insights are drawn from Sensor Tower data—noting over 300 pages of creative assets for specific titles—and qualitative industry observations. The newsletter concludes with a summary of the current job market, listing high-level marketing and growth roles at major firms such as Supercell, Playtika, and Scopely, reflecting a continued demand for specialized UA and monetization expertise.