In this episode of Let’s Talk Ads, Andre, CEO of ⁠Admiral Media⁠, sits down with Drew Hampton, Head of Performance Marketing at ⁠Varo Bank⁠. One of the largest neobanks in the US.

Drew shares his playbook for compliant, test-driven performance marketing, discussing the unique challenges of fintech advertising, the impact of privacy changes, and how to optimize campaigns in a highly regulated space.

From event testing strategies to attribution hurdles (SKAdNetwork vs. probabilistic modeling), Drew breaks down what works (and what doesn’t) when scaling a fintech app.

Plus, he shares insights on team structure, creative optimization, and why web-based campaigns outperform app installs for Varo.

Key Takeaways:

• Why web-based marketing drives better efficiency than app install campaigns
• How to structure event testing for fintech compliance
• The impact of privacy changes (iOS 14.5, SKAN) on performance marketing
• Why probabilistic attribution is becoming essential
• How to motivate teams & foster a performance-driven culture

Audio Chapters:

00:00 – Intro
00:13 – Welcome to Let’s Talk Ads
00:50 – Drew’s background & role at Varo Bank
02:34 – What is Varo Bank? (Neobank for underserved consumers)
04:38 – Drew’s transition from Spin (e-scooters) to fintech
06:40 – Differences between mobility & fintech marketing
08:24 – Why Varo Bank focuses on web-based marketing over app installs
10:50 – How event testing improves campaign performance
12:30 – The impact of privacy changes (iOS 14.5, SKAN)
15:20 – Best channels for early-stage fintech startups
18:00 – Should founders run ads themselves or hire experts?
21:40 – The most underrated skill for performance marketers
24:30 – Biggest campaign success at Varo Bank
27:50 – Event testing roadmap – how to structure tests
31:20 – How to motivate teams & build a performance culture
36:10 – Attribution challenges (SKAN vs. Apple Search Ads)
39:50 – The future of MMPs (Mobile Measurement Partners)
44:20 – Final thoughts & where to connect with Drew

📌 Connect with Drew Hampton: ⁠LinkedIn⁠

📌 Connect with Andre Kempe: ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠

📌 Follow Admiral Media: ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠

📌 Visit Let's Talk Ads: ⁠Website⁠

🔗 Resources & Links •
Admiral Media – award-winning performance agency
👉 https://admiral.media •

Follow Andre Kempe on LinkedIn
👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/admiral-andre-apps-growth-marketing/
• Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts – search “Let’s Talk Ads”
• Official Let's Talk Ads website: https://letstalkads.io/

Join Andre and subscription app marketing legend Thomas Petit for a deep dive into "Signal Engineering" - the art and science of optimizing the data signals you send back to ad networks to dramatically improve campaign performance.

In this episode, Thomas reveals advanced strategies that go far beyond basic event optimization, including:

- How to "fake" user values to guide ad networks toward your most valuable customers

- Why gaming companies do the OPPOSITE of subscription apps when handling whale users

- The counterintuitive approach of lowering high-value user signals to prevent campaign disruption

- Real examples of signal manipulation that improved traffic quality over 6 months

- When automation actually makes your job MORE complex, not easier

Key Takeaways:

✅ How signal engineering differs from traditional event optimization

✅ Advanced value manipulation techniques for different verticals

✅ Why creative iteration still trumps technical optimization

✅ The future of UA in an increasingly automated world

✅ When to invest in signal engineering vs. when it's overkill

Whether you're spending $1K or $400K per day, this episode will change how you think about the data you're feeding to Facebook, Google, TikTok, and other ad networks.

Perfect for: UA Managers, Growth Marketers, Performance Marketing Teams, Agency Owners

Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome to Thomas Petit
• 02:00 - What is Signal Engineering?
• 04:30 - Advanced Value Manipulation Techniques
• 09:00 - Testing and Measuring Signal Changes
• 12:20 - Timeline and Implementation Strategy
• 15:30 - Creative vs. Signal Engineering Impact
• 19:00 - Product Optimization and Full-Funnel Thinking
• 23:00 - The Future of UA in an Automated World
• 26:00 - Network-Specific Signal Strategies
• 31:00 - When Signal Engineering Makes Sense
• 34:00 - Creative Production Priority
• 36:20 - Wrap-up and Key Takeaways

🔗 Resources & Links •
Admiral Media – award-winning performance agency
👉 https://admiral.media •

Follow Andre Kempe on LinkedIn
👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/admiral-andre-apps-growth-marketing/
• Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts – search “Let’s Talk Ads”
• Official Let's Talk Ads website: https://letstalkads.io/

What do bubble-tea pop-ups and free iPhones have to do with one of Canada’s fastest-growing fintech apps? In this episode of Let’s Talk Ads, Admiral Media CEO Andre Kempe sits down with Natasha Saviuk, the Growth Director who helped Wealthsimple 10× assets under management by turning bold brand moments into viral acquisition loops.

🎧 Press play to learn:

• The inside story of Wealthsimple’s “Free iPhone Frenzy” and how a CAC stunt delivered record-high signups
• Why Natasha bets on IRL theatrics (yes, bubble-tea stands) to supercharge digital referral funnels
• A step-by-step breakdown of her 4-layer virality stack
• Creative testing tactics that lowered paid-social CPAs
• How to align legal, product and paid teams so wild ideas actually ship
• Natasha’s favorite growth metric (it’s not ROAS) and the dashboards she refreshes every morning

Timestamps:

00:01:17 - 00:02:36

Natasha’s Role & WealthSimple’s Mission

00:02:37 - 00:07:15

Incentives as a Growth Strategy

00:07:16 - 00:11:37

Why Incentives Work for High-Net-Worth Users

00:11:38 - 00:14:40

Building Winning Incentive Campaigns

00:14:41 - 00:20:31

Impact on Paid Social & CAC

00:20:32 - 00:27:26

Neuroscience → Marketing: Natasha’s Career Path

00:27:27 - 00:33:26

Memorable Failures & Lessons

00:33:27 - 00:42:15

Scaling Growth via Campus & Referral Tactics

00:42:16 - 00:49:01

Team Structure & Cross-Functional Growth

00:49:02 - 00:50:18

Closing Remarks

Connect & Subscribe

• Looking for a Full Funnel Digital Marketing Agency, specialized in mobile growth? Contact Admiral Media

• Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-saviuk/

• Got growth questions? Ping Andre on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/admiral-andre-apps-growth-marketing/

• Never miss an episode—hit ★ Follow on Spotify and drop us a rating!

🔗 Resources & Links •
Admiral Media – award-winning performance agency
👉 https://admiral.media •

Follow Andre Kempe on LinkedIn
👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/admiral-andre-apps-growth-marketing/
• Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts – search “Let’s Talk Ads”
• Official Let's Talk Ads website: https://letstalkads.io/