OTTO unlocks 244% ROAS on iOS with Dataseat’s contextual SKAN strategy

OTTO partnered with Dataseat (now part of Verve) to launch its first SKAN campaign focused on ROAS, rebuilding its conversion schema to reflect high-intent actions.

return on ad spend (ROAS)

0 %

visibility into post-install events

> 0 %

Category: Advertiser 
Solution: Dataseat 
Region: Germany

“For our first SKAN campaign built around ROAS, it was important to partner with a team that truly understands how to drive performance without device IDs. Dataseat helped us take control of our conversion schema, optimize transparently, and deliver measurable results at scale.”

Marian Bucher

Senior Expert App Growth, OTTO

Opportunity

As Germany’s largest e-commerce platform, OTTO has long relied on performance-driven marketing to fuel its growth. But as Apple’s privacy standards have continued to evolve — from the rollout of ATT to the growing constraints of SKAdNetwork (SKAN) — the fundamentals of mobile performance marketing have been rewritten. Without access to device-level data, traditional mobile measurement and optimization strategies have become inefficient — especially on iOS.

OTTO needed a partner that could help them navigate the shift and launch their first SKAN campaign focused on return on ad spend (ROAS) optimization. The challenge was twofold: activate and scale iOS campaigns without device IDs, and maintain full transparency and control over bidding, spend, and performance in a data-restricted environment. That’s why they turned to Dataseat — a privacy-first programmatic buying platform with proven expertise in SKAN and contextual targeting.

Solution

Dataseat (now part of Verve) approached the brief with a privacy-first strategy, using contextual optimization methods built specifically for the realities of SKAN. A key unlock for campaign performance came from rethinking how success was measured. Working closely with OTTO, the team redesigned the conversion value schema to reflect high-intent actions — instead of just tracking simple engagement — making it possible to optimize for and measure actual return on ad spend. This hands-on, consultative approach to measurement became a key strategic lever. It not only improved ROAS tracking but also gave OTTO confidence in how their investment was performing — even without access to user-level data.

With the schema in place, Dataseat applied its contextual-first buying strategy to identify and scale high-performing inventory, while balancing the quality of SKAN postbacks — Apple’s privacy-safe conversion signals — with clear insights into which creatives and placements were driving the most value.

Results

OTTO relied on Dataseat’s expertise to successfully activate and scale its first performance-led SKAN campaign, while gaining strong insight into user behavior after install, all without relying on device-level data.

244% return on ad spend (ROAS)
>80% visibility into post-install events

OTTO’s successful first campaign with Dataseat granted them new visibility into SKAN performance, laying a foundation to unlock the next phase of growth. Now, OTTO’s focused on scaling performance, reactivating high-potential creative formats, and expanding reach across a broader range of publishers.