onX Backcountry: Scaling Apple Ads with AI
How onX achieved 20% increase in installs and 2.2% CPA reduction using Catchbase AI bid optimization
Overview
onX Backcountry is the ultimate GPS navigation app purpose-built for outdoor pursuits. With 3D offline maps tailored for hiking, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and rock climbing, onX serves millions of outdoor enthusiasts across North America.
Apple Ads represents a large portion of onX's marketing mix. The onX team was looking to increase efficiency and effectiveness to scale this channel even further.
The Challenge
onX needed to scale their Apple Ads campaigns efficiently while maintaining strict performance targets in a competitive market. Traditional optimization methods were limiting their ability to grow.
- •Scaling constraints: Difficulty growing ad spend without inflating CPA
- •Manual overhead: Time-intensive bidding and budget management
- •Market dynamics: Inability to adapt quickly to competitive shifts
The Solution
Phiture's Catchbase models were deployed to optimize keyword bids across several campaigns. The models, trained on historic performance and proprietary market data, quickly delivered increased installs while reducing CPA.
Reinforcement Learning Bidding
AI models that learn optimal bidding strategies from real-time auction data
Market Intelligence
Proprietary data on competitive dynamics and keyword performance
Automated Optimization
Continuous bid adjustments without manual intervention
Performance Monitoring
Real-time tracking and alerts for campaign health
The Results
Within the first month of deploying Catchbase, onX saw significant performance improvements across their campaign portfolio.
Overall Portfolio
Main Campaign
Note: Results are based on the first 4 weeks after launching Catchbase, providing the most accurate reflection of the model's immediate impact, independent of seasonal effects.
“Phiture's Catchbase tool allowed us to go beyond simple bidding automations and unlock another level of growth on Apple Search Ads. Once implemented, this was a huge efficiency driver for our team. Not only were we able to scale our results on Apple Search Ads to levels we had not seen before, but this technology also saved us time through automating manual optimization and budgeting work.”
Koby GordonSenior Marketing Manager, onX
What Happened Next
Following the initial success, onX continued to leverage Catchbase for ongoing optimization across their Apple Ads portfolio. The AI models adapted to seasonal patterns and market changes, maintaining strong performance over time.
The automation freed up the onX team to focus on strategic initiatives and creative development, while Catchbase handled the day-to-day bidding optimization.
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