On August 24, 2021, mobile-advertising companies Liftoff and Vungle announced a definitive agreement to combine Liftoff’s user-acquisition and performance-marketing business with Vungle’s publisher monetization, advertising technology and related services. The companies said the deal was expected to close at the end of September 2021; that announcement date was not itself confirmation of the legal closing. The merger terms were not disclosed.
What the companies announced
The agreement was intended to create a broader mobile-growth business serving both sides of the app-advertising market. Liftoff brought tools for advertisers seeking to acquire and retain users. Vungle brought publisher monetization and in-app advertising capabilities, along with SDK integrations, creative technology, analytics and influencer-marketing services. The companies described the planned platform as an independent option spanning more of an app’s growth cycle. Vungle’s announcement set an expected closing at the end of September 2021.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The distinction matters: August 24 was the date the agreement was announced, not a verified closing date. The companies used the language of combining or merging; the announcement does not establish that Liftoff simply acquired Vungle.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →What Liftoff and Vungle each brought
| Business | Role in the mobile-ad market | Capabilities described at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Liftoff | Primarily advertiser-side user acquisition and performance marketing | Campaign optimization, machine-learning and prediction tools, pricing optimization, creative testing, and efforts to acquire and retain high-value users |
| Vungle | Publisher monetization and mobile advertising, with advertiser-facing services too | In-app ads, publisher SDK integrations, user acquisition, creative technology, content analytics, influencer marketing, and game intelligence |
The companies’ 2021 announcement supplied scale figures, but they were company-reported snapshots rather than independently audited current metrics. Liftoff said it delivered more than 2 billion ads per day across more than 550,000 mobile apps in over 140 countries. Vungle said it had more than 100,000 direct SDK integrations and 15,000 content creators on its influencer-marketing platform. Those figures appeared in the merger announcement; they should not be read as present-day operating totals.
#1 Best Overall
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Why combine user acquisition with monetization?
Liftoff’s strength was helping advertisers find users; Vungle’s was helping publishers earn revenue from app audiences. Bringing those capabilities under one company offered a strategic case for connecting demand for ad placements with publisher inventory, while adding creative, analytics and product-intelligence services around them. In principle, that could let a developer work with a wider set of tools across the path from understanding a market and building an app to promoting it, measuring campaigns and monetizing traffic.
That was the companies’ strategic rationale, not evidence that integration automatically improved campaign performance or publisher revenue. Combining advertiser and publisher functions also raises practical questions about neutrality, auction dynamics, pricing and data use. The announcement did not quantify synergies or show that the two systems, reporting standards or customer workflows would work seamlessly together.
Rank #2
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist¹ with Galaxy AI.² Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more³
- FAST. POWERFUL. AI-READY: Power through your day with AI-accelerated performance from our fastest, smoothest and most powerful Galaxy processor yet, built to keep up with everything you do
- IMMENSELY IMMERSIVE: No matter where you are or what you’re watching, your favorite videos and more come to life with the vibrant display on Galaxy S26
- FIT EVERYONE IN THE SHOT: Group selfies are easier on your Samsung phone with a wider front camera⁴ that captures more of the scene, so no one gets left out of the moment
Executives also framed the merger as a way to offer developers an independent alternative to large platform companies such as Google and Facebook. “Independent” and “privacy-friendly” were positioning claims, not regulatory certifications or proof that customers could avoid platform rules, operating-system constraints, app-store policies or privacy-related limits on measurement. Contemporary coverage discussed both the competitive rationale and the continuing scale advantage of those major platforms. GamesBeat’s report also situated the deal amid consolidation in mobile advertising and game technology.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Leadership, ownership and undisclosed terms
Liftoff co-founder and CEO Mark Ellis was designated to lead the combined company as CEO, while Vungle CEO Jeremy Bondy was to become president. Blackstone, whose funds had made majority investments in both businesses, was to remain the combined company’s majority shareholder. The leadership plan and ownership description came from the companies’ announcement.
Rank #3
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
The merger’s financial terms were not disclosed. Contemporary coverage reported that Blackstone completed its acquisition of Vungle in September 2019 for a figure above $750 million, and that it later invested nearly $400 million in Liftoff; those are reported figures about earlier transactions, not the price or valuation of the Liftoff–Vungle combination. GamesBeat reported the prior investment figures, while Mobile Marketing Reads noted that the merger terms were not disclosed. Blackstone’s announcement confirms the Vungle acquisition closed on September 30, 2019, without stating a purchase price. Blackstone’s closing announcement.
How the products and names evolved
The combination did not remain a permanent “Liftoff and Vungle” product identity. A later brand announcement organized the portfolio under Liftoff, including Liftoff Accelerate, Liftoff Direct, Liftoff Monetize, Liftoff Intelligence and Liftoff Influence, while retaining names such as Vungle Exchange. Liftoff’s brand announcement describes that later architecture.
Rank #4
- Blazing-fast Qualcomm performance. Get the speed you need for great entertainment with a Snapdragon 680 processor and 4GB**** of RAM.
- Fluid display + immersive stereo sound. Bring your entertainment to life with an ultrawide 6.5" 90Hz* HD+ display plus stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, and Hi-Res Audio**.
- 50MP*** Quad Pixel camera. Capture sharper, more vibrant photos day or night with 4x the light sensitivity.
- 64GB**** built-in storage. Get plenty of room for photos, movies, songs, and apps—and add up to 1TB more with a microSD card*****.
- Unbelievable battery life. Work and play nonstop with a long-lasting 5000mAh battery.*****
For customers, the naming transition is especially relevant when identifying which side of the business they need. Help documentation describes Liftoff Direct as the advertiser-facing offering associated with Vungle’s former advertiser suite and Liftoff Monetize as the publisher-side offering; references to Vungle SDK and Vungle Exchange also continued. The help-center guide is dated January 3, 2023, so it documents the transition at that time, not a guarantee that every current product name or package remains unchanged.
- Advertiser: Liftoff Direct is the later name to look for in the cited help documentation.
- Publisher: Liftoff Monetize is the corresponding publisher-side name described there.
- Developer integrating technology: Vungle may still appear in technical references such as SDK names or API domains, even when the surrounding product is presented under Liftoff branding.
What the merger did—and did not—establish
The deal was significant as a move toward vertical integration: one company sought to combine advertiser acquisition tools with publisher monetization, SDK distribution, creative services and analytics. It also brought together businesses backed by the same majority investor. But the announcement did not disclose the merger’s financial terms, quantify expected savings or revenue gains, or demonstrate superior outcomes for advertisers or publishers. Nor did a broader product range remove dependence on Apple, Google, app stores, attribution systems or evolving privacy rules.
Best Value
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
For app businesses assessing the combined company, the practical question is which specific service fits their role—advertising, monetization, measurement, game intelligence or creator marketing—and what the applicable commercial and technical terms are. The historical merger announcement alone cannot establish current pricing, availability or contract conditions.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
