Jetfuel

Jetfuel operates as a performance-focused influencer marketing platform, connecting advertisers with a vast network of content creators. The company was established in San Francisco in 2018 by co-founders Tim Lenardo and JJ Maxwell. Their journey began after they left roles at Instagram and Facebook to build their own apps, where they discovered the power of influencer marketing for product promotion. This experience led to the creation of Jetfuel, a service designed to help other companies scale their influencer campaigns.

The platform serves advertisers, primarily mobile application developers, looking to drive user acquisition on a results-oriented basis. Jetfuel's business model centers on a pay-per-install or cost-per-action (CPA) framework, which aligns incentives for both advertisers and influencers by ensuring clients pay for measurable outcomes. This approach removes the guesswork and intensive manual labor typically associated with traditional influencer marketing. Advertisers can upload their campaigns, guidelines, and assets directly to the platform for creators to select. On the other side of the marketplace, influencers gain access to a self-serve monetization tool called The Plug, allowing them to find products to promote and earn income based on the app installations they generate.

Jetfuel's network consists of over 15,000 verified influencers across TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, boasting a collective reach of billions of followers and millions of daily views. A key achievement for the company was its recognition in AppsFlyer's Performance Index, a significant milestone that demonstrated its ability to deliver measurable return on investment in the mobile advertising space. The company's success and rapid growth culminated in its acquisition by the mobile performance marketing platform Vungle in June 2021. This strategic move was intended to combine Vungle's global advertiser base and machine learning capabilities with Jetfuel's expertise in social media and the creator economy.

Keywords: influencer marketing, performance marketing, mobile app advertising, user acquisition, pay-per-install, cost-per-action, creator economy, social media marketing, TikTok marketing, Instagram marketing, Snapchat marketing, app promotion, influencer network, Gen Z marketing, Tim Lenardo, JJ Maxwell, Vungle, The Plug, mobile growth, performance-driven advertising, ad network, app installs, creator monetization