Acorns needed to overcome the "complexity stigma" and security friction inherent in traditional investing. The primary constraint was conversion quality: the goal was not just app installs, but stimulating user habits to ensure those installs converted into long term depositors.

Scaling this required navigating a high-trust barrier. Standard paid channels often struggle to provide the educational depth and third-party credibility needed to move a user from curiosity to a verified deposit.

Adbloom replaced broad-reach tactics with a concentrated network of 70 high-impact affiliates in the personal finance space. We prioritized partners who already held "authority status" with their audiences, allowing us to bypass the trust barrier more efficiently than traditional ads.

We provided these partners with premium resources and specific messaging guidelines that simplified Acorns’ value proposition. By managing these relationships directly and maintaining rigorous compliance oversight, Adbloom ensured that every campaign was optimized for funded deposits rather than top-of-funnel traffic.

The affiliate campaign delivered almost 15,000 funded depositors, contributing to $4.4M in ROI. By focusing on quality over volume, Adbloom improved ROI and secured a more engaged user base that bypassed the "empty install" cycle.

This model provided Acorns with a predictable and scalable acquisition channel that maintained high trust and ensured strict compliance.