Digital marketing faced a seismic shift in 2021 when Apple’s privacy changes disrupted the entire advertising ecosystem. For agencies built on precise targeting and measurement, this change wasn’t just a speed bump—it threatened their entire business model. Michael Mataluni, co-founder and CEO of Bravetto, found himself at this crossroads when his successful Facebook marketing agency suddenly lost its secret weapon. His response offers valuable lessons for businesses navigating today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
When the Data Pipeline Runs Dry
Before founding Bravetto, Michael had built his reputation as a Facebook marketing specialist. “I was running a successful digital marketing agency, crushing it with Facebook ads for clients,” he recalls. “I built a reputation as the go-to guy for Facebook marketing, even won a Comic Club award from ClickFunnels, and life was good. Business was flowing.” Then came the iOS 14.5 update. Apple introduced app tracking transparency, requiring explicit permission to track users across apps. The impact was immediate and devastating. “Apple basically told Facebook, ‘Hey, you can’t track users across apps without explicit permission anymore,'” Michael explains. “And guess what? Most users said, ‘I’m out. I’m being tracked. I don’t want this.’ It crushed our industry.”
The changes undermined what had made Facebook advertising so powerful. “Before this change, Facebook was like this all-seeing eye that could follow users everywhere they went online. They knew if you saw a Facebook ad then went to Safari to buy something,” he says. “This made targeting and measurement incredibly powerful. I could spend a client’s dollar and show them exactly what they got back—three, five, ten dollars, whatever that return was.” The aftermath left marketers struggling. “After that change, the digital marketing world fractured. Suddenly we lost visibility. The data pipeline was cut off. It was like trying to aim at a target while blindfolded,” Michael remembers. “I remember sitting at my desk looking at my campaign results that suddenly made no sense, thinking, ‘My God, what are we going to do? Everything has changed.'”
Rethinking Marketing with AI
That crisis moment forced a complete rethinking of his approach. Michael pivoted toward AI-driven solutions that didn’t rely on the same tracking mechanisms. He now focuses on four key strategies.
Eliminate Wasteful Spending
The first breakthrough came from using AI to target more efficiently. “Most companies are bleeding money on marketing that doesn’t convert. They’re literally guessing—they’re spraying and praying,” Michael points out. “AI fixes that by removing the guesswork.” The precision difference is dramatic. “Instead of throwing money at 10,000 random ad impressions, AI can actually identify the thousand people most likely to buy and only target them,” he explains. “The result? No wasted budget, higher conversions, less spend, more revenue. This isn’t just an improvement, it’s a complete rewire of how we approach marketing.”
Reduce Time and Effort
Speed matters in converting prospects. “Time kills deals. If you’re taking weeks to convert a lead, you’re losing customers,” Michael emphasizes. His AI approach accelerates the sales cycle in three ways: “One, identifying who’s ready to buy now versus who needs nurturing. Two, tailoring messages to each lead’s stage in the journey. And three, automating repetitive follow-up so sales teams can focus only on hot leads.” This targeted approach yields better results with less effort. “Instead of sending the same 10-email sequence to everyone, AI figures out that some prospects need just three emails while others need more touchpoints.”
Raise Precision and Personalization
Generic marketing is dead, according to Michael. “Here’s the real game-changer—AI makes marketing hyper-personalized at scale,” he says. “Instead of generic one-size-fits-all campaigns, our AI dynamically adapts everything from landing pages to emails to chat conversations based on each person’s behavior and personal preferences.” The customization happens instantly. “If they’re a SaaS founder, they get a SaaS-specific message. If they’re an e-commerce owner, they see content relevant to them and their industry.”
Automate Engagement 24/7
The final piece is constant availability. “Our AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a force multiplier,” Michael says. “Imagine having a team of a thousand sales reps working around the clock, answering questions, following up, closing deals, but without the overhead.” This automation creates a competitive advantage. “Companies are using architect AI and AB for engagement, cutting costs while outperforming competitors still stuck in the manual world.”
This new approach led Michael to co-found a digital transformation agency that builds what he calls “M.Tech driven Agentic AI Solutions.” Rather than relying on platforms they don’t control, they’re creating owned marketing infrastructure. “Instead of just running ads on platforms we don’t control, we start building systems that companies actually own, using headless Shopify architectures integrated with our AI that personalizes your customers’ experience.” The result? “You can turn leads into sales and slash costs by 50% or more overnight.”
Connect with Michael Mataluni on LinkedIn to explore AI-powered marketing strategies.
