How Locket Widget grew Moloco ad revenue 87% with the Moloco SDK

Locket Widget is a photo-sharing app for iOS and Android that lets people send pictures directly to best friends’ home screens, instead of posting them on a public social media feed. The result is something rare: an app built around intimate, candid connection with up to 20 close friends. They have also had successful brand marketing partnerships with companies like Warner Brothers, which have been especially effective for reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Challenge: Incorporating ads while preserving the product

As Locket grew, so did the opportunity to supplement their subscription model with ad revenue. But the challenge was more philosophical than technical.

Locket's value comes from the experience. Ads that interrupt the flow would undermine the reason people open the app in the first place. Locket needed partners with ad formats that could deliver meaningful revenue without compromising what users come for.

Solution: Native format that fits the user experience

Locket integrated the Moloco SDK in November 2025 using the medium rectangle (MREC) native format through Nimbus mediation. MREC native matches Locket's visual environment and sits within the app experience without forcing users out of the flow that makes the product feel different from everything else on their phone.

Locket specifically selected MREC native was because it doesn't disrupt user behavior. The ad unit matches the app's aesthetic, which means users encounter ads in a context that feels coherent rather than jarring. 

The Moloco SDK not only delivered great user experience, but real revenue. Performance was strong from the start, and the team had visibility into what was working.

Results: 87% higher revenue

Within 5 months of SDK adoption, Locket's ad revenue grew 87% compared to the 5 months beforehand when Locket was monetizing with Moloco through programmatic exchanges alone.

The partnership is ongoing, with Locket continuing to grow its ad business while keeping the product centered on what it does best.

"Moloco has been a strong partner for us since its launch in our ad stack. We are excited to keep growing our partnership."
- Matt Moss, Founder at Locket Widget

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