SA app turns ads
into rewards

South African technology company Synapser has launched an app designed to keep marketing spend in the local economy. The platform, called Gain For Me, aims to deliver measurable results for brands and financial benefits for consumers.

Gain For Me allows users to earn rewards for watching targeted ads and answering short content-related questions. This forms part of a verified, value-driven engagement channel between brands and consumers. The app uses Synapser’s digital identity verification technology to confirm that users are real participants.

“South Africa’s R17.8-billion digital advertising spend should not be lost to offshore platforms,” says Synapser CEO Brian Henderson. “Gain For Me redirects advertising budget into South African wallets and retailers, ensuring that this revenue contributes directly to local economic participation, while making digital advertising accountable, measurable, and rewarding for consumers.” 

How Gain For Me works 

Gain For Me members can watch short, targeted advertisements and answer content-related questions to verify engagement. In return, their digital wallets are credited with points that can be redeemed through selected retail and financial partners. Shoprite’s Money Market Account is currently the exclusive redemption partner, allowing members to convert their points into Shoprite grocery vouchers.

For brands, this aims to create a high-impact, results-driven channel for hyper-targeted advertising – delivering guaranteed views, measurable sales, and actionable insights into consumer behaviour and campaign effectiveness. 

Behind the scenes, Synapser’s Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework combines facial biometrics with member-verified information to support authentic, secure and privacy-compliant interactions.

Synapser CCO Ross Joughin says: “Gain For Me transforms marketing into a value-exchange economy. Advertisers do not pay for online impressions that may never be seen. Every interaction on our app is verified, measured, and tied to real-world outcomes. At the same time, members are rewarded for their participation, which increases engagement, loyalty, and brand affinity.” 

A growing ecosystem 

Since its launch this year (2025), Gain For Me has reached over 100,000 members nationwide. The company says it has seen strong growth across all major provinces. The platform prioritises privacy and security, verifying that its users are human participants while keeping personal data fully anonymised.

“Our vision is to empower people to live safely in a digital world,” says Henderson. “By creating a secure, transparent, and locally impactful environment where advertising revenue circulates back into our economy, both South African brands and consumers benefit. Gain For Me is redefining what digital inclusion can look like in South Africa.” 

* Visit the Synapser Gain For Me website here.