Issue 138: the ONE ad creative to scale 📈 📈 📈

+ Wanna make $98k extra this BFCM?

September 04, 2024

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I don’t think the internet will let us keep the newsletter if we don’t post immediately about Paul Graham’s Founder Mode essay so here it is.

We literally don’t make the rules.

Cosmo Kramer High Quality GIF

| TWEET OF THE WEEK

In this week’s Nice Ads we’re going to be learning:

  • How to use your product to stop the scroll

  • The secret to funny ad creative

  • Steps to make the perfect problem solution video ad

So let’s get started.

We’ve been working with Govee for a year or so, during which time we created some of their top ads. I thought this creative was worth breaking down because of how simple it is, and if you’ve been subscribed to Nice Ads long enough, you know how much I love a simple creative.

Our goal with this ad was to show how the product works and how easy it is to install in any home. So we kept the edit and the captions nice and simple to keep all the attention on the product.

Thankfully, because Govee has some of the most eye-catching products on the market, we don’t need to do much to stop the scroll. The product does that for us. Your life as a marketer gets much easier when the product can sell itself.

We also utilized what I like to call a "Timeless Trend" - something that is popular and will always be in demand. In this instance, it's the "Amazon Finds" trend. People enjoy discovering new products they can purchase immediately on Amazon. While I typically avoid trends in ad creative, some will always be effective.

| YOUTUBE UNIVERSITY

Obvi CMO Ash Melwani Breaks Down Ads + Creative for Subscription Brands

| TOGETHER WITH Eightx

🎵 I can see cleeeeeeeearly now the rain is gone 🎵

The complexity of your brand grows exponentially faster than revenue. See the chart below which represents some averages from the 60 brands we’ve worked with. 👇️ 

And as your business grows, it gets harder to manage it all. New people, new SKUs, new agencies, new tools…

Aaaannndd when tools and systems aren’t coordinated enough, you feel blind. You spend more time figuring things out than actually running your businesses.

(Or you simply guess!)

Relate? Everybody deals with this as they get bigger.

We bring your systems, people, and tools together. We give you a clear view of your business, without the stress.

Here’s what we do:

  • Understand your vision and goals (or help you create them and write them down)

  • Map out the numbers and targets that achieve your goals

  • Make scorecards for all teams to keep them on track

We help you cut through the noise and get your confidence back.

Want to learn more? Reach out to us today.

| QUICK SHOTS

  • @coltybrah Designed these shorts off inspo I always see on this run by my house. Been best sellers for the past week. Many. Lessons in there.

  • @SeanEcom Ridge Wallet made me a millionaire, BUT: I didnt start the company… I didnt put money into the company. Every dollar I have earned is because of the power of win-win situations.

  • @andrewjfaris If you aren't layering tROAS bidding alongside your Bid Caps or Cost Caps, I'm absolutely convinced you're missing out on incremental spend. Go do it right now.

    • @DaveRekuc After talking to Andrew, I experimented with this setup for the same top ads…

  • @MehtabKarta Almost every high growth DTC brand I've seen is also absurdly profitable.

| HERE FOR THE MEMES

| AND IN OTHER NEWS…

Lululemon misses sales views after yanking ‘long butt’ leggings as Wall Street looks for more innovation

The athleisure brand will have to overcome consumers’ declining interest in tight exercise pants, analysts said.

$10 million in four years: How Whatsie is tapping into the open-play trend

Whatsie, which was launched by its founder Lisa Nourbehesht in September 2020, has seen its revenue grow by 14 times in four years.

The CMO role has evolved: Here’s what the numbers say

While the title of CMO is still alive and well, major disparities exist when it comes to tenure and representation, according to a Forrester report.

Bella Hadid will shape Chopard’s future

Beloved by Gen Z, unafraid to speak her mind, and able to turn every public appearance into a viral moment, Bella Hadid is Chopard’s new global ambassador.

Brazil X ban: Top court judges to vote on block of Musk's platform

Justice Alexandre Moraes has called on the court to vote on whether or not to uphold the suspension.

| GET LINKED

Nik Sharma on LinkedIn: Want to make an extra $98,000 this holiday season? Here’s my game plan…

Want to make an extra $98,000 this holiday season? Here’s my game plan, straight from the Sharma Brands playbook:

Grab a coffee. It will take less than 5 minutes to read, & you’ll be ready to drive serious revenue.

1. Don’t Let Subscribers Slip Away 🚫 

Running a site-wide sale? Before you lose subscribers, update cancellation flows to offer the current discount directly. Keep cohorts clean and show subscribers they matter.

2. Treat Your VIPs Like Royalty 👑 

Let top customers apply discounts with one click. Send a personalized email to auto-apply a 25% off sale.

3. Auto-Rewards for the Ultra-Elite 🏅 

For your top 1%, auto-apply discounts—no action needed from them.

4. Tease the Sale Ahead of Time 🗓️

With shoppers ready to drop $2,400 this season, alert them to your sale via email & SMS.

5. Manage Your SMS Strategy 💬 

Don’t let emoji-heavy SMS campaigns eat into your profits. Check SMS flows to avoid overspending (mainly if you're not on Postscript).

6. Run Cash-Back Promos to Boost Margins 💸 

Consider cash-back promotions to maintain your margins while offering something valuable.

7. Bundle It Up 🛒 

Create a BYOB (Build Your Own Bundle) page to boost AOV by letting customers mix & match.

8. Gamify Your Cart Experience 🎮

Make the checkout process fun & rewarding. Use social proof, offer freebies as customers add more to their cart, & upsell like a pro.

9. Tap Into New Channels Before They’re Hot 🔥 

Experiment with channels like Taboola. With their reach on major sites like VOGUE, you’ll get in front of millions in a format that performs.

10. Picture-Perfect Product Photos 📸 

Ensure your product photos are bright, clean, & "delicious." If you’re in a pinch, soona is your go-to for last-minute shots.

11. Keep an Eye on Competitors 👀 

Monitor competitor ad libraries to stay ahead of the curve and protect your brand from shady claims.

12. Build Smart, Modular Landing Pages 🛠️

Use Shopify 2.0 to create landing pages you can tweak & reuse across your site based on what’s working.

13. Keep It Simple, Keep It Clear 🧠 

Speak to your customers like they’re in fifth grade—short, clear, and straightforward. The easier it is to understand, the more likely they’ll convert.

14. ADA Compliance is Non-Negotiable ✅ 

Don’t let ambulance-chasing attorneys catch you off guard. Make sure your site, emails, and landing pages are fully ADA-compliant.

15. Refresh Your Affiliate Programs 🤝

Ensure all your affiliate links, banners, and rules are up to date. Keep them in check, especially if they’re running ads against your brand.

16. Triple-Check Your Review Flows ⭐

With a flood of orders coming in, make sure your product review processes are solid and ready to capture as many positive reviews as possible.

17. Optimize Your Ad Campaigns 🛑 

Beware of auto-enhancements in your ASC+ ads. They might serve your brand poorly during peak shopping times.

Did I miss anything? Comment below if you know something I don't! 👇

| RECOMMENDED SOFTWARE & SERVICES

  • BoxFort Commerce helps clothing & high-sku brands scale with efficient Shopify fulfillment. Unlike the Bobs & Monks of logistics, we ship hundreds of thousands of orders for 3 of our own clothing and jewelry brands, so it’s imperative that our processes are built around saving money & consistency. Learn more here.

  • Deep Ocean Partners solves your working capital needs and then some. Get access to 1.5x - 2.5x higher credit limits than traditional asset based lenders and generate 50%+ cash flow savings versus revenue-based fintechs. Sign up here to find out if you qualify.

| STAT ATTACK 👊

| THE OUTRO

That’s it for this one, y’all! Do NOT forget to tip your waitress, and as always, please forward any and all criticism to the appropriate department.

PEACE! ✌️

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