Friday, April 7, 2023
Pls clear your desktop. We promise you’ll feel better for it!
In this newsletter, you’ll find: 👇
📦 The wacky world of Dr. Squatch’s Meta ads
📦 How to spring ahead with studio production content
📦 Effective and memorable ads with behind-the-scenes content
📦 Using your founder story to connect with your audience
Read till the end to access exclusive DTC swag. 😎
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🧼 Keeping it clean
You guessed it! It’s time for another DTC brand breakdown with the advertising A-Team at Pilothouse!
This week, we dive into the wacky world of Dr. Squatch and their Meta Ads library. With fun skits, Star Wars puns, and cold-pressed soap, Dr. Squatch seems to have it all figured out. Let’s see if Pilothouse thinks so. 👇
😂 Humor us
We admit it, we lol’d at this one. The video is an attention-grabber, with the headline assuring us of the high-quality ingredients and craftsmanship that go into the product.
The ad copy contains social proof and product details to maximize the use of screen space in the interest of the viewer’s time. That’s a strategy every brand should get behind. 👀
It’s a smart move to use the finger-point emoji in the headline. You’ll notice this in ad copy from time to time, but it’s important to note that Facebook and Instagram switch the placement of the headline. This can cause an emoji to be misaligned in one version of the ad.
We’re interested in testing the review stars at the beginning of the testimonial against the end. You could get really specific and test black versus gold stars to see what grabs an audience’s attention more effectively. ⭐
🤫 For a limited time only…
This is a cool graphic to use in this context because it provides so much room for strong copy. Dr. Squatch could try to add some extra urgency throughout to see whether it affects their conversion rate. 💪
The quadrant format could be the key missing ingredient! Using 3 quadrants to show the products and the last quadrant for a video of top-performing UGC would be a super valuable test because of the wide variety of content that works in this format.
Spring Ahead with Studio Production Content
Are your same ol’ product images just not cutting it anymore? 🥱
We get it, studio production shoots can be:
But what if we told you that (1) it doesn’t have to be that way, (2) studio-grade content might very well be the key to success your brand is missing, and (3) that Pilothouse Studios has the expertise and creativity to make your content stand out. 💥
🤔 Don’t believe us? A recent shoot done for a jewelry client might convince you otherwise. After a product image content refresh with Pilothouse Studios, the company saw a 65% ROAS increase.
Get a fresh start for Q2 with new and exciting content for your Shopify/Amazon store, hero images, or marketing campaigns.
Take a look at the most recent shoots that Pilothouse Studios has cooked up for their partners.
👉 As an Easter treat, brands that partner with our Studios team before May 15th will get 25% off their next shoot. Book a free call today to learn more about our capabilities.
🎓 Learning something new
We’ve never heard of cold-pressed soap, have you? This should tap into almost anyone’s curiosity. Some of their other videos in the Ads library touch on the problems associated with traditional body soap while this ad focuses on why their cold-pressed soap is better. 🛀
The candid approach of a behind-the-scenes style video combined with the hype of telling your loved ones about the product makes for a very effective and memorable ad.
🤔 Deja-vu
Does anyone else feel a sense of deja-vu here? The copy seems redundant and repetitive when there’s so much potential for creative Star Wars puns! Dr. Squatch could run a 2-3 word opening statement with an emoji to leave room for a flow that’s more interesting. Including some UGC from Star Wars fans may not be a bad idea either, padawans.
🤩 Seeing the potential
We wish the Star Wars ad had this much creativity! This ad is fun and emphasizes a brilliant product drop.
There isn’t much to change here except suggesting a test with humans in the video. It could be something wild, like someone in a dinosaur costume, or a more tame demonstration of the product rather than just a product sizzle reel. Videos with people are more likely to generate social proof, which can increase your conversion rate. 📈
🍚 All the ingredients
While the video is great, stacking testimonial clips at the end could improve its conversions. Another option is to include copy highlighting the product’s Unique Selling Points (USPs). Both variations should be tested to find the true winner.
Dr. Squatch’s claims of a unique manufacturing process and a superior product need to be supported by copy that highlights exactly why we should believe them. 💡 With this ad alone, we’re not sure why investing in Dr. Squatch is more beneficial than purchasing a competitor’s product. 🤷
👪 The founder’s story
Check out this unique take on the founder’s story.☝️This strategy often performs well for brands by showcasing the care and passion that’s gone into creating the business.
Dr. Squatch highlights products we simply need to try and why. Now, they should consider using more testimonials to call out specific products showing why people love them. Using a split test with these two formats will determine what performs best.
💥 Making a statement
This creative style uses various effects to engage viewers. With so little time to make a statement, your content needs to work hard every second it’s on screen. Keeping things moving with a consistent message is more powerful than you’d think. 🔥 Dr. Squatch pulls out all the tricks to dispel potential customers' concerns about how they’ll smell after use.
Addressing self-consciousness by referring to the scent as “manly” could produce mixed results. We can foresee comments both in favor and against that message as it’s likely designed to appeal to a very specific audience. ⚖️
👋 Time to wash up
Thanks for tuning in for another segment of our brand breakdown with stellar insights from the Meta team at Pilothouse! Stay tuned for more insights and winning strategies from your favorite brands on the biggest platforms.
Next week, Pilothouse tackles Dr. Squatch’s email campaigns.
What do you think of these highlights from their Meta Ads library? Have they inspired some ads of your own? Let us know in a reply!
🐕 Artemis: Your dogs deserve haircare driven by love and science. Artemis uses dermatologist-approved formulas to pamper your pooch with soothing colloidal oatmeal, prebiotics, and vitamin B5.
💃 Ourside: Experience a wide range of unisex fragrances and join a community devoted to collective wellness. As a Leaping Bunny certified company that doesn’t test on animals, redefine your understanding of community with Ourside.
☀️ Junedays: Discover the easiest way to stay organized during your next camping trip! Junedays’ modular, waterproof, collapsable storage lets you focus on enjoying every moment in the great outdoors without the mess.
🔊 Have you heard our latest podcasts?
🌲 TAXA Outdoor, Garrett Finney: Digital meets dealership, NASA Architect goes out of home for real.
🐶 Pet Health Comes Home with MySimplePetLab's Jen Hagness.
☠️ Liquid Death Mountain Water: Hamid Saify - Death, Beverages, and the Attention Economy.
🟥 Mid-Day Squares: Jake Karls and Nick Saltarelli - Rainmaking, Fundraising and "One word: F&%^ng Crazy."
🧖♀️ Bushbalm's David Gaylord goes B2B, Enters US retail bigly, and rides the Vajacial wave on DTC.
💡 Listen to the Biggest Marketing News Stories Today.
Don’t forget to rate the DTC Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Michael Venditti. Edited by Claire Beveridge and Eric Dyck.
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