Learn from one CPG brand that turned a sales dip into long-term business growth
We’ve talked before about the importance of planning for the long term in your paid media campaigns.
But how do we know it actually works?
Here's a real-life example:
We had a CPG client (we'll call them Brand A) who experienced a rollercoaster journey that perfectly illustrates the importance of sustained brand presence and strategic media placement.
Brand A had just come off a record-breaking sales season, riding high on success and feeling invincible. Flush with confidence, they made a fateful decision to go dark (meaning, turn off all paid media activations) for five months—a choice that would prove catastrophic.
During this media blackout, the marketing landscape shifted dramatically. Consumer price sensitivity increased, and competition seized the opportunity to capture market share. The consequences were swift and brutal.
When Brand A finally resurfaced, they discovered they had lost 26% of their annual revenue! It was a stark reminder of a fundamental truth in today's hyper-competitive market:
Consumer habits change at lightning speed, and any loss of voice can rapidly erode hard-earned customer loyalty.
Fortunately, the brand's media planning team at Exverus maintained a holistic view of the business and proactively built a plan to turn things around that went far beyond simple sales metrics.
First, we conducted a comprehensive brand assessment and uncovered a nuanced narrative. While brand awareness and consideration remained high, last-touch conversion had plummeted. The root cause? Consumers struggled to differentiate Brand A from its competitors.
Second, to fill the gap, we suggested building new paths-to-purchase driving traffic from social and search (awareness, consideration) to various retailers (purchase).
We modified the ad creative assets on Google and Meta by highlighting and linking directly to Brand A’s Amazon page, rather than just loading up on Amazon ads.
Finally, we put together a deck with industry-wide data and press coverage showing Brand A that their competitors were going all in on brand, so they should, too. We reminded them that brand and performance aren't two separate goals -- they're becoming increasingly enmeshed as various media channels adopt more full-funnel capabilities.
As the fiscal year drew to a close, Brand A was not just relieved -- they were excited! With Exverus' proactive guidance, revenue is back on the upswing this year, setting the brand up to reclaim their market position and build resilient, long-lasting growth for the future.
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