Our Work
Combat Iron Apparel Case Study
The Overview
Established in 2016, Combat Iron Apparel, a veteran-owned streetwear brand, experienced minimal growth in its initial years. In 2021, they collaborated with Gambit Digital to enhance their online sales. Despite their efforts in Facebook and Instagram advertising, they struggled with profitability and scalability, achieving a 2x blended Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and generating around $20,000 per month.
The Goal
Objective Analysis: Combat Iron Apparel’s primary objective was to achieve significant growth while ensuring profitability at a 3.5x Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). Gambit Digital’s responsibility entailed the formulation and execution of a digital advertising strategy, with a focus on Meta and Google platforms. Our analysis identified key areas requiring enhancement, notably in ad structure, the effectiveness of creative content, and the efficacy of offer testing.
The Results
After the first 6 months working with Gambit, they generated roughly $240,000 per month in revenue while achieving a 3.5x blended ROAS. We were able to generate similar revenue with less ad spend.
1 year later, Combat Iron Apparel is generating $1.1 million per month in revenue at a 4x blended ROAS.
The Strategy
1. Meta:
Combat Iron Apparel found their stride in late 2022 after dialing in a couple of key levers.
Firstly, their offer. We had been testing multiple offers starting with 10% off, and now 15% off. We quickly realized that the 15% off offer had resonated with their audience a lot better by generating higher click through rates, lower CPCs and CPMs. We quickly migrated all of our testing and scaling to 15% off.
Second, the creative; with Combat Iron Apparel, we were testing a plethora of creative formats and messaging from UGC, videos, statics, carousels, etc. We found out that a specific type of statics worked best for them which then allowed us to dial in creative and scale.
2. Strategic Approach on Google:
The latter part of 2023 was a critical juncture for Combat Iron Apparel, with three main strategies playing a crucial role:
Product Strategy: Optimization of product keywords and copy was identified as essential for enhancing the conversion rate for each product.
Creative Refinement: Creative content was rigorously tested within each audience segment to ensure alignment with specific demographic preferences. For instance, veteran audiences were targeted with specially tailored creatives.
Ad Structure and Segmentation: The existing Pmax campaign was restructured to incorporate several new audience segments, including Fitness, Veterans, and Conservative groups. Each segment was matched with highly specific creatives. This strategic realignment resulted in a 27% year-over-year increase in conversion rates.
Revenue Scale efficiently: With these big changes, our goal was to increase spend, to then in turn increase revenue.
