Introduction
In this case study, we break down how Devold New Zealand, a premium merino wool apparel brand, achieved over 500% revenue growth while maintaining an impressive 6.9x ROAS using a combination of:
Meta (Facebook & Instagram) and Google Ads for targeted acquisition Klaviyo email & SMS automation to increase retention & lifetime value Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) to maximize website performance
By implementing a full-funnel digital marketing strategy, optimizing audience segmentation, and refining the user experience, Devold New Zealand was able to profitably scale its eCommerce sales without sacrificing efficiency
About Devold New Zealand
Devold New Zealand specializes in high-quality merino wool outdoor clothing designed for extreme conditions. The brand offers base layers, mid-layers, outerwear, and accessories for outdoor enthusiasts, athletes, and adventurers.
Despite having a premium product offering and a loyal customer base, Devold New Zealand faced key challenges in scaling its revenue efficiently.
Challenges Before Scaling
Limited Digital Brand Visibility – Needed to expand awareness among outdoor enthusiasts & performance-driven customers.
High Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) – Struggled to scale ads profitably while maintaining strong ROAS.
Low Conversion Rates on Site Traffic – High traffic but underperforming conversion rates due to friction in the purchase journey.
Weak Retention & Repeat Purchase Rates – No structured email/SMS flows to nurture customers post-purchase.
To drive sustainable long-term growth, Devold New Zealand required a structured approach to paid media, customer retention, and website optimization.
Strategy Execution
Phase 1: Market Research & Digital Audit
Before launching campaigns, we conducted an in-depth audit of Devold New Zealand’s past performance, audience insights, and competitors.
📊 Ad Performance Review: Identified inefficiencies in past Google & Meta ad spend.
🎯 Customer Personas Analysis: Mapped key audience segments (e.g., hikers, skiers, campers, and sustainability-focused buyers).
💡 Competitor Benchmarking: Analyzed industry leaders like Icebreaker, Smartwool, and Patagonia.
⚡ Website User Experience (UX) Analysis: Identified friction points in checkout & mobile browsing experience.
Key Insight: The brand had strong organic traffic but low conversion rates—optimizing the checkout process and leveraging social proof would be crucial.
Phase 2: Full-Funnel Paid Advertising Strategy
A multi-platform, full-funnel ad strategy was implemented to drive new customer acquisition, nurture engagement, and increase retention.
1️⃣ Top-of-Funnel (TOF): Brand Awareness & Customer Acquisition
📱 Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram):
Video & carousel ads showcasing Devold’s performance & sustainability benefits.
Lookalike audiences of past buyers and interest-based targeting (e.g., hiking, skiing, outdoor enthusiasts).
Instagram Reels & Stories for mobile engagement.
🔍 Google Search & Shopping Ads:
Branded search campaigns to capture high-intent buyers.
Google Shopping Ads optimized with high-quality product images & dynamic pricing.
YouTube Discovery Ads showcasing customer testimonials & product durability tests.
🎯 Performance Max Campaigns:
AI-powered automation to target users across Google Search, Display, YouTube & Gmail.
✅ Key Result: Increased website traffic by 310% in 4 months, with a CTR improvement of 38%.
2️⃣ Middle-of-Funnel (MOF): Consideration & Retargeting
Once potential customers visited the website, we nurtured them with highly targeted retargeting and email automation.
🔄 Dynamic Retargeting Ads (Meta & Google Display):
Personalized ads featuring abandoned cart items & product recommendations.
Urgency-driven offers (e.g., “Only 5 left in stock!”).
UGC & influencer testimonials to build trust.
📩 Klaviyo Email & SMS Marketing:
Abandoned Cart & Browse Abandonment Flows with product benefits & social proof.
Customer Education Series on the benefits of merino wool.
Personalized offers based on browsing behavior.
✅ Key Result: Retargeting campaigns achieved a ROAS of 8.2x, and email open rates increased by 42%.
3️⃣ Bottom-of-Funnel (BOF): Sales Optimization & Customer Retention
🚀 Google Search Ads for High-Intent Buyers:
Bid on high-converting keywords like “best merino wool base layers”.
Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) for long-tail search queries.
💰 Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Enhancements:
Streamlined checkout process (fewer steps, faster mobile checkout).
Added customer reviews & trust badges to product pages.
Implemented one-click upsells post-checkout.
🔄 Klaviyo Loyalty & Post-Purchase Automation:
VIP Customer Program for repeat buyers.
Referral Program Ads to drive organic growth.
✅ Key Result: Website conversion rate improved by 78%, and repeat purchase rate increased by 55%.
Key Performance Metrics & Results
By implementing this multi-channel, full-funnel approach, Devold New Zealand achieved:
| Metric | Before Scaling | After 12 Months | % Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Revenue | $5,000 | $30,000+ | 600% |
| ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) | 2.5x | 6.9x | +176% |
| Website Traffic | 3,000/month | 10,000+/month | 300% |
| Conversion Rate | 0.3% | 0.95% | +157% |
| Repeat Purchase Rate | 15% | 55% | +267% |
Lessons Learned & Key Takeaways
🔥 Full-Funnel Strategies Work: Combining paid acquisition, email retention, and CRO delivered sustainable results.
📊 CRO Drives Profitable Scaling: Small UX tweaks in checkout flow boosted conversion rates significantly.
🚀 Retention Strategies Are Crucial: Klaviyo email/SMS automation generated 32% of total revenue, reducing reliance on paid ads.
🎯 UGC & Social Proof Build Trust: Featuring real customers & influencers in ads increased CTR and engagement rates.
Conclusion
Through a data-driven approach combining Meta & Google Ads, Klaviyo automation, and conversion optimization, Devold New Zealand achieved explosive 600% growth with a stable 6.9x ROAS.
For brands looking to scale profitably, a holistic digital strategy combining paid media, retention marketing, and CRO is the key to long-term success. 🚀
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📧 Email: andy@endlessdigital.com.au
📞Whatsapp: +64 210 0780829
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