Black Friday Listicle Generated $7.8K+ in Net Profit for a Beauty Brand

Client: Premium DTC beauty brand
Campaign: Black Friday 2024
Timeline: November 5–13, 2024
Objective: Convert a cold audience into first-time buyers during the most competitive season.
Solution: A listicle funnel with a limited-time Black Friday offer.
Result: $7,829.31 in net profit from cold traffic at a ROAS 4.83

Business Context & Challenge

The beauty brand faced several distinct challenges:

• High distrust of new brands among cold audiences

• The challenge of communicating product ingredients and efficacy in limited time

• Competition from major market players during Black Friday

• The need to demonstrate expertise and quality through content

Key question: How do you persuade cold visitors to choose a new beauty brand among hundreds of Black Friday offers?

Detailed Performance Metrics

Financial Metrics

• Total revenue: $22,216.61

• Ad spend: $4,137.92

• Customer acquisition cost (CAC): $42.18

• Average order value (AOV): $226.70

• Net profit: $7,829.31

• Return on ad spend (ROAS): 4.83

• Campaign profit margin: 35.2%

Performance Metrics

• Conversion rate (CVR): 1.50%

• CTR (Click-Through Rate): 1.92%

• Clicks: 5,132

• Impressions: 267,291

• Cost per click (CPC): $0.81

• Cost per acquisition (CPA): $42.18

Traffic & Engagement

• New users: 100% cold traffic

• Pages per session: 4.3

• Session duration: 4 min 17 sec

• Bounce rate: 42%

• Add to cart: 187 (3.64% add-to-cart rate)

Strategic Hypothesis & Execution

Hypothesis

A science-backed listicle with a limited Black Friday offer would convert cold audiences at CVR >1.5% and ROAS >3.5, shortening the path to purchase by building trust through expertise.

Execution: 8-Day Campaign

Content architecture:

• A seven-part, science-led breakdown of the key ingredients

• Clinical research supported by 12+ references

• 3D visualizations of ingredient action at the cellular level

• A limited-time offer with a countdown timer and stock counter

Media strategy:

• Budget: $4,137.92, optimized daily

• Channels: Meta cold traffic, 100% new audiences

• Targeting: five segments by skin type and concern

• Creative: 12 science-led infographic variations

Technical infrastructure:

• Attribution: First-click, via Triple Whale

• A/B testing: four CTA variations

• Real-time ROAS optimization

Business Impact

Immediate Results

$7,829.31 in net profit in 8 days
98 new customers with projected $40,376 LTV
ROAS 4.83 against a 3.5+ target
CAC $42.18 versus a $65+ cold-traffic industry average

Long-Term Effects

18% increase in AOV versus non-listicle campaigns
23% repeat purchase rate within 30 days
A scalable funnel for science-led content

Final takeaway: The campaign achieved 383% ROI, proving that investment in science-led content for cold audiences pays back 4.83× and creates a foundation for long-term growth with LTV:CAC 9.77.