Driving Scalable Growth in a New Market for Candle Shack

Germany was relatively new territory for Candle Shack, and the main challenge was to scale e-commerce sales while introducing the brand to a market with low awareness.

The team needed to spark interest and build a solid customer base, without letting CAC climb too high. Set in June 2023, the target was ambitious: increase MRR by at least 50%. Achieving this meant finding new customers efficiently and cost-effectively.

We built a strategy that balanced short-term performance goals with long-term brand growth. Leveraging insights from customer research, the strategy was designed to effectively address the needs of all target segments: professionals, hobbyists, and beginners.

We launched a multi-platform PPC campaign using Google Ads, Meta Ads, and also experimented with TikTok, and Etsy. This was backed by content campaigns that showcased the creative and practical sides of candle-making, positioning Candle Shack as both a supplier and a source of inspiration.

At the same time, we used advanced tracking to focus ad spend on acquiring new customers and keeping costs sustainable. 

To reach our target audience, we reinforced the brand’s positioning and authority by:

• Increasing content production around topics like cost management, scent perfection, and achieving desired aesthetics;
• Showcasing UGC from real candle makers sharing their techniques and designs, fostering a stronger community, and attracting new customers.
• Emphasizing single-product purchases, aligning with customer behavior that showed a preference for flexibility and customization.

The campaign was executed across several platforms with tailored strategies:

• Google Ads: We ran Shopping, Performance Max, and Search campaigns using high-intent keywords. A target ROAS strategy fueled by first-party data helped ensure budget efficiency. Product feeds were fine-tuned with CSS tools and A/B testing scripts. Search ads focused on activity-based German keywords like kerzen selber machen (“make candles yourself”).

• Meta Ads: We used Dynamic Ads for Broad Audiences (DABA) to increase brand visibility and attract first-time buyers. In addition, we used Meta Advanced options, which allowed us to bid only for new customers, ensuring that we maximized our budget’s effectiveness without overspending on repeat buyers.

• Content Strategy: We increased content output around trending candle-making topics and shared UGC from real customers. This gave the brand a relatable, trusted voice and educated new buyers along the way.

The campaign proved Candle Shack could break into a new market and scale quickly without overspending.

• Comparing Q2 2024 to Q2 2023 showed a 71% increase in e-commerce revenue and sales, successfully operating within the desired CAC range and demonstrating scalable expansion even during a typically slower season.  In general, we demonstrated rapid and efficient growth on the German market within the first few months of operating there.
• In the peak shopping window from October to December 2024, revenue rose 15% YoY, despite a 20% reduction in media spend, demonstrating the effectiveness of our campaign strategies and media allocation.
• Organic traffic results were also impressive: website sessions quadrupled compared to the previous year, despite no significant increase in budget. This highlights a solid media budget allocation and demonstrates the effectiveness of the brand awareness campaigns.