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Luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster, known for its avant-garde designs and immersive retail experiences, has demonstrated its commitment to innovation by partnering with Share of Model to optimize its US Performance Max campaigns. The collaboration, which took place in the critical build-up to the holiday shopping season, yielded significant improvements in campaign efficiency and profitability, even amidst a substantial budget reduction.
This forward-thinking strategy underscores the increasing importance of leveraging AI insights to navigate the evolving landscape of paid search, particularly with the rise of AI Overviews and AI Mode across Google. By proactively optimizing for how AI understands and recommends brands, Gentle Monster has positioned itself at the forefront of a new era in digital marketing.
Progressive Approach: AI-Powered Search Theme Optimization
Recognizing the limitations of traditional keyword-based approaches in an increasingly AI-driven search environment, Gentle Monster turned to Share of Model's "Activation" feature.
This powerful tool allowed the brand to connect their Google Ads account to Share of Model, and analyze how various AI models perceive its products and brand identity. The Activation feature automatically identifies the most effective Performance Maxsearch themes to reach its target audience.
By understanding the nuances of AI-powered search, Gentle Monster was able to refine its Performance Max campaigns to better align with user intent and the way AI models surface information.
The Results: A Resounding Success
The results of the campaign optimization were immediate and impressive.
Click-Through Rate (CTR) surged by +17.46%, indicating that the AI-optimized search themes were more relevant and engaging to users.
Conversion Rate (CVR) saw a +14.44% uplift, demonstrating that the traffic driven by the optimized campaigns was of a higher quality and more likely to convert.
Most notably, Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) increased by a remarkable +39%, jumping. This substantial improvement in profitability amidst significant budget changes is a testament to the power of AI-driven optimization.
Strategic Implications: A Bold Move in the Age of AI
Gentle Monster's decision to embrace AI-powered search optimization in the run-up to the holiday season was a bold and strategic move.
At a time when many brands are still grappling with the implications of AI on their marketing efforts, Gentle Monster has demonstrated a clear understanding of the new landscape.
The increasing prevalence of AI Overviews and AI Mode means that brands can no longer rely on simply bidding on keywords. They must now also consider how their brand is perceived and represented by the AI models that are increasingly shaping the user journey.
By using Share of Model to optimize its search themes, Gentle Monster has not only improved its campaign performance but has also future-proofed its paid search strategy.
The Takeaway: Embrace the Future of Search
The Gentle Monster case study serves as a powerful example of how brands can leverage AI to not only navigate the challenges of the modern marketing landscape but to thrive in it.
By embracing a progressive approach to paid search and investing in AI-powered tools like Share of Model, brands can unlock new levels of efficiency, profitability, and competitive advantage.
In an era where AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day reality, the question for other brands is not if they should follow Gentle Monster's lead, but how quickly they can do so.