Case Study
Podean helps amplify e.l.f. Cosmetics’ global reach to earn the 2023 Global Expansion Award
Goals
- Expand e.l.f. Cosmetics’ presence and grow online sales in Canada and the U.K.
- Increase brand awareness, product visibility, and customer loyalty in new regions
- Enhance the consumer experience for shoppers in Canada and the U.K.
Approach
- Analyzed U.S. retail and advertising insights to inform global expansion strategy
- Launched sponsored ads campaigns for retail-ready products in Canada and the U.K.
- Created localized Brand Stores and used Sponsored Brands to reinforce messaging
- Expanded Amazon DSP campaigns in the U.S. and launched them in Canada and the U.K.
Results
- 86% increase in ad impressions after Amazon DSP activation in new regions
- 90% increase in ad impressions and attributed revenue growth in Canada
- 775% boost in impressions and exponential increase in ad revenue year over year in the U.S.
- 513% boost in detail page views year over year across all three regions
The 2023 Amazon Ads Partner Awards recognize innovation, creativity, and effectiveness in digital advertising. That year’s honorees included Podean, the winner in the Global Expansion category, that helped e.l.f. Cosmetics achieve their growth objectives with international consumers.
Every makeup enthusiast has their trusted go-to products and brands—and for many U.S. consumers, e.l.f. Cosmetics is high on that list. However, the California-based cosmetics brand wanted to capitalize on the momentum by focusing efforts beyond the U.S. and toward shoppers in Canada and the U.K.
Although e.l.f. Cosmetics had already sold their products on Amazon in the two countries, growing online sales in foreign countries required a heavy and coordinated strategy. To navigate these challenges, the brand worked with Podean to craft a dynamic and tailored strategy that helped grow e.l.f. Cosmetics’ brand presence abroad, earning Podean the 2023 Global Expansion Award.
Preparing to expand in other countries
Founded in 2004, e.l.f. Cosmetics is a popular cosmetics brand that sells a range of makeup and skin-care products, brushes, and other high-quality beauty essentials. However, limited awareness, selection, demand, and inventory levels hampered growth on Amazon in Canada and the U.K.
To facilitate e.l.f. Cosmetics’ global expansion, Podean analyzed retail and advertising insights related to their U.S. presence. Equipped with this information, the partner then launched strategic sponsored ads campaigns for retail-ready products in Canada and the U.K. Within each region, Podean adapted the ad strategy depending on localized factors, such as the performance of different Amazon standard identification numbers. They deployed a mix of products for this phase, including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Display, and Sponsored Brands video.
Sponsored ads played a crucial role in increasing visibility. For example, running Sponsored Brands ads—particularly Sponsored Brands custom creative—helped reinforce brand messaging in Canada and the U.K., which expanded customer awareness. Podean also created localized Brand Stores, which helped improve the consumer experience even further. As shoppers were redirected to the Brand Store from sponsored ads, they were greeted with tailored creatives and messaging based on their region. Additionally, Podean implemented enhancements such as a Brand Follow banner to the shopping experience to help e.l.f. Cosmetics connect with their new customers on a deeper level and encourage brand loyalty.
Using Amazon DSP to increase YoY revenue
To build on this increased awareness, Podean expanded the brand’s Amazon DSP campaigns (including Twitch display ads) within the U.S. and launched Amazon DSP in Canada and the U.K. as well. This strategy paid off; after Amazon DSP activation in the new regions, ad impressions increased by 86%; revenue also increased by 133%.1 In Canada, ad impressions increased by 90%, and attributed revenue grew by 180%.2 In the U.S., the expansion of Amazon DSP led to a 775% boost in impressions and an exponential increase in ad revenue year over year (YoY), along with improving conversions.3
Promoted items saw major improvements in bestseller rankings. Many products that were ranked in the thousands are now ranked in the top 100, demonstrating a significant sales boost.
With the help of Podean, e.l.f. Cosmetics successfully enhanced their presence in two new regions while maintaining their strong trajectory within the U.S. Across all three regions, the activation of Amazon DSP drove a 513% boost YoY in detail page views, resulting in category-leading sales growth.4
1 e.l.f. Cosmetics, US, UK, CA, 2023
2 e.l.f. Cosmetics, CA, 2023
3 e.l.f. Cosmetics, US, 2023
4 e.l.f. Cosmetics, US, UK, CA, 2023