Case Study

How NULL used Amazon Ads to distinguish their brand in a competitive men’s cosmetic category

G.O Holdings manages multiple brands sold on Amazon, with NULL being their first in the men’s cosmetics space. In a competitive category, the NULL team understood the importance of long-term ad investments to drive repeat purchases, and used their own playbook to scope new brand-building opportunities. Watch our three-part video series to discover the campaign structures and creative thinking that led to Null’s positive results.

Null products

1.7x

Sales increased 1.7x YoY

Episode 1

Discover how GO.Holdings launched the brand NULL and their foundational approach to using Amazon Ads for long-term growth.

Products used:

Episode 2

NULL team shares their playbook for their sponsored ads strategy . Discover how they aim for success with this structured approach.

Products used:

Episode 3

NULL began as an online brand and has now established a presence in physical stores. Learn how they used Amazon Ads to build strong brand presence.

Founded in May 2011 by Tatsuhiko Kawashita, G.O Holdings is dedicated to high customer satisfaction by providing innovative products and services. The company currently manages nine brands, including FIX IT, Defend Future, and Power ArQ, all of which are available on Amazon.co.jp. In 2013, they launched NULL, an in-house brand of men’s cosmetics with a diverse product range, including skincare and hair care items.

Strategic advertising from day one

From the beginning, NULL recognized the importance of strategic advertising. Despite the competitive landscape, especially in the shampoo category, the company navigated these challenges by using long-tail keywords, and gradually shifting to more competitive terms. Sawada, who leads the NULL team, adhered to a structured playbook, regularly reviewing campaign performance to make informed decisions about investments and adjustments.

Campaign playbook for Sponsored Products success

The playbook encompassed all their sponsored ad solutions: Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display. This comprehensive approach made it easier for the team to manage campaigns and to achieve the most effective optimization. NULL team shared snippets of the Sponsored Products playbook which included four key strategies:

  • Pattern 1: Automatic targeting to gather keywords and optimize bids based on performance.
  • Pattern 2: Manual targeting to focus investments on high-performing keywords.
  • Pattern 3: Maximizing clicks with exact match keywords.
  • Pattern 4: ACOS-focused, prioritizing return on investment by using high-conversion keywords and making strategic bid adjustments.

As a result, NULL has achieved a 1.7x YoY increase in sales*, underscoring the effectiveness of their goal-driven strategy and ongoing optimization efforts.

Impact of video advertising

The NULL team recognizes that video ads can enhance still image campaigns by showing dynamic examples in action, contributing even more to the overall campaign. They have effectively used video advertising to enhance their campaigns. For products that benefit from visual representation, such as spray items, incorporating videos has resulted in a remarkable 2.8x YoY increase in sales*

NULL learned the value of combining various Amazon Ads solutions to support their business goals. They plan to continue using sponsored ads to strengthen their brand presence and build customer loyalty, one shampoo bottle at a time.

*Advertiser provided data, JP, 2023-2024