5 brilliant Facebook campaigns (’ why they worked)

As the widest-reaching social network around, Facebook boasts nearly 2.8 billion monthly active users. But given the continuous changes to the Facebook algorithm and the platform’s shifting demographics, many marketers on Facebook are stuck scratching their heads when it comes to their future on the platform.

“How can I make sure my posts aren’t getting buried?”

“Should we totally give up on organic reach and go all-in on ads?”

“Which sorts of ads are going to give us the most bang for our buck, anyway?

Perhaps the best way to break down the answers to these questions is by assessing what is working for brands today.

Now is a prime time to reassess how you approach Facebook and come up with campaigns that drive your business forward. That’s why we’ve outlined some recent success stories from brands, ranging from killer Facebook ad campaigns to smart posts that receive tons of love organically.

And with these brilliant Facebook campaign examples from big brands in mind, you can roll out your own campaign that totally slays.

1. Adore Me

Adore Me, a lingerie brand that's known for celebrating women of all shapes, sizes and colors, created a Valentine’s Day campaign focused on self-love. Instead of using more stereotypical Valentine’s themes centered around loved-up couples and dressing up for a partner, Adore Me empowered women to celebrate themselves.

The brand leveraged its rich influencer network and customer-generated content to create a campaign driven by real women, for real women. Product shots of the lingerie the women wore were interspersed between the messages of empowerment and body positivity, so customers could easily shop the looks.

Even the little things make Adore Me’s Facebook campaigns a standout. For example, the CTA and product page link in every social post are customized to match the content.

https://www.facebook.com/adoremeofficial/photos/a.229028920471415/5473972452643676/

To maximize reach to potential customers, drive purchase conversions and complement organic efforts, Adore Me used Facebook’s targeting options.

Adore Me’s Chief Marketing Officer Chloé Chanudet said in a statement, per AdWeek, “Adore Me has been increasingly impressed by the content created by its influencer community. Facebook’s advertising products allowed us to segment macro- (at the top of funnel) and micro-influencer content (for conversion). Distribution of influencer content at the brand level is always a challenge, and this level of targeting does an amazing job at helping us better find the right viewers for our influencers.”

Ultimately, Adore Me’s Valentine’s Day efforts resulted in 226% more purchase conversions than the brand’s 2020 campaign, at a 6% lower cost per acquisition.

The takeaway: Collaborate with influencers and leverage customer-generated content to create Facebook campaigns that authentically reflect your values, brand and customers themselves.

2. Owlet Baby Care

Owlet Baby Care’s mission is to keep babies safe so that parents can relax, worry less and find more joy in the parenthood journey. Their core product, the Smart Sock Baby Monitor, monitors a baby's oxygen and heart rate while they sleep, and notifies parents if the baby needs to be checked on.

According to Edison Research, 81% of moms on social media use Facebook, making it the top channel for the demographic. On top of that, the largest age demographic on Facebook is 25–34 year-olds, a ripe time for becoming a new parent.

The audience is there for Owlet Baby Care, but to build brand awareness with new parents on Facebook and increase Smart Sock sales, the brand knew they needed to create “thumb-stopping ad creative.” At the time, restrictions on in-person, studio production were in place due to COVID-19, so the brand decided to try something new— pastel accent colors against a night sky background, animated illustrations, smooth scrolling motion and product highlights. Each ad also included a “Shop Now” call-to-action button, so potential customers could head straight to Owlet’s website.

Seth Lofgreen, Director of Digital Marketing for Owlet Baby Care told Facebook, “This Facebook ad campaign proved the importance of crafting a visual story that sells the product features while staying true to our brand promise of providing parents with peace of mind.”

Using Facebook Ads Manager to create a split test comparing the new Facebook campaign to an older studio-built ad campaign, Owlet Baby Care was able to see a clear return on their latest investment. The new ad creative drove:

6% higher return on ad spend19% higher average order value60% lower cost per purchase55% higher click-through rate

The takeaway: When your typical creative process runs into roadblocks, embrace the opportunity to test new, lower-lift creative options against your past campaigns.

3. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams consistently creates Facebook campaigns and content that are as splendid as their name suggests.

At the heart of each campaign is eye-catching, colorful, interactive, product-focused content. And the brand’s campaign to introduce their new Buttercream Birthday Cake ice cream flavor was no exception.

Similar to how they’ve unveiled other flavors, Jeni’s dropped teasers and hints about what the new flavor would be. Leading up to the launch, the brand posted virtual invitations to a surprise birthday party to “meet the flavor that was born to party,” building intrigue among their fans.