Black Friday ad spend can generate a different incremental return than it does during a typical sales period. Luke Austin, President of Common Thread Collective, joins Richard Gaffin to explain how incrementality testing can help you decide where your holiday budget belongs.

They discuss what CTC has observed in promotional-period tests and why your usual return on ad spend (ROAS) target may need adjusting during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). The goal is to understand which sales your ads generate beyond what would have happened without them, then use that information to guide spending.

From there, Luke explores where brands could reinvest if the results support a change, including offers that evolve throughout the day and a larger role for creators in promoting them. He shares examples brands have already tried and outlines his proposal for coordinating offers across larger creator networks.

In this episode:

• Why Black Friday ad spend can be more or less incremental than spending during a typical sales period

• Using conversion lift studies and holdout tests to measure additional sales

• Applying incrementality findings to Meta and Google ad budgets and ROAS targets

• Giving shoppers new reasons to buy through flash sales and changing gifts with purchase

• Equipping creators with approved offers, inventory updates, and financial limits

• Giving creators room to develop their own messaging while preserving essential product requirements

Show Notes:

• Go to https://www.universalads.com/middleman and use code UACTC to get $2,500 in matched ad credits when you spend $2,500.

• Learn more: https://commonthreadco.com

• Track your brand’s performance: https://statlas.io

• Work with us: https://commonthreadco.com/pages/contact

• Have a question for the Ecommerce Playbook? Email podcast@commonthreadco.com