SWEATY BETTY

Sweaty Betty saw a 90% increase in add-to-cart actions when running its usual Instagram video ads plus Reels ads, compared to its usual ads alone.

THE STORY
Global activewear brand

Sweaty Betty is an activewear and lifestyle brand for women. For over 25 years, Sweaty Betty has grown from a small London boutique to an international brand with a global web presence and over 150 stores and concessions in the US, UK, Europe, Canada and Asia.

30%

lower cost per purchase with Reels ads plus usual video ads, compared to the usual video ads alone

90%

increase in add to carts with Reels ads plus usual video ads, compared to the usual video ads alone

63%

lower cost per favorability with Reels ads plus usual video ads, compared to the usual ads alone

We were excited to not only test ads in Reels for the first time, but to also include creator-shot video ad content especially optimized for the ‘language’ of Reels. This test proved that running Reels ads along with our usual video ads drove consumer action, helping to engage new audiences through richer, more authentic storytelling.
FRANKIE DEANE, HEAD OF GROWTH, SWEATY BETTY
THE GOAL
Boosting sales

Sweaty Betty wanted to boost brand favorability and sales.

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THE SOLUTION

Testing ads in Reels

Sweaty Betty had success with its usual Instagram and Facebook video ads, but wanted a way to boost brand and conversion metrics. So the brand was excited to test ads in the Reels placement for the first time to see if it could help improve campaign efficiencies.

While Sweaty Betty built its usual polished video ads with high production values, the team at Meta advised following best practices for building ad creative in the “language” of Reels. This is defined as creative that is:

  • entertaining and used a mix of visual effects, music or storytelling;
  • easy to understand and rewarding to watch;
  • relatable for the intended audience, unpolished and spontaneous.

Sweaty Betty brought in wellness and fitness creators who self-shot low-fidelity, authentic video content. The creators modeled the brand’s Power Leggings and explained the things they loved about them, such as patterns and prints that add a pop of color, as well as built-in side and back pockets and comfortable waistbands.

To assess the impact of including Reels, Sweaty Betty ran a multi-cell test that compared:

  • Cell 1: a campaign with usual video ads, creative and placements (no Reels)
  • Cell 2: the same usual campaign as in Cell 1 plus ads in Reels with fresh creative

Sweaty Betty showed all ads to women in the UK aged 21–64, including those with an interest in activewear and leggings, excluding existing customers. It used the Advantage+ placements feature to allow Meta to automatically deliver ads across all placements based on which were most likely to drive the best campaign results at the lowest cost at any given time. The team also used the Advantage+ campaign budget feature to automatically distribute the budget across the best-performing ads in real time.

Sweaty Betty determined the results of its July 7‒August 8, 2023 campaign using a Meta brand lift study and a Meta conversion lift study, which revealed:

  • 30% lower cost per purchase with Reels ads plus usual video ads, compared to the usual video ads alone
  • 90% increase in add to carts with Reels ads plus usual video ads, compared to the usual video ads alone
  • 63% lower cost per favorability with Reels ads plus usual video ads, compared to the usual ads alone
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