Clients - Mason Interactive

Summary

Mason quadrupled Tayst Coffee Roasters’s bottom-of-the-funnel sales at no increase in cost, with our rigorous, methodical, ad-testing strategy. Our scientific methodology for digital advertising isolates and tests individual variables can dramatically improve campaign performance when marketing to finite remarketing audiences.

Challenge

The bottom of anyone’s sales funnel has a fixed, finite audience. In Tayst’s Case, it was defined as the last 90 days of website visitors + any who “added to cart” over the last year + engaged email subscribers.

Working with fixed audiences, advertisers face a critical efficiency challenge: Meta charges on a CPM based on reach and frequency, which are products of the finite audience size. Said another way, Meta charges for impressions regardless of performance, so every click is crucial to ROI. Tayst Coffee Roasters needed to maximize the value of their remarketing budget by generating the highest possible engagement from their existing audience.

Solution

Mason implemented a methodical, scientific testing process that isolated individual variables to measure their specific impact on ad performance. This approach included:

Baseline Testing: Created three distinct ad variations to establish performance benchmarks

Variable Isolation: Systematically tested one variable at a time:

Image variations

Copy variations

Color schemes

Call-to-action buttons

Implementation

The process followed five distinct phases:

Phase 1: Base Ad Testing

Developed three initial variations

Tested different combinations of imagery, copy, and CTAs

Identified winning ad with 0.5% CTR as a baseline

Phase 2: Image Optimization

Created variations of winning ads with different product imagery

Maintained consistent copy and CTAs

Improved CTR to 0.7% with optimal image

Phase 3: Copy Testing

Tested different messaging approaches

“A Revolutionary Single-Serve Pod” headline achieved 0.9% CTR

Demonstrated importance of value proposition clarity

Phase 4: Color Optimization

Tested green, orange, and light green backgrounds

Light green variation achieved 1% CTR

Showed significant impact of visual elements on engagement

Phase 5: CTA Refinement

Tested different button text variations:

“Shop Now”

“Start Your Journey”

“Taste the Difference”

Final optimization achieved 2% CTR

Results

The systematic testing approach delivered remarkable improvements:

Starting CTR: 0.5%

Final CTR: 2.0%

Overall Improvement: 300% increase in click-through rate

Cost per Click: Reduced by 75% (due to identical impression costs with higher CTR)

Key Learnings

Scientific Method Works: Isolating variables provides clear, actionable insights about what drives performance

Compound Benefits: Each optimization is built upon previous improvements

Fixed Audience Efficiency: With finite remarketing audiences, CTR improvements directly impact bottom-line efficiency

Measurable Impact: Systematic testing eliminates guesswork and provides clear ROI metrics

Conclusion

Mason’s scientific approach to ad optimization demonstrated that methodical testing and refinement can dramatically improve advertising performance, even within fixed audience constraints. By quadrupling CTR while maintaining the same impression costs, Mason helped Tayst Coffee Roasters achieve significantly better ROI from their remarketing budget.

This case study validates the importance of systematic testing in digital advertising and shows how agencies can deliver measurable value through disciplined, data-driven optimization processes.

Yesterday I was part of a roundtable discussion hosted by BWGStrategy. The topic was Paid Search & Google – a 2025 Outlook.

I look forward to BWG’s roundtables because they are invite-only, curated, highly directed to one topic, and with no clients from the agencies, I think you get a look behind the curtain – at least inasmuch as competitors are willing to share.

Here’s the data we see from our front row seat regarding current trends and what they might mean for 2025.

My biggest trends in Google ads from 20024

The Shift from Google to Meta in Q4 2024 over Holiday
Our data tells an interesting story: while our Meta CPMs increased by 26% year over year, Google CPMs decreased by 25-26%. This correlates to a portfolio-wide shift of advertising dollars from Google to Meta, particularly across our e-commerce portfolio during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period.

The Performance Max Dilemma
One of the most significant challenges we’re facing is the growing dominance of Performance Max (P-max) campaigns. While I’m a strong advocate for P-max’s place in the advertising ecosystem, our luxury clients – those selling $4,000 handbags or $6,000 Savile Row suits – are particularly resistant. Their concern? They don’t want P-max messing with their highly art-directed product presentations, and I agree with them.

However, I believe P-max will inevitably become the default campaign type. There’s a real possibility that traditional search campaigns might disappear entirely. The question that remains is how this will affect lead generation clients, particularly in higher education, where keyword specificity is crucial for targeting potential master’s or PhD candidates.

The ROI vs. Growth Tension
2024’s trend of the year is the correlation between advertising spend and interest rates. Board members are increasingly focused on maximum efficiency ( which they typically define as ROI, ROAS, or MER.) This often leads to a focus on retargeting past website visitors and previous purchasers – a strategy that’s cheaper but fundamentally at odds with growth.
This tension between growth and efficiency metrics is a constant conversation with our clients. As interest rates potentially decrease in 2025, I expect to see increased willingness to invest in top-of-funnel advertising across both Google and Meta platforms.

Channel Diversification: A Cost-Effective Strategy
Looking at our Q4 2024 CPM data:

Google: $34

Meta: $43

TikTok: $11

Trade Desk: $3

These numbers make a compelling case for channel diversification. If we accept that conversions are partially a function of website traffic, which in turn depends on impression volume, then cheaper impressions become crucial. With Google and P-max limiting specific bid control in favor of target ROAS, diversification becomes an essential hedge against the Meta-Google duopoly.

Looking Ahead to 2025
The future of TikTok remains uncertain, but if it survives, its market share will likely continue to grow. My 16-year-old son’s media consumption habits – primarily YouTube and TikTok, with minimal Google use – suggest where the future might be heading.

For advertisers and agencies, 2025 will require a delicate balance. We’ll need to adapt to the increasing automation of platforms like P-max while finding creative ways to maintain brand control and efficiency. The key will be diversifying across platforms to optimize both reach and cost-effectiveness while maintaining the high standards that luxury brands demand.

The challenge ahead lies in convincing brands to embrace these changes while preserving their unique market positioning and creative control. It’s not just about adapting to new technologies – it’s about finding ways to make these technologies work within the specific constraints and requirements of each brand’s market position.

At Mason Interactive, we believe great partnerships are built on shared vision and collaboration. We had the privilege of hosting our Finland-based fashion client, Marimekko, for a dynamic strategy session in our New York office.

The purpose of this meeting was clear: to align innovative strategies and establish a forward-looking framework for success. While refining plans for the 2024 holiday season was a key focus, the session underscored Marimekko’s dedication to long-term growth. Together, we initiated planning for 2025, setting the stage for a bold and strategic approach to the evolving fashion and marketing landscape.

This collaboration exemplified the synergy between Marimekko’s visionary leadership and our commitment to delivering creative, data-driven strategies. Face-to-face discussions with their talented team brought new energy to our partnership and reinforced the power of shared goals.

A special thank you to the Marimekko team for their time, insights, and passion, as well as to our New York-based team for their enthusiasm and expertise throughout the session.

As we move forward, we’re excited to bring these ideas to life and continue driving innovation together. Here’s to bold visions and a creative future!

Ready to position your fashion brand for success? Connect with us to craft a strategy tailored to your goals.

We led a comprehensive rebranding initiative for Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), revamping their logo, website, and entire visual identity to authentically represent their unique position in the educational landscape. Working closely with ECSU’s team, we crafted a refreshed brand that captures the university’s distinctive character and vibrant community.

At the core of ECSU’s new identity is its mascot, the Warrior, symbolizing strength and resilience. We integrated the Warrior’s shield into updated visual elements, establishing a cohesive emblem that reflects school pride across both digital and physical platforms.

To further this concept on campus, we designed and fabricated a series of Warrior Shield cutouts. These installations—some freestanding and others handheld—encourage student engagement, offering interactive opportunities for students to showcase their ECSU pride. This approach has added a dynamic, memorable layer to the rebranding, reinforcing a connection with the Warrior identity.

This project was a collaborative effort that merged creativity with strategic vision, and we’re proud to see ECSU’s community embracing their refreshed visual identity. You can view some of our educational institutions’ creative works here.

Are you ready to elevate your institution’s look and feel? Reach out to Mason Interactive to learn how we can bring your vision to life with a rebranding strategy that resonates!

Community colleges play a crucial role in providing accessible, life-changing education, and we couldn’t be more excited to add MiraCosta Community College to our roster of higher education partners. Located in beautiful Southern California, MiraCosta Community College is known for its commitment to empowering students from all backgrounds with the skills and knowledge to achieve their academic and career goals.

Our collaboration will focus on implementing a comprehensive enrollment strategy that will amplify MiraCosta’s online presence, drive prospective students to engage with the college, and showcase MiraCosta’s innovative programs and resources.

We look forward to supporting MiraCosta’s mission, broadening awareness, and helping future students discover what this outstanding community college offers.

Interested in elevating your institution’s digital recruitment strategy? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our digital marketing experts!

We are honored to welcome Hate Ends Now to the Mason Interactive family. This remarkable organization is dedicated to Holocaust education and remembrance, using powerful exhibits to bring history to life. Their traveling exhibit includes an immersive, life-sized replica of the cattle cars used to deport Jews during the Holocaust—creating a profound, unforgettable experience for visitors. Through these exhibits, Hate Ends Now sparks essential conversations about the devastating consequences of hate and the importance of compassion.

For many of us, the impact of Holocaust education is deeply personal. “At Synagogue as a child, I heard firsthand from survivors and saw the numbers tattooed on their arms—a memory that drives my commitment to education and remembrance,” says Brook Shepard, Founder and CEO of Mason Interactive. This partnership with Hate Ends Now allows us to support a mission we hold close to our hearts.

Thank you, Hate Ends Now, for trusting us with this important work. Together, we are committed to creating awareness, fostering dialogue, and expanding Hate Ends Now’s reach so their message can inspire change and remembrance in every corner of the nation.

Connect with us to learn how our partnership can make a meaningful difference for your brand.