Ep 571: How Pilothouse Cut BFCM CPMs With Smarter Creative (2025 Recap)
DTC Podcast
Outro
Eric closes the episode, links to the DTC newsletter and Pilothouse, and thanks guests.
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In this BFCM 2025 breakdown, Eric chats with Pilothouse's Head of Ecom Grayson Rudzki and Lead Strategist Abby to unpack what actually worked, what flopped, and how smarter strategy beat brute-force ad spend.
For DTC marketers running paid, creative, or lifecycle retention
- How Pilothouse beat Meta's creative fatigue warnings
- What "targeting with creative" really means in 2025
- Why retention—not acquisition—won this year
- Tactics for using AI without generating slop
- Real BFCM ads that moved the needle (with examples)
Who this is for: Founders, brand-side marketers, and media buyers looking to de-risk spend and boost lifetime value
What to steal:
- The "persona-led Christmas card ad" concept that crushed
- How to diversify creative for open targeting without burning out
- Simple Rebuy tweaks that doubled items per order
Timestamps
00:00 AI reshaping BFCM strategy and creative testing
02:00 Record BFCM performance numbers and key takeaways
04:00 Why retention, baseline revenue, and loyalty mattered most
06:00 Real examples of AI workflows that saved teams time
08:00 Outdated playbooks vs the need for real strategists
10:00 Meta Andromeda, creative fatigue, and targeting with creative
12:00 Persona-driven creative example that drove conversions
14:00 Humor, culture, and relevance in winning ad creative
16:00 Diversified creative performance and lowered CPMs
18:00 The new state of UGC and authenticity on Meta
20:00 Post-click strategy, bundles, and conversion wins
22:00 2026 resolutions: intuition, creativity, and human strategy
24:00 Hero apps of the year: Rebuy, Triple Whale, and results
Hashtags
#BFCM #Ecommerce #EcommerceMarketing #DTC #MetaAds #FacebookAds #PerformanceMarketing #AIinMarketing #BlackFriday #CyberMonday #MarketingStrategy #CreativeStrategy #AdBuying #TripleWhale #Rebuy
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