eCommerce enthusiast | ex-Bigblue | 👇 Follow for daily tips: your brand from 1 to 10M€ in revenue (Detective Box, ROWSE...)

Back in 2022 I was media buying for ecommerce brands.

This where I discovered the industry's hidden growth barrier.

It wasn't poor targeting or insufficient budgets holding brands back. It was the relentless demand for fresh creative assets that no freelancer or in-house team could satisfy.

I watched promising campaigns crash after initial success because creative production couldn't keep pace with testing needs. Designers got overwhelmed. Performance suffered. Growth stalled.

This frustration led me to create Statiq - a design subscription service built specifically for high-growth ecommerce brands.

Our approach is refreshingly simple:
- 100+ designs monthly
- 72-hour turnarounds
- Performance-focused creatives

We've delivered over 20,000 designs for brands spending $100K+/month on ads, helping them match their creative output requirement without expanding their internal teams.

On LinkedIn, I share my journey scaling Statiq and the insights gained from working with the fastest-growing ecommerce brands in the industry like AG1, Jones Road Beauty and HexClad.

Follow me.

AG1 just pulled back millions in Meta ad spend. The reason why reveals something critical about the 0-to-100 growth path.

Here's what most people miss:

The strategy that gets you from $1M to $100M is not the same strategy that gets you from $100M to $500M.

When you're going from zero to scale, you need to overspend to capture market share as fast as possible.

Especially in supplements where: LTV is longer than other industries. CAC is higher up front. Economies of scale matter more.

You need to hit critical mass fast. That's why brands overspend on Meta early.

But once you hit $100M+ with strong retention, the math changes.

AG1 has probably:

- 100K+ existing customers
- 10 years of marketing a single SKU
- Saturated most of Meta's targetable audience
- Hit a point where every Meta user has seen at least one ad

At that scale, pulling back on Meta makes sense for several reasons:

1/ Board pressure for profitability
Investors want margin expansion, not just revenue growth.

2/ Audience saturation
After 10+ years of advertising the same product, you've reached everyone reachable on Meta.

3/ Channel diversification
They're spending millions on podcasts, Apple Search, and other channels to unlock new demographics Meta can't reach.

4. SKU expansion
Better ROI investing in new products for existing customers than acquiring more customers for one product.

Early stage (sub-$10M): Overspend on Meta to capture market share fast. Prioritize speed over perfect CAC.

Growth stage ($10M-$100M): Optimize Meta, improve creative velocity, scale what works. This is where Statiq clients live.

Enterprise ($100M+): Diversify channels, focus on retention and SKU expansion, pull back on saturated channels.

Most brands we work with are in that $10M-$100M zone. They're not saturated. They need more creative volume and better iteration speed.

That's a different problem than AG1's problem.

Don't copy enterprise strategy when you're still in growth mode. The playbook is completely different.

Simon Robert

CEO @Statiq | Performance design agency | Clients include AG1, HexClad, Jones Road Beauty & 100+ more

We hacked the AI ad design process. Now nine-figure brands are approving our ads on the first review. Here’s how we did it:

I looked at my designer's prompt and didn't understand a single word. That's exactly why our AI ads get approved and yours get rejected.

Most marketers think prompting is simple:

Inspiration image + product photo + "make it look good" = finished ad. 

Wrong. That's like telling ChatGPT "build me an app" and expecting production code.

Here's what actually works:

1/ Learn design principles first.

If you don't understand lightning, composition, color contrast - your prompts generate garbage.

You can't prompt around not knowing what good design looks like.

2/ Reverse engineer great ads.

Take 10 exceptional ads. Feed them to Claude. Ask: "What prompt would generate this?"

Claude reads design better than most humans. Learn from it.

3/ Use multiple models.

We use 3-6 models per ad:

→ OpenAI for small assets (like the sun or sky)
→ NanaBanana for photo blending (placing a sofa into AI apartment)
→ Flux for lightning integration (how light actually hits products)

4/ Prompt like a designer.

My team's prompts look like this:

"Warm directional key light at 45°, rim lighting on product edges, cool ambient fill for shadow detail, maintain color temperature consistency."

I don't understand it. They do. That's why clients approve on the first review.

This might take us longer than traditional Photoshop ads.

But they perform 3x better on Meta. Because the scenes are so creative users actually stop scrolling.

Every tool trying to "automate" ads by wrapping OpenAI's API is garbage.

The future isn't automation. It's augmentation.

Comment "Prompts" and I'll send the exact prompts we use.

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CMOs are calling this Notion ad one of the worst ads of the year. But it’s secretly genius.  

Notion just put out a billboard that generated more marketing buzz in 3 days than most brands get in a year. And the entire internet is calling it a “terrible ad.” 

The ad said: "Notion agents built for teamwork" with minimal context.

Marketing X went insane.

"It's confusing." "It's not clear." "Apple's iPod ad was better."

But here's what actually happened:

That billboard generated millions of impressions on X. For free.

Most marketers are analyzing this through a direct response lens.

But Notion isn't optimizing for immediate conversions. They're optimizing for multiple touch points across the funnel.

Here's what I think is actually happening:

They're running hyper-specific, bottom-of-funnel ads on Meta explaining exactly what Notion AI agents do.

Then they're using billboards and outdoor ads to create buzz, get people talking, and build top-of-funnel awareness.

It's not bad marketing. It's a sophisticated channel strategy.

I wasted 6 months learning AI prompting the wrong way. This method taught me more in 30 minutes than any course ever did.

When I began designing ads with AI, I started by creating prompt templates.

But they would result in terrible outputs. Generic designs. Nothing a client would approve.

Then I tried something different.

The reverse engineering method:

Find 10 ads that are absolutely crushing it - both in performance and design.

Upload them to Claude.

Ask: "What would be the perfect prompt to generate this if it were made by AI?"

Claude will reverse-engineer the structure for you.

This is the same method marketers use to decode landing pages. 

It works because you're learning from outputs that already won.

The best prompts aren't templates. 

They're principles stolen from work that's already winning.

Every advertiser I know is using the Meta Ad Library for inspiration. Don’t do it.  Here's what the best advertisers do instead:

They mine Pinterest for static ads or TikTok for video concepts. Not ad libraries.

Last week, we needed inspiration for a mushroom coffee brand. Instead of searching "coffee ads" in Meta's library, I typed "mushroom" into Pinterest.

Found a mushroom forest visual. Insane scene, totally unique. Put the product in the middle, one headline, shipped it.

That ad scaled to six figures in spend.

The Meta Ad Library shows you what everyone already tested. Pinterest shows you highly creative scenes nobody's thought to use in ads yet.

Here's the process we use at Statiq:

For static ads:

→ Pull 3-5 keywords from your product
→ Open Pinterest, not ad libraries
→ Search each keyword individually
→ Find highly creative scenes that feel fresh
→ Build your ad around that visual

For video:

→ Go to TikTok or YouTube Shorts
→ Search product-related keywords
→ Sort by highest views
→ Find what's crushing organically
→ Adapt it for paid media

80% of a winning static ad is finding the right inspiration. The copy and product placement? That's the easy part.

Most brands waste weeks analyzing competitor ads that stopped working months ago. Go where the ideas are still fresh.

Eight months ago, my friends told me my agency was finished. OpenAI had just launched its image generation model. Design agencies everywhere were panic-firing their teams. I did the exact opposite. 

We hired every designer the market threw away. 

Here's what those agencies missed:

AI doesn't replace designers. It just exposed who actually understood design versus who was coasting on templates.

Those agencies are now shipping AI outputs that clients reject instantly. Meanwhile, our designers are 10xing their output.

They’re creating ads that make our clients ask, "How is this even possible?"

Not because we found a magic AI tool. Because our designers learned to prompt with the same precision they use in Photoshop.

We're hiring designers who get it:

→ You already know composition, contrast, how light behaves in 3D space. Now you want to learn how to increase your output with AI models most agencies don't even know exist.

→ You're tired of agencies treating AI like a replacement instead of a tool that makes great designers irreplaceable.

→ You want to work somewhere that's actually advanced - using 3-6 models per ad, not just prompting Midjourney and hoping for the best.

If this sounds like where you should be, let's talk.

Comment "Design" and I'll send you an application link.

After managing 30+ ad accounts spending millions per month, I've landed on one testing structure that consistently outperforms everything else. 

Here’s how it works:

Most advertisers create one campaign with 10-15 different ads. Testing multiple angles at once. Meta distributes budget across all of them. You're left guessing what actually worked.

Run an AB test instead - it isolates the variable. 

The structure: Each angle gets its own dedicated ad set running on equal budget. 

Inside that ad set, test 3-5 static variations targeting different personas within that angle.

Meta will allocate spend between those personas based on what performs.

Example: Coffee substitute brand

Ad Set 1 - Workout/Energy Angle:
- Gym background + energy headline (targeting gym bros)
- Gamer setup background + energy headline (targeting gamers)
- Yoga/wellness background + energy headline (targeting wellness women)

Ad Set 2 - Gut Health Angle:
- Running imagery + gut health headline (targeting runners)
- Office desk setup + gut health headline (targeting desk workers)
- Family breakfast scene + gut health headline (targeting parents)

Ad Set 3 - Anxiety Angle:
- Meditation imagery + anxiety headline (targeting mindfulness seekers)
- Busy city scene + anxiety headline (targeting high-stress professionals)
- College student imagery + anxiety headline (targeting students)

Same angle. Different personas. All statics.

This aligns with Meta's Andromeda update. They want you to test personas and avatars. Not just headline tweaks.

Now when you look at performance, the signal is clear:

Inside Ad Set 1: If the gym bro ad is getting most of the budget with low CPA - that persona crushes for the workout/energy angle.

Inside Ad Set 2: If personas are getting ad spend with a high CPA - people are clicking but not buying. Those are the wrong personas for the gut health angle. Test different groups of people. Try a different awareness level.

Once you find a winning static with a proven angle and persona, you expand:

Iterate on the winning static with headline variations. Test video formats (UGC, VSL, podcast style) using that same angle. Align your landing page copy and design to match.

You know exactly which angle resonates and which creative execution within that angle converts best.

One angle per ad set. Multiple personas within.

That’s why our clients know where to double down instead of guessing.

Meta just changed the game with their Andromeda update. Most advertisers have no idea what it means for their creative strategy. Here's what's happening:

Meta is forcing more diversity in your content: 

Visual diversity. Copy diversity. Persona testing.

Why? Despite Apple's privacy updates, Meta figured out how to better target people again.

Now they need you to feed the algorithm more varied creative to take advantage of it.

Most brands can't produce creative diversity fast enough.

Same templated ads. Same scenes. Same concepts on repeat.

This is where AI changes everything.

Not because it replaces designers.

Because it lets great designers create more backgrounds. More scenes. More highly creative concepts. All without burning 6-7 hours per asset in Illustrator.

What we're seeing:

AI-generated ads with highly creative scenes are crushing standard product shots.

Why?

→ Users are fed up with comparative ads and note-style templates
→ Meta rewards creative that stops the scroll
→ More diversity = better targeting performance

Learn to create more. Test more. Use AI to scale creative volume without sacrificing quality.

Or watch your CPMs climb while your competitors figure it out.

I watch brands burning millions on Meta ads that all make the same fatal mistake.

Every week, a brand comes to us with the same request: "We saw this ad from [Competitor]. Can you make that for us?" And every time, I have to explain why that's the exact wrong approach.

Here's what's happening:

Big brands see a competitor's successful ad in an ad library.

They think: "That's working for them. Let's do our version."

They brief their marketing team to recreate the concept with their product.

The result? A worse version of something the market has already seen.

This is why most brand ads look identical.

Everyone's copying each other's templates instead of solving problems from scratch.

Real creative work doesn't start with: "What's working for our competitors?"

It starts with: "What problem are we solving, and how can we show that in a way no one's seen before?"

That's the kind of creative that actually moves the needle.

The brands winning on Meta right now aren't using templates.

They're thinking from first principles and creating concepts that are impossible to copy.

Start with the problem. Then find inspiration from art, photography, culture - not from other ads.

That's how you create work that actually stands out.

3 years ago, I read a tweet from Shreyas Doshi that completely changed how I work. Now I work fewer hours, and we’re scaling faster than ever.

Early in my career at Statiq, I could handle it all. Client calls, creative reviews, team meetings, strategy work, operations. Just put in more hours and you get more done.

Then we started scaling. More clients. Bigger budgets. Suddenly the same approach that got me here was burying me.

I was working 14-hour days and falling further behind. Something had to change.

I found this framework from Shreyas Doshi. It's the best time management advice I've ever received:

Principle 1: Working hard only gets you so far.

When you're small, you can stay on top of everything. Client communication, creative strategy, team management, all of it.

But as you grow, there's too much work for one person to handle. You physically can't do it all anymore.

You have to start choosing what matters most.

This was brutal for me to accept. I wanted to be involved in everything.

But once you hit a certain size, that's impossible. Your job changes whether you like it or not.

Principle 2: A calendar speaks more truth than a to-do list.

Your to-do list is what you wish you could do. Your calendar is what you actually have time for.

I was writing down 15 tasks every morning, knowing deep down I couldn't finish them all. But I kept pretending I could.

Here's what shifted: if you only have four hours of free time tomorrow, you can't fit three big projects into it. Your to-do list lets you lie to yourself. Your calendar forces you to be honest.

What changed for me:

I stopped trying to do more. I started being realistic about what's actually possible in a day.

Block time for deep work like it's a meeting you can't miss. Plan your day based on your calendar, not your ambitions.

If you're scaling and feel like you're drowning, stop trying to work harder. 

Start protecting your time like it's the most valuable asset you have. Because it is.

We've been working with Curtis Howland for 6 months+ now and we've deployed 1,000s+ statics since then.

Curtis is also a highly competent ad buyer, managing multi 7 figure Meta ads budgets with precision.

Highly recommend reaching out to him if you need an audit of your account before BFCM.

VP of Marketing at Misfit | Spending $3m+ p/m across 8 eCom Brands

Just chatted with a CMO looking for better Meta ads

Here are the 5 agencies I recommended:

1. Josh Suggs ( Street interview Ads ) - 203 Media

On-the-street interviews and podcast-style ads.

The anti-AI agency. Real people, real conversations, formal production quality.

If you want authentic testimonial-style content that doesn't feel like an ad.

2. Collin Strachan - Alaska Production Company

Long shot recommendation, but wildly cool content.

Building Alaska's #1 production company. 

If your brand has any adventure, outdoor, or lifestyle angle, you should really consider talking to him, he still has a strong performance mind but can film in Alaskan ice caves...

The creative is just different. 

3. Statiq founder: Simon Robert

Best static ads in the game.

Great value, super effective team, fast turnaround. I've loved working with them. 

Lots of people I talk to have the same experience.

4. Billo (CEO: Donatas Smailys)

Lower budget option that actually works.

Heres my tip: Give creators OPEN briefs with selling points and example ads.
Don't script everything. Let creators go outside the lines. 

Tell them to speak to THEIR experience with the product

You'll get 10% garbage and 10% goldmines. Its worth it for the 10% gold to let people explore a bit.

5. Darlene T. with TubeScience

They have very high spend minimums, but they deliver.

Ran them when I was Director of Marketing in house.

Reliable producer of high-performing creative. 

If you are spending a ton, scaling quickly, and you need more, reach out to them.

Who'd I miss? What creative agency have you had a great experience? 

Would love to hear it!

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