Optimizing Ad Spend Ahead of Black Friday
Data-driven strategies for maximizing ROAS during the extended holiday shopping season.
1Extended Shopping Windows
Black Friday has evolved into a prolonged shopping season rather than a single-day event. Data from AppLovin indicates that marketers must start campaigns early to capture peak purchase intent. Last November, 63% of advertisers refreshed their creative at least three times during the month to maintain engagement throughout the extended period.
2Creative Refresh Frequency
Advertisers who released new creative weekly in November 2025 achieved a 23% higher seven-day return on advertising spend compared to those who refreshed only once or twice. Assets uploaded in November outperformed those over 60 days old by 20% at the first interaction, proving that fresh content is essential for performance.
3Promotional Versus Evergreen Messaging
While 58.2% of creative content consisted of evergreen product messaging, it accounted for only 37.8% of total delivered spend. Conversely, promotional messaging tied to Black Friday or Cyber Monday drove 64.2% of seven-day attributed revenue. Balancing these two approaches remains a critical strategy for maximizing overall return on advertising spend.
4Efficiency of Newer Assets
Newer creative assets demonstrated superior cost efficiency during the holiday window. The cost per purchase was 19% lower than the baseline at the first interaction and remained 13% lower after seven days. These metrics suggest that frequent updates not only improve revenue performance but also significantly lower the overall acquisition costs.
5Optimal Video Ad Lengths
Shorter video ads delivered the highest returns, with Black Friday promotions showing an 83% lift compared to the June-September baseline. This performance advantage decreased as video length increased, dropping to a 39% lift for 16-29 second clips and 24% for videos 30 seconds or longer, highlighting the need for concise messaging.
6Interactive Endcard Performance
Interactive HTML endcards significantly outperformed static images in driving ROAS. These interactive elements provided a 35% lift at first interaction and a 40% lift after seven days compared to the non-promotional baseline. In contrast, static-image endcards saw an 11% decline in first-interaction ROAS, emphasizing the value of user engagement features.
7Targeting New Customer Segments
Interactive endcards proved particularly effective for acquiring new customers, delivering a 48% lift in ROAS at both the first interaction and the seven-day mark. Static images also yielded positive results for this segment, though at lower rates of 6% and 14% respectively, confirming that interactive formats drive higher conversion efficiency.
8Strategic Holiday Campaign Planning
Success during the Black Friday period requires more than just deep discounts or increased spending. Marketers must focus on preparing early, adapting creative content as shopping behaviors evolve, and testing various approaches throughout the season. A connected shopping journey that builds interest before converting demand is the key to holiday performance.
Original article: Marketing Dive — Optimizing Ad Spend Ahead of Black Friday