Client Overview

The client is a technology-driven company focused on helping individuals worldwide speak English confidently through their mobile application. With a diverse user base that includes both B2C and B2B audiences, the app aims to unlock new opportunities for language learners globally. With our help, the company has gained substantial momentum, successfully securing Series A funding.

Challenges

The client faced several marketing challenges:

• Scaling Globally Across Multiple Channels: They struggled to grow app installs and subscriptions at an efficient cost per acquisition (CPA) while managing campaigns across platforms like Apple Search Ads, Meta (Facebook & Instagram), Google UAC, TikTok, and others.
• Limited Creative Flexibility: Their reliance on creative teams and external agencies made it difficult to extend the life of winning ads, as they lacked a streamlined process for iterating or remixing top-performing creatives.
• Fragmented Creative Sources: Content and performance data were spread across multiple teams, agencies, and platforms, making it difficult to know which categories of ads (e.g., pronunciation-focused vs. conversational-focused) were running and how they performed.

Goals

The primary goals were:

• Increase app installs and subscriptions.
• Lower their cost per trial.
• Improve LTV/CAC ratios to ensure long-term profitability.

Services Delivered

Crux Media took a holistic, performance-driven approach to address the client’s challenges. We executed and optimized multi-channel campaigns using the following services:

Media Buying: Managed app install campaigns across Apple Search Ads, Google UAC, Meta Ads, TikTok Ads, and more.

Creative Testing, Strategy & Optimization: A key driver of success was our robust creative testing process. We tested up to 40 new ad variations each week, maintaining a consistent pipeline of fresh creative ideas. Out of these, around 10% of the ads were identified as top performers—ads that proved successful in scaling spend and driving results.

• Analyzing Video Hooks & Remixing Ads:
  To maximize performance and improve engagement metrics like thumbstop percentage and hold rate, we experimented with video hooks—crucial in determining whether users engage with an ad in the first few seconds. We utilized three primary remixing techniques to keep successful ads fresh and extend their lifecycle:
• Winning Ad, Different Starting Visual:
  We swapped the first few seconds of visual content from a winning ad while preserving the original audio. This allowed us to create new visual “hooks” or entry points that gave the existing ad a fresh perspective without changing its core messaging. By introducing different hooks, we created engaging variations, which helped increase thumbstop rates and user engagement.
• Visual Shuffle:
  For ads showing promise but declining performance over time, we shuffled portions of the video. Specifically, we replaced certain sections of a winning ad with fresh b-roll clips while keeping the original audio intact. By swapping the first few seconds and injecting new footage throughout the video, we introduced a new visual rhythm, breathing new life into top-performing ads and extending their effectiveness. This approach helped boost the hold rate, ensuring users stayed engaged with the ad, which positively impacted trial and subscription conversions.
• Audio Overlay:
  We extracted voiceovers from winning ads and overlaid them with new visual content, such as different scene types, problem-solution scenarios, and fresh b-roll footage. By reusing the storyline and voiceover but refreshing the visuals, we were able to keep the ad narrative intact while testing new creative directions. This extended the lifespan of our best-performing ads while keeping production costs lower than creating entirely new ads from scratch.

Through these creative variations, we continually tested and optimized for high thumbstop percentages and hold rates—two key indicators that aligned closely with increased trial sign-ups and long-term subscription performance. These tactics contributed directly to the 72% increase in trial volume and the 4x revenue growth over a two-year period.

Creative Production: We streamlined the production of ad content, consolidating efforts from various teams and influencers, enabling faster and more cost-effective scaling. The ability to produce and test new creative on a weekly basis allowed us to stay ahead of performance trends.

Comprehensive Campaign Audits & Optimization: We audited existing Meta, Google, and Apple campaigns, and optimized creative, targeting, and copy. The focus was on aligning ad creative with key audience segments and markets.

Localization & Global Expansion: Launched localized campaigns across key international markets and tested new markets while leveraging Instagram Reels, TikTok Creator Marketplace, and influencer partnerships to tap into regional nuances to help drive growth.

Key Results

Through Crux Media’s strategic execution, the client achieved remarkable improvements in performance, scaling their app growth globally:

• Cost per Trial decreased by 45% YoY.
• LTV/CAC increased by 39% YoY.
• Trial volume increased by 72% over the course of the year.
• Over a 2-year period, the client experienced a 4x increase in revenue.

Want similar results for your app or business? Book a free consultation today to explore how Crux Media can help you scale efficiently and maximize your ROI.