Helped a Small Apparel Brand Build a Profitable Ad Foundation and Grow Year-Over-Year

Overview

Client: Grand River Clothing
Industry: Men’s Apparel / Denim
Services Provided: Meta & Google Ads Launch, Google Merchant Feed Setup, Creative Strategy, Email Marketing, and Influencer Collaboration
Ad Spend: <$1K/month (initial), growing gradually
Average ROAS: 3–4x across Meta + Google
Year-over-Year Revenue: +Growth Recorded in Shopify Analytics

Grand River Clothing is a small but passionate American apparel brand that makes high-quality stretch jeans with inclusive inseam options (29”–38”). The brand had loyal repeat customers but no paid acquisition strategy before working with Profit Pulse Media.

The goal was clear:
Build a profitable, data-backed ad system from scratch — starting lean, optimizing early wins, and setting the stage for scalable growth.

Challenge

When Grand River joined Profit Pulse Media, their situation reflected a classic early-stage DTC challenge:

• Zero ad structure on both Meta and Google.
  
  
  

• Limited testing budget, which made scaling risky.
  
  
  

• No Google Merchant Feed, meaning no visibility in shopping placements.
  
  
  

• Strong repeat customer base but low acquisition of new customers.
  
  
  

• Minimal creative assets to test paid traffic.
  
  
  

Our task: Create sustainable, profitable growth through efficiency, smart sequencing, and foundational systems.

Strategy: The Profit Pulse Lean Growth Framework

When resources are tight, strategy matters more than spend. We focused on building a performance-ready foundation using low-cost, high-leverage tactics.

1️⃣ Google Ads: Starting With Intent

We began by building from the bottom of the funnel up — targeting high-intent shoppers first.

We:

• Set up and optimized the Google Merchant Feed for accurate product data, sizing options, and variant images.
  
  
  

• Launched a Brand Search campaign to protect branded traffic and capture ready-to-buy shoppers.
  
  
  

• Gradually introduced Shopping campaigns with key hero SKUs to identify early performance patterns.
  
  
  

This approach created predictable results without overspending and gave the brand visibility in search results for the first time.

2️⃣ Meta Ads: Remarketing & Warm Audience Strategy

Instead of broad prospecting, we launched retargeting campaigns that focused on:

• Visitors who viewed products but didn’t purchase.
  
  
  

• Abandoned cart users.
  
  
  

• Email subscribers synced through Custom Audiences.
  
  
  

We also created fresh static ads that emphasized the main purchase drivers:

• Comfort and stretch fit.
  
  
  

• Inclusive sizing.
  
  
  

• Made in the USA craftsmanship.
  
  
  

Even with a small spend, these remarketing ads consistently maintained 3–4x ROAS, helping recover otherwise lost revenue.

3️⃣ Email Marketing Activation

We immediately tapped into their existing email list, one of the easiest wins for small brands.

We:

• Re-engaged past buyers with “We Miss You” campaigns.
  
  
  

• Announced new sales or seasonal offers via personalized flows.
  
  
  

• Integrated email data with Meta and Google audiences for better retargeting.
  
  
  

This helped drive measurable sales with almost no additional cost, improving their MER across all channels.

4️⃣ Influencer & Content Collaboration

To solve their creative limitations, we introduced micro-influencers who aligned with their audience (men 35+ who value fit and comfort).
We began collecting B-roll footage and UGC that could later be repurposed for paid ads.

In parallel, we started testing AI-generated organic videos (short-form reels and product highlights) to increase brand awareness organically while learning what visuals resonated most.

5️⃣ Strategic Patience & Data-Driven Scaling

Given the tight budget, we focused on testing slowly, learning fast:

• Monthly creative refreshes with AI-assisted content.
  
  
  

• Small budget increases tied directly to profitable returns.
  
  
  

• Building data confidence before expanding campaigns.
  
  
  

By focusing on efficiency and customer psychology rather than brute-force spending, Grand River achieved steady YOY growth while maintaining profitability.

Results: Foundation Built for Long-Term Growth

Creative Highlights

• Brand Search Campaign: First profitable paid traffic source.
  
  
  

• “Stretch + Comfort” Static Ad: 3.9x ROAS, highest CTR.
  
  
  

• Influencer B-Roll Campaign: Boosted engagement and credibility organically.
  
  
  

• AI-Generated Reels: 25% higher engagement vs traditional posts.
  
  
  

Client Feedback

“We never really had a proper ads system before working with Profit Pulse Media. Sergio helped us start small but smart, getting consistent returns on Google and Meta while helping us grow our audience and creative assets. The structure and clarity we have now make it easier to plan future growth.”
— Grand River Clothing Team

Key Takeaways

• You don’t need a huge budget to build a winning system, just the right sequence.
  
  
  

• Start with high-intent and remarketing campaigns to prove profitability before scaling.
  
  
  

• Email and organic AI content are underrated low-cost growth levers for smaller brands.
  
  
  

• Solid creative foundations (influencer B-roll, statics) make scaling smoother later on.
  
  
  

Transformation

Before Profit Pulse Media:
No ad accounts, underutilized email list, and zero visibility in Google Shopping.

After Profit Pulse Media:
3–4x ROAS, optimized feed, better retention, active campaigns on Meta & Google, and 40%+ YOY growth all built from a lean, efficient foundation.