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Olaplex goes bold with “Designed to Defy” campaign | Untangled Newsletter

PLUS: Jenny Slate revives White Lotus bob for spring

Author

Zihan Lyu
April 09, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 53 minutes

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Welcome to Untangled, your essential newsletter for haircare eCommerce professionals.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

Curious to know the optimal way to allocate your Google Ads budget? Fospha’s latest analysis of top performers reveals key insights into balancing Performance Max (PMAX) and Paid Search:

🥇 How Top-Performers Do It: For the highest-performing 25% of brands, a strategic allocation of around 55% of total Google budget to Performance Max and 12% to Paid Search appears to be the sweet spot for driving results.

🏢 Size Matters: Note, this optimal allocation does vary slightly between different brand sizes. Top-performing small brands were found to have a 52% PMAX / 15% Paid Search split, while top-performing large brands allocated more to PMAX, with a 59% PMAX / 9% Paid Search split.

Why? With extensive product catalogs and diverse customer segments, large brands can leverage PMAX's AI-driven optimization, while smaller brands benefit from the precision targeting of Paid Search to capture high-intent traffic while still leveraging PMAX for efficiency

Unlock the full potential of your Google Ads budget! Fospha’s new Performance Max and Paid Search Playbook is your guide to cultivating cross-channel synergies, reducing wasted ad spend, and maximizing blended performance.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

Curious to know the optimal way to allocate your Google Ads budget? Fospha’s latest analysis of top performers reveals key insights into balancing Performance Max (PMAX) and Paid Search:

🥇 How Top-Performers Do It: For the highest-performing 25% of brands, a strategic allocation of around 55% of total Google budget to Performance Max and 12% to Paid Search appears to be the sweet spot for driving results.

🏢 Size Matters: Note, this optimal allocation does vary slightly between different brand sizes. Top-performing small brands were found to have a 52% PMAX / 15% Paid Search split, while top-performing large brands allocated more to PMAX, with a 59% PMAX / 9% Paid Search split.

Why? With extensive product catalogs and diverse customer segments, large brands can leverage PMAX's AI-driven optimization, while smaller brands benefit from the precision targeting of Paid Search to capture high-intent traffic while still leveraging PMAX for efficiency

Unlock the full potential of your Google Ads budget! Fospha’s new Performance Max and Paid Search Playbook is your guide to cultivating cross-channel synergies, reducing wasted ad spend, and maximizing blended performance.

Expert Opinion ✍🏼

Untangling the Future: Strategic Innovations in Haircare Marketing

The haircare industry is being reshaped by a new consumer mindset—digital-first, value-driven, and experience-obsessed. For marketing and eCommerce leaders, growth now depends on aligning content, commerce, and community with precision.

Success isn’t just about having a Shopify store or running Meta ads. Leading brands are syncing TikTok virality with in-store moments, using first-party data to personalize at scale, and building tech stacks that drive real-time insights.

AI is powering next-level personalization—optimizing creative, segmenting audiences, and tailoring quiz flows, email journeys, and replenishment timing based on hair type or behavior. This isn’t just boosting performance metrics—it’s building trust and lifetime value.

DTC is no longer just a sales channel; it’s a feedback loop. Top brands are using it to fuel product innovation and enhance retention, while subscription models evolve into relationship platforms—offering exclusive content, early drops, and expert access.

In premium haircare, storytelling is the differentiator. Ingredient origin stories, limited drops, and cinematic content drive perceived value. Influencer partnerships are moving from reach to resonance—favoring creators who live inside niche communities and speak to real needs.

UGC isn’t just nice to have—it’s a conversion tool, driving authenticity across PDPs and retargeting. Meanwhile, beauty tech—from AI quizzes to scalp diagnostics—is becoming standard, turning browsers into loyalists.

Influencer Corner 📢'

We chatted with Amy J. Oelkers, TikTok’s GM, US Head of Commerce, about how the power of discovery on TikTok is driving commerce everywhere | TikTok for Business

📌 4 in 5 users are discovering brands through creators' recommendations.

📌 After discovering something on TikTok (via a creator), 45% of users continued searching for more information on the platform.

📌 1 in 4 users search within the first 30 seconds of opening the app (internal user data).

The April Fools’ Campaign That Had Everyone Fooled

Dyson’s fake Airbrow launch wasn’t just funny—it was believable.

With a fully polished product video, spot-on brand fit, and a concept so good people wanted it to be real, Dyson showed how April Fools’ can still be a serious brand moment—if you know your audience and execute like it’s a real drop.

In our Shoptalk 2025 wrap up with ClickZ.com, one thing was clear | Lee Arthur

This industry is operating in a new reality. From full-funnel AI to omnichannel orchestration, the conversations weren’t speculative,they were tactical.

Here are the biggest shifts we heard on the ground:

🔹 AI is everywhere
“AI isn’t a concept -it’s a capability,” summed up by voices across the floor. From text-to-buy to media measurement, brands are moving from testing to scaling.

🔹 Omnichannel is baseline
“Omnichannel isn’t a trend - it’s the new baseline,” said Sam Carter, CEO at Fospha. The new standard is unified journeys online and off.

Optimization Hub ⚙️

BUSINESS MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK

Breaking organizational silos is essential for building effective measurement frameworks, ensuring data-driven insights drive marketing success. By involving all stakeholders and focusing on real-world applications, businesses can align metrics with strategic objectives. Tailored frameworks improve communication and performance across departments, essential for today's competitive landscape.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Instagram's new monthly recap feature provides creators with valuable insights into their content performance, including total views, follower engagement, and specific audience activity times. This feature aids marketers by offering actionable tips to enhance content strategy based on the unique behaviors of their audiences, fostering a more tailored approach to growth and engagement.

ECOMMERCE OPTIMIZATION

Adjusting the Google Ads bid strategy, specifically the Target ROAS, can enhance Shopping Ads revenue without reducing profitability for eCommerce businesses. Use Impression Share and Search Lost IS metrics to identify and rectify revenue loss. Gradual budget and ROAS adjustments ensure consistent performance improvement.

📲 Like what you’re seeing?

Get real-time insights from top industry events, expert takes, and behind-the-scenes content. Follow ClickZ on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for your daily dose of marketing intel.

ClickZ is a Contentive publication in the DTC Ecommerce division