Case Study•Pet Food / DTC

Wilsons Pet Food

DTC Pet Food Brand

Engagement: Ongoing

+212%

Revenue growth

+112%

Contribution margin

+83%

Customer LTV increase

Ongoing

Partnership

The Challenge

Subscriptions were stagnant, a critical problem for a DTC pet food brand built on repeat purchases.

Without a growing subscriber base, customer acquisition costs couldn't be justified, and the economics of the model were breaking down.

The previous approach treated all traffic equally, with no distinction between one-time browsers and customers ready to commit to a subscription. The product feed also didn't reflect how pet owners actually search: by breed, by condition, by specific dietary needs.

Diagnostic Summary

What Was Misread

All traffic was treated equally. One-time purchasers and subscription-ready customers received identical messaging and bidding, diluting acquisition efficiency.

What Was Diagnosed

The product feed was structured around product names, not how pet owners actually search. Breed-specific and condition-specific queries were being missed entirely.

What Was Not Changed

The core brand messaging and value proposition remained untouched. We optimised the channel strategy, not the product positioning.

What Risk Was Avoided

Continuing to optimise for one-time purchases would have permanently capped growth. The subscription model only works with sufficient LTV-without the shift, unit economics would have failed.

Engagement Timeline

How the engagement progressed

Week 1-22 weeks

Customer & Feed Analysis

Deep-dive into the target customer profile. Identified misalignment between search terms and feed structure.

Week 3-53 weeks

Intent Segmentation

Restructured campaigns around buyer intent. Separated browsers from subscription-ready customers.

Month 2-38 weeks

Feed Overhaul & LTV Shift

Rebuilt product feed with breed-specific and condition-specific terms. Shifted optimisation to subscription sign-ups.

Month 4+Ongoing

Scaling & LTV Growth

Revenue up 212%, contribution margin up 112%, customer LTV up 83%. Ongoing subscription-focused growth.

Our Approach

Rebuild around lifetime value, not first-purchase ROAS

Intent Segmentation: Restructured campaigns around buyer intent signals, separating browsers from subscription-ready customers

Audience Deep-Dive: Collaborated closely to understand the target customer profile, pet owners seeking premium, tailored nutrition

Feed Overhaul: Rebuilt the product feed to match how real searches happen, breed-specific and condition-specific terms that aligned with how owners actually look for pet food

LTV Focus: Shifted optimisation from one-time purchases to subscription sign-ups, prioritising lifetime value over immediate ROAS

"To be honest I have also tended to be slightly cynical about PPC agencies, mainly because there tends to be a gap between your needs and theirs. However, working with Jude Luxe was different. Chris, Gee and the whole team do genuinely care about your business and give you more support than you should expect. More than this they are genuinely very switched on, of course about PPC but also about wider business. Couldn't think of a reason not to try them out."

Craig Wallace, Owner, Wilsons Pet Food