Introduction
Coming up with fresh angles for ad creatives in a niche that has been around for decades is the kind of challenge that can sell a spy tool subscription to even the most imaginative affiliates. Cosmetics vouchers is a good example of well-tread territory where lifting creatives wholesale can easily look like the only sensible option. What happens when you stop running scouted ads as-is and start iterating on your own? Apparently, a $18.000 profit in two months.
Phase 1: Early Failures in Germany
The team’s journey began in July 2024 with a popular SOI vouchers offer from a well-known cosmetics brand. Following the standard playbook, they launched campaigns in Germany with creatives pulled from spy tools.
Angles tested:
- “Get this makeup set for free”
- “Are you 36? Get a set of “brand name cosmetics””
- “Free samples from our latest collection”
Results (Germany, July 10–15, 2024):
Spend: $50
Revenue: $5–9
ROI: Deeply negative
The campaigns flopped. Low engagement and poor conversions made it clear: spy-tool creatives and generic “freebie” angles weren’t working.
Phase 2: Breakthrough in the Netherlands
The turning point came when the affiliate stumbled upon a fresh angle in the Meta Ads Library: cosmetics testers.
Instead of giving away free products, the campaign was reframed as the brand “looking for testers of new cosmetics.” This angle resonated, and a new landing page was built around it.
Results (Netherlands, Oct–Dec 2024):
ROI: 15–20% sustained for three months
Traffic volume: 50–100 leads/day
By emphasizing exclusivity and participation (rather than freebies), conversions improved significantly.
Phase 3: Optimization & Seasonal Tailwinds
In January 2025, the team lead stepped in to refine the campaign:
- Swapped small travel sets for large premium sets in creatives
- Highlighted the need to “fill out the questionnaire,” which boosted CR
- Improved messaging consistency across three landing pages
This pushed ROI up to 30% in the Netherlands.
At the same time, seasonality worked in their favor. In January and February, Facebook CPCs drop post-holidays, making traffic cheaper. With the same funnel, ROI jumped to 50–60%.
Phase 4: Scaling to Spain & Portugal
Feeling confident, the team expanded into Portugal and Spain on January 25, 2025. The results were explosive:
Spain (Feb–Mar 2025):
Spend: $32,000
Revenue: $46,000
Profit: $14,000
Portugal (Feb–Mar 2025):
Spend: $10,000
Revenue: $14,000
Profit: $4,000
Combined two-month results:
Total Spend: $43,065
Total Revenue: $61,277
Total Profit: $18,212
Lead caps were raised to 800 daily leads in Portugal and 1,000 daily in Spain, sustaining strong volume and profitability.
Lessons Learned
Originality beats spy tools
Borrowed creatives had poor conversions. Custom-made creatives and unique landing pages drove success.
Angles matter
Positioning the offer as a “tester opportunity” created trust and engagement.
Timing can boost ROI
January/February’s cheap CPCs gave campaigns a major edge.
Use engagement as feedback
Positive comments = fresh angle. Negative comments = fatigue.
Iterate relentlessly
Unprofitable testing in Germany eventually led to breakthrough success elsewhere.
Conclusion
What started as a failing campaign in Germany became a multi-geo success that generated $18,000 profit in just two months. Going from $5 revenue on a $50 spend to over 40% ROI in a five-figure campaign is only possible if you don’t abandon the idea and keep testing.
For affiliates looking to replicate this success, the lesson is clear: stop relying on spy tools, test your own unique angles, and take advantage of seasonal shifts in traffic. And register to ClickDealer of course https://www.clickdealer.com/signup/?s1=2756
