How to make paid profitable?

The reality is not every fashion brand can scale profitably with ads alone.

“Paid is an incredible growth catalyst, but it's success depends on your brand’s foundations. Without them, even the best ad strategies will struggle to deliver sustainable returns.”

So what are the best foundations a brand can establish to make paid ads profitable?

Organic Growth

Paid shouldn’t (and often can’t be) be the sole driver - brands need to start with existing organic traction for long-term success.

💡 How to Build It:
Hype-Driven Content & community engagement – Corteiz has built one of the most powerful hype-driven brands in fashion, entirely fuelled by community buzz. They don’t rely on traditional marketing - everything is built on exclusivity, organic demand, and word-of-mouth.

Product Exclusivity

If your products are widely available across retailers, it’s hard to control pricing & brand perception.

💡 Fix It:
Exclusivity within product mix – Jacques Marie Mage delivers the best example of this method with each frame produced in small batches (often fewer than 500 pieces per model), creating exclusivity and high demand. Every piece is individually numbered, making them feel like collectible art rather than just eyewear. Also - Introducing unique exclusive colourways or capsules for own customer base is a great solution - JACQUEMUS regularly drop DTC-only collections.

Existing first-Party Data & CRM

Leveraging what you already own.

💡 How to Maximise It:
- Email & SMS Retention – A solid base of first-party data will greatly help marketing efforts & developing lookalike audiences for efficient growth.
- Exclusive Loyalty Perks – Private shopping & VIP early access keep customers engaged. NET-A-PORTER EIP (Extremely Important Person): Gives top spenders personal stylists, priority delivery, and exclusive previews of new arrivals.

A Strong Marketing Calendar

Many brands expect paid ads to perform well year-round, but without a strategic marketing calendar, ad performance will always be inconsistent.

💡 What a Winning Marketing Calendar Should Include:
- Planned Product Launches & Drops – Creating high-demand moments to maximise ad efficiency.
- Strategic Discount Cycles – Avoid constant promotions but use seasonal discounts smartly (e.g., Summer sales & BFCM only).
- Collaboration & Hype Cycles – Partner with aligned brands, influencers, or creators to build paid & organic synergy. Malbon Golf utilise this method to great success, within the space of a few years they have collaborated with adidas, New Balance & Jimmy Choo enhancing brand authenticity & demand.

Summary:

• Paid ads work best when built on strong organic foundations

• Collaborations and partnerships enhance brand credibility

• A well-structured marketing calendar is the blueprint for paid media scaling

• First-party data fuels sustainable scaling

• Product exclusivity is a major profitability driver