Introduction
Tails.com, the DTC dog food subscription service known for its tailored meal plans, partnered with Rokt to drive sustainable, profitable growth in a saturated pet food market. Facing stagnating demand and rising media costs, Tails.com turned to Rokt Ads to identify and engage high-intent customers at the Transaction Moment™. By adopting a full-funnel, data-led approach, the brand delivered exceptional conversion results and long-term retention gains.
Challenge
Tails.com operates in a category marked by intense competition and limited growth post-COVID. With acquisition costs rising and customer fatigue setting in from overused channels, the marketing team faced mounting pressure to prove ROI and unlock efficient growth. As Elaine Wan, Head of Performance Marketing at Tails.com, said,
Targeting the same audiences over and over again… is not an effective way to drive growth.
Solution
Tails.com adopted a full-funnel strategy, prioritizing customer lifetime value over short-term conversions. Rokt Ads became a key partner in this shift, enabling the team to test, learn, and scale offers in real-time at the moment of highest intent: checkout.
Working closely with Rokt, Tails.com:
- Transitioned from bottom-funnel dominance to full-funnel media investment
- Applied econometric modeling to optimize for long-term value (LTV)
- Launched a test-and-learn program with Rokt Ads, iterating on offer strategy quickly based on performance
- Reached new, qualified audiences at scale through Rokt’s closed ecommerce network
As Lucy Whitear, Performance Marketing Manager at Tails.com, shared about this journey,
Fail fast, learn faster. Our first multi-box offer didn’t work—but we didn’t give up. After refining our messaging, it became our best performer, boosting conversions by 153%.
Results
- 153% uplift in customer conversion from refined offer strategy
- +3pp increase in retention from first to second box
- Higher LTV-to-CAC ratios compared to other partners
By tapping into the Transaction Moment, Tails.com captured high-intent audiences, optimized spend, and outperformed partner benchmarks across conversion and retention.
Learnings
- Full-funnel thinking unlocks sustainable growth in mature markets
- Iterative testing drives breakthrough results, even when initial tactics underperform
- Data-led decisions ensure every dollar works harder toward long-term outcomes
- Strategic partnerships, like Rokt, create a competitive edge through real-time relevance and precision targeting
Elaine Wan shared,
The way we decide where we invest and which channel is underpinned by metrics, insight, and making sure that we’re making data-led decisions on the most profitable channels over the long term. That’s why Rokt is a great partner for us.
Future
Looking ahead, Tails.com plans to continue innovating with a customer-first lens. The team is exploring AI-driven targeting, new media formats, and how to continue to unlock the Transaction Moment to stay ahead of shifting consumer behavior.
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