Most brands optimise media using platform attribution.We optimised against what was genuinely creating incremental revenue.
Working with Superdry and measuring performance independently through Fospha, ByAtlas built a media strategy that consistently exceeded commercial targets while giving the business confidence that every optimisation decision was driving real growth, not simply taking credit for it.
7x ROAS
The Client
Superdry wanted to expand investment across premium publishers and programmatic channels without compromising commercial efficiency.
Running during the Black Friday, one of retail's most competitive environments, every additional pound of investment needed to generate genuine incremental value.
Anyone can increase spend, few can prove the additional investment is creating additional growth. That was the real challenge. Build a scalable media programme where every optimisation decision was measured against Fospha's independent view of incremental growth, with a shared ROAS target of 5 guiding every strategy.
The Opportunity
Scaling media is relatively straightforward, but scaling it profitably is considerably more interesting.
Platform attribution often rewards the channels closest to conversion, making it difficult to distinguish genuine commercial contribution from activity that simply captures existing demand. Peak trading puts pressure on efficiency as CPMs rise and competition intensifies.
At ByAtlas, we believe that measurement only becomes valuable when it improves decisions.
The Strategy
The StrategyRather than asking which campaigns appeared to be performing best, we asked a more valuable question.
Which campaigns were genuinely creating incremental growth?
Independent incrementality measurement became the foundation for every optimisation decision. Three principles shaped the programme.
1. Build a trusted foundationA carefully controlled whitelist across premium publishers including GQ, Vogue, Esquire, The Times and Elle established a clean measurement baseline by separating brand activity from performance.
2. Optimise to commercial truthBudget followed independently measured incremental revenue, even when platform attribution pointed elsewhere. Investment moved towards the audiences, domains and keywords proven to create additional demand rather than simply report it.
3. Stay disciplined under pressureProspecting and retargeting were measured independently, allowing the team to respond confidently during Black Friday and the festive period without abandoning the long-term strategy for short-term platform metrics.
Key Outcomes:
Work that demands to be seen and designed to deliver
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Before
After
The Results
The campaign demonstrated that stronger measurement creates stronger commercial outcomes.
Within three months, independently measured ROAS exceeded the agreed target before remaining above it throughout the most commercially demanding period of the year. Q4 closed with a blended ROAS of 6.0x, representing a 24% improvement on Q3.
The improvement wasn't isolated to a single tactic.
Every core strategy improved quarter on quarter, from publisher domains and keyword targeting through to category and lookalike audiences, demonstrating that disciplined optimisation consistently strengthened performance across the entire programme.
Peak trading provided the ultimate test.
Rather than chasing short-term volume during Black Friday, the team quickly reverted away from underperforming event-specific audiences when independent measurement showed they weren't delivering incremental value. That discipline protected efficiency throughout the festive period and kept performance above target for four consecutive months.
The Real Impact
This wasn't simply a stronger quarter.
It fundamentally changed how media investment decisions were made.
Replacing platform assumptions with independent measurement gave Superdry greater confidence to scale investment, knowing every optimisation decision was based on genuine commercial contribution rather than attributed performance.
That confidence translated into stronger efficiency, more resilient peak trading performance and a repeatable framework for future growth.
What This Proves
- Independent measurement leads to better optimisation decisions.
- Platform attribution should inform investment, not define it.
- Disciplined optimisation consistently outperforms reactive media management.
- Commercial confidence comes from measuring what genuinely creates growth.
What Most Brands Get Wrong
Most brands optimise towards the metrics platforms report.
The problem is that platforms naturally reward themselves.
Without an independent source of truth, budgets quickly drift towards activity taking credit for demand instead of creating it.
The best optimisation strategy isn't chasing attribution. It's understanding what's genuinely incremental.
Growth Is A Given
The brands that outperform are the ones that stop asking platforms what worked and start measuring what genuinely created growth.
What they say about us?
