When it comes to advertising, brands love a good metric. And for a long time, RoAS was the go-to measurement for success. But, as iOS 14 rolled out App Tracking Transparency, the industry saw RoAS take a hit. Suddenly, advertisers were flying blind, unable to directly attribute sales to specific ads. The response? A shift towards MER (Marketing Efficiency Ratio), or what many now call blended RoAS.

Enter Nikki Lindgren, Founder and Managing Partner of Pennock, who has been at the forefront of helping brands—especially female-led beauty brands—navigate this evolving landscape. Her focus? Understanding the bigger picture of spend vs. sales correlation and finding new ways to break through the clutter of content overload.

So, what’s keeping brands from going the distance? Let’s dive in.

💡 1. RoAS Alone Won’t Get You There
Focusing solely on RoAS is short-sighted. It tells you how much revenue an ad generates, but not how advertising impacts your entire business. You might turn off an ad that isn’t converting, only to see total sales drop because it was fueling brand awareness. MER provides a full-funnel view of how ads drive revenue. Brands that still live and die by RoAS are leaving money on the table.

💨 2. Brands and Agencies Are Fighting the Wrong Battles
Brands want fast results. Agencies know long-term strategy wins. This tension makes collaboration tricky. The fix? A consultative approach. When agencies shift from being viewed as service providers to strategic partners, brands trust them to prioritize sustainable growth over short-term wins. If you’re only hiring an agency to “run ads,” you’re missing the point.

🔄 3. Mature Brands Think Differently About Ad Spend
A brand doing $100K in revenue treats marketing like an expense. A brand doing $50M treats it as an investment. The more mature the business, the more strategic the approach to performance marketing. Seasoned brands understand that scaling isn’t about chasing the lowest CPM—it’s about balancing acquisition costs with long-term profitability. If you’re pulling back ad spend every time RoAS dips, you’re not ready to scale.

🎭 4. UGC Isn’t a Free Growth Hack
(UGC) User-Generated Content feels organic, performs well, and builds trust. But quality UGC isn’t cheap—you need the right creators, production value, and constant iteration. Brands that think UGC is a low-cost shortcut are disappointed when mediocre content flops. The reality? Winning UGC campaigns require as much strategic investment as traditional ads.

👥 5. Micro & Nano-Influencers Are the Smartest Play for Emerging Brands
If your brand is still in the sub-$1M range, macro-influencers are a waste of money. Micro and nano-influencers (10K–50K followers) have higher engagement rates, lower costs, and tighter-knit audiences. They deliver authenticity at scale without draining your budget. Smart brands leverage dozens or even hundreds of small creators rather than putting all their budget into one big name.

📸 6. Your Ads Look Like Everyone Else’s—That’s Why They’re Failing
Consumers scroll through endless repetitive ads. If yours blends in, it’s invisible. The best-performing ads right now? Bold, text-driven static images, offbeat visuals, and unconventional creative. Stop trying to make everything “polished” and start making it unexpected. If your ad doesn’t make someone stop scrolling, it’s already dead.

Final Thoughts

Winning in advertising isn’t about chasing RoAS—it’s about understanding the big picture. Brands that obsess over short-term performance without a long-term strategy will keep spinning their wheels.

Want to dive deeper into how brands can rethink ad strategy and scale smarter?

👉 Follow our page and watch the full Episode conversation with Nikki Lindgren here!