In early 2026, many advertisers reported fluctuations in Meta Ads performance, as the tech giant was rolling out AI-driven optimisation updates.
For our clients in the luxury alcohol sector, this presented a challenge.
The Challenge
Historically, campaigns for this client depended heavily on manual audience targeting, interest stacks, custom audiences and tightly controlled segmentation.
However, with these new updates, Meta shifted towards a creative-first approach. With targeting no longer the priority, our campaigns started being less effective, and along with an update of a longer learning phase, volatility in performance grew.
The Solution
Rather than fighting the algorithm, we adapted. The solution to an ever-evolving algorithm was to go back to the basics and adopt a simplified account structure that focused on two core objectives: growing the top of the funnel and retargeting.
The new system wants flexibility, so we gave it exactly that by focusing on a broad prospecting campaign designed to give Meta room to identify potential customers.
Then we created a retargeting campaign focused on re-engaging the high-intent users who had already added to cart or initiated checkout but hadn’t purchased.
The Results
The revised ad strategy delivered a monthly 9 ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), and on one standout day, the advertising spend of £199 generated a £10,381.92 revenue, increasing the daily ROAS to over 52.
Meta’s advertising platform will continue to evolve. Success nowadays is less about building complex audience structures and more about understanding how to work alongside the AI-driven systems.
While ROAS naturally fluctuates due to seasonality, consumer behaviours, and other external factors, long-term success comes from adapting quickly. At Podium, we are always transparent about challenges and help clients navigate platform changes as they happen.
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