Female Gen-Z D2C Opps: Zazzle significantly increasing paid social ad spend

Online retailer Zazzle has significantly increased its Instagram ad spend recently; check out the data we provided below.

So far this year, Pathmatics reports the company has allocated roughly $169.2k toward digital ads. This has already reached a quarter of the roughly $599.4k it allocated within all of 2020; it had not invested in this channel by this point last year. Zazzle's estimated full-year spend of $599.4k nearly doubled that of $338.8k in 2019. It has earned ~25.7m digital impressions YTD, 100% via Instagram ads.

According to iSpot, Zazzle hasn't invested in national TV since Q3 2020, when around $326k targeted a wide (though female-skewed) audience, its top targeted shows including Good Fences and House, along with movies such as Crooklyn, Love & Basketball and Pootie Tang. It did not utilize this channel in 2019, so we may see more TV commercials in Q3 2021. Though Zazzle hasn't yet aired commercials on national TV in 2021, iSpot does report that it's launched online-only ads via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

Additionally, Magellan reveals the company has aired three podcast ads within the past 12 months.

Since Zazzle is so focused on Instagram advertising, sellers able to offer high-ROI strategies among Gen-Z should get in touch soon to secure last-minute ad revenue for 2021. To reach Gen-Z, the company may also invest in OTT. This marks a notable target demographic shift since it has historically targeted millennials and Gen-X. Its target demographic typically has a female skew stronger than that of its targeted TV demographic. Remember, Zazzle may return to TV advertising, throwing some Zazzle dazzle on the TV, in Q3. Per Kantar, it also utilizes local broadcast.

Agency & martech readers - Nothing points to upcoming agency reviews here, so seek immediate opportunities elsewhere. Zazzle currently has an in-house media team, and The Outcast Agency handles its PR duties.