Wild’s Ad Strategy: Why Doing the Basics Properly Still Wins

When brands go viral in the ad world, people often expect it to be because of some clever hack, a secret framework, or a never seen before creative angle. Wild is the opposite. Their success comes from something far more boring and far more effective. They do the fundamentals properly, test aggressively, and keep their creative library diverse without overthinking anything.

This breakdown covers the biggest takeaways from Fraser Cottrell’s thread and why Wild’s approach works for 2026 style paid social. (Go follow him)

Same Creator, Different Formats

Wild often tests the same creator across multiple styles. Not multiple people, not a crowd of creators, just one person filmed and repurposed in several formats.

This lets them test one simple question.

Is the performance coming from the creator or from the format?

It is also more cost efficient, produces more winning variations per creator, and reduces creative waste. This style of testing is smart because it gets quick reads without large production costs.

They Do Not Reinvent the Wheel

Fraser points out that Wild is not groundbreaking. Nothing they do is unique to deodorant or to personal care. They simply execute at a higher level than most DTC brands.

They know their customer.

They know who buys.

They know which formats already work.

They experiment with confidence because they have the budgets to do so.

In other words, the fundamentals work if you actually commit to them.

A Wide Mix of Creative Formats

Wild never relies on a single style of ad. Their account is packed with different formats that each hit different parts of the funnel and different user mindsets.

Their creative mix includes:

• High production statics
• Lo fi statics
• Traditional UGC
• Voiceover UGC
• Partnership ads
• One shot promos

This gives them breadth without chaos. They can rotate formats, plug gaps in the account, and keep frequency high without burning out the audience.

One Shot Text Promos

These are the simplest ads in their library.

A single shot video.

Product in hand.

Text doing the heavy lifting.

Wild uses these mostly for retargeting or for seasonal scent drops. They keep the brand top of mind and require no special setup or creator time. They are fast, cheap, and effective.

High Production Content, Repurposed Smartly

When Wild invests in higher production creative, the videos are straightforward and product focused.

The genius is in how they repurpose them.

They simply switch caption languages and push the same video into different territories. No redub. No re-edit. Just copy and paste.

It is a reminder that expensive creative should not be single use.

Voiceover UGC Instead of On Camera

This is one of the most interesting parts of their strategy.

Wild uses UGC with a voiceover, combined with lifestyle B roll.

Real voices, not AI.

Often people from their office or creators sending audio.

The creator rarely appears on camera. This keeps production simple and builds a distinct ad style that feels native and trustworthy.

Organic Looking Statics

Their low funnel static ads look like something your friend would post on Instagram Stories.

Native fonts.

Simple layouts.

Organic feeling.

These are designed to remove the sense that you are being advertised to. They work because they blend into the feed and show the product as something a real person uses.

Black Friday and Promo Calendar Creatives

Wild does not only produce great ads. They also stay tightly aligned with their promo calendar. When a key sales moment hits, the creative shifts instantly to match it. Black Friday is the clearest example. Their ads become bold, value focused, and built for speed. Large offer text, clear use code banners, bright colour blocking, and products positioned front and centre.

This is not a one off tactic. Wild uses the same approach across their whole yearly promo calendar. Seasonal drops, limited editions, and holiday events all get their own dedicated creatives. This keeps their account feeling fresh, helps the algorithm understand intent spikes, and gives returning customers a reason to come back. It is a simple system that keeps performance high and makes their creative strategy feel evergreen even when the offers change.

Partnership Ads With Micro Influencers

They do not chase beauty influencers.

They do not chase wellness influencers.

They tap into niches where people actually sweat. Think home renovation YouTubers or creators who work outdoors.

This gives them relatability and authenticity. Smaller creators often produce higher quality trust signals than typical lifestyle influencers.

What Wild Really Proves

Fraser closes the thread with a point worth repeating.

Wild proves that you do not need groundbreaking creative to win.

You need to execute the basics properly.

You need to:

• Test creators across multiple formats
• Partner with relatable micro influencers
• Make your product feel organic
• Repurpose intelligently
• Keep your account diverse

Do it well instead of trying to do everything differently.

If you want to understand where Meta and TikTok ads are heading in 2026, Wild’s meta ads library is the perfect case study. Not flashy. Not complex. Not trend hunting. Just consistent fundamentals executed at a high level.