MyProtein: Challenging the Discount-First Mindset

Services | Ad Design & Creative Strategy

Myprotein Clear Whey Isolate products displayed on orange background with protein shake splash effect

The Challenge:

In an industry dominated by discount-driven marketing, we faced a crucial question: Could we move beyond price-first messaging without sacrificing performance? The conventional wisdom suggested that discounts were the primary driver of sales, but we hypothesised that a brand-first approach could yield equal, if not better results.

The Insight

Meta informed us that "60-70% of a campaign's performance is down to the creative." Armed with this knowledge, we saw an opportunity to revolutionise MyProtein's approach to customer acquisition. Our biggest challenge wasn't competition - it was our own reliance on discount-based messaging as the primary communications strategy.

The Strategy

I developed a rigorous A/B testing framework to compare brand-first versus price-first messaging. The key was ensuring a fair comparison:

  • Identical SKUs and media objectives

  • Matched budgets and audience targeting

  • Consistent creative quality and best practices

  • The only variable: Brand-led vs Discount-led messaging

Top-level campaign performance

We ran this test across two distinct campaigns to ensure statistical validity and conclusive results. The second campaign incorporated strategic refinements based on our initial learnings, helping validate our hypothesis about brand-first messaging.

Budget £15k
AOV £83
Lack Click Revenue £144k
ROAS 19:1
PRS Cell 2 Brand Cell 1 Discount
ASC Cell 2 Brand Cell 1 Discount
RMK Cell 2 Brand Cell 1 Discount
RCT Cell 2 Brand Cell 1 Discount

Full funnel Campaign Architecture

MyProtein Clear Whey Isolate Orange Mango promotional ad offering 40% off plus free delivery with code STARTCLEAR against orange background.
MyProtein award-winning Clear Whey Isolate Orange Mango flavor with 4.6/5 star rating, showing product tub and splash liquid against orange background.
MyProtein Clear Whey Isolate Cranberry Raspberry flavor promotional ad offering 30% off with flavor selection call-to-action against pink background.
MyProtein award-winning Clear Whey Isolate Cranberry Raspberry flavor showing price per scoop of £1.20 with 4.6/5 star rating against pink background.

Video Performance Timeline

An overview of a video performance timeline showing the strategy behind driving engagement

Key Discoveries

  • Brand videos excelled in prospecting campaigns, outperforming price-focused content

  • New customers showed stronger resonance with brand-focused messaging

  • Brand videos achieved 264% more revenue compared to price-focused videos

  • Watch time metrics showed 197% more viewers completing brand content

Strategic Implications

This case study challenges the fundamental assumption that discount-led messaging is the only path to performance in e-commerce. The results demonstrate that brand-first communication can:

  • Drive stronger commercial outcomes

  • Build longer-term brand equity

  • Attract higher-value customers

  • Reduce reliance on promotional messaging

Looking Forward

This success has led to a broader shift in MyProtein's marketing strategy, moving away from discount-first as the default approach. The learnings are now being scaled across the group, marking a significant step toward brand premiumisation and sustainable growth.

Ready to drive results with data-led creativity? Let’s connect and bring your vision to life.