How We Helped an Animal Skincare Brand Add $699,786 in Monthly Revenue Profitably

About the brand

Coat Defense is a pioneering brand in the equine and pet care market, offering natural, chemical-free solutions that support skin and coat health without irritation. Founded by Vince and Sandy Polentes, the brand has built its reputation on safety, transparency, and proven results.

From powders and pastes to shampoos, Coat Defense provides effective treatments for common conditions like rain rot, fungus, scratches, and general skin wellness, all without the harsh ingredients found in traditional products.

With a loyal following of horse and pet owners, Coat Defense continues to set the standard for safe, effective, and trustworthy animal care.

The Problem

After strong early success, Coat Defense saw sales and profitability collapse between 2020 and 2022.

• Multiple agencies came and went, but none provided the strategic direction needed for sustainable growth.
• Ad creatives were generic and poorly targeted, failing to connect with the niche audience of horse and pet owners.
• In 2023, the team shut off Facebook ads entirely after struggling to profitably acquire new-to-brand customers.

With revenue falling and marketing costs rising, Coat Defense needed more than just another agency. They needed a fresh approach built around their audience, their brand values, and a path back to profitability.

The Solution

We replaced the ineffective, one-size-fits-all approach with a highly targeted, multi-channel growth strategy designed around Coat Defense’s unique audience and products:

1. Audience-Specific Creative
Instead of generic ads, we built problem-solving creatives tailored to horse and dog owners, addressing seasonal skin issues and real-world challenges. By leaning into UGC-style content, our ads felt authentic, story-driven, and trustworthy—resonating with skeptical, ad-savvy consumers.

2. Seasonal & Product Relevance
We highlighted Coat Defense’s seasonal advantage and unique product benefits, connecting real-time customer pain points with the brand’s most effective solutions. This created urgency and boosted ad performance significantly.

3. Daily Ad Optimization
Unlike past agencies that optimized weekly, we monitored and adjusted campaigns every single day. This hands-on approach stopped wasted spend and dramatically improved performance and overall sales.

4. Email & SMS as a Profit Center
‍Previously underutilized, we rebuilt all flows and took over newsletter management. Within weeks, owned channels were driving 30% of total revenue, providing a stable profit center to support ad spend.

5. Conversion Rate & AOV Lifts
Through rigorous A/B testing of high-traffic pages, we achieved a 34% increase in conversion rate and a 12% increase in average order value (AOV)—maximizing the return from every visitor.

The Results

Successfully scaled to nearly $1,000,000/month in revenue

• Increased PPC ROI on both Google and Meta
• Increased Email marketing sales to 30% of total revenue
• 34% higher conversion rate and 12% increase in AOV through A/B testing
• Outperformed traditional creatives with authentic, problem-solving ad content

This success proves that even hyper-niche products can scale when you speak to the right audience with the right message.