Taylor Holiday vs. Andrew Faris: The Ultimate BFCM Strategy Showdown

Discover the insider tactics helping top advertisers make millions during Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

In this dynamic Q&A, Taylor Holiday and Andrew Faris tackle BFCM the strategies, ad formats, and bidding methods that deliver massive returns for ecommerce brands this holiday season. Watch, as the two debate their distinct approaches to creative strategy, media buying, and balancing profitability with growth.

This conversation highlights their shared belief in the power of data-driven clarity but reveals contrasting opinions on scaling, ad optimization, and the role of creative experimentation during the year's busiest shopping period.

Whether you’re wondering if you should triple your budget, optimize for one-day click, or stick with evergreen creative, we’ve got the answers.

Creative Strategy for BFCM Ads

Both Taylor and Andrew emphasize that clear, offer-centric messaging (e.g., bold discounts on simple visuals) outperforms creative complexity. This is the one time of year where still-image ads are almost guaranteed to outperform more complex, branded videos. 

Taylor's Approach: Predicting creative performance is unreliable. Instead, brands should focus on defining quality standards and producing high-volume creatives that align with their identity. During BFCM, clarity of offers (e.g., straightforward discount banners) often outperforms complex visuals.

Andrew's Counterpoint: While volume is crucial, understanding and targeting specific customer needs with tailored messaging at scale yields better results. He emphasizes the value of crafting creative angles that speak to varied customer motivations.

Media Buying Tactics

Both stress avoiding budget caps during high-efficiency periods like BFCM. Taylor suggests significantly inflating budgets (e.g., 3x baseline) to capture all profitable volume while using cost controls to manage efficiency.

When it comes to specific, tactical adjustments:

• Use one-day click optimization during BFCM to prioritize immediate conversions, especially crucial during time-sensitive promotional periods.
• Keep campaigns simple but scalable, with clear offers and flexible ad creatives.

Where their approaches to media buying for BFCM differ …

Andrew's Approach: Adjust cost and bid caps to preemptively capture higher conversion rates during BFCM, albeit with caution to avoid overspending.

Taylor's Perspective: Trust Meta’s algorithm to adapt for BFCM conversion rate spikes without manual adjustments, emphasizing redundancy in lowest-cost campaigns as a safety net.

Ecommerce Strategy and Insights

The decision to prioritize profit or scale depends on business goals. Taylor recommends focusing on cash flow for long-term value, while Andrew acknowledges scaling for growth in specific contexts, such as building valuation.

Launching ad accounts during BFCM can work but requires clear cash flow planning and manageable budgets.

High ad frequency is not inherently problematic if it aligns with efficiency targets. High frequency can signal Meta’s algorithm is effectively prioritizing profitable audiences.

Bottom Line

Don't let this holiday season pass you by without a solid plan! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or launching your first BFCM campaign, these actionable insights will help you crush your sales goals. 

BFCM success hinges on strategic simplicity, with clear offers, efficient scaling, and adaptive approaches to both creative and media buying. While Taylor leans into systems and high-volume production, Andrew emphasizes nuanced messaging to maximize customer resonance.

Both agree: data clarity and smart risk-taking drive results.