DTC916: Meta’s Andromeda Update, Q4 Momentum, and Prevent Unsubscribes Hack

Good morning,

Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:

⚡ Meta’s Andromeda Update
How this impacts ad performance in 2025.

📚 Build Q4 Momentum
Steal this playbook and scale.

😱 Email List Shrinking?
Hack to prevent unsubscribes.

You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Retreatment Botanics, Iron Lady Golf, and NW Natural. 👋

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💰 Meta’s Andromeda Update: What Ecommerce Advertisers Need to Know

Did you notice a dip in Meta Ads performance around August?

You weren’t imagining things.

That timing lined up with Meta’s Andromeda release, a major shift toward creative-led delivery.

What Changed?

• Creative-led Delivery: Campaign success now depends less on ad set structure and more on creative variety. Each ad optimizes individually, instead of at the ad set or campaign level.
• Andromeda Retrieval Engine: Meta’s new AI filters millions of ad options down to the ones most likely to resonate with each individual user.
• Smarter AI and Hardware: Faster, more scalable delivery powered by advanced machine learning and optimized infrastructure.
• Advantage+ and GenAI Tools: Built-in automation for targeting, budget, placement, and even creative production.
• Quality Boosts: Early results show ad quality and engagement improving by ~8%.

Pilothouse Tips for Brands:

• Increase Creative Volume: Meta is rewarding creative velocity and variety.

👉 Feed the algorithm 10–15 diverse creative variations per campaign to maximize reach.

• Prioritize Iteration: Use data from early signals to refine and scale winners quickly.

👉 Build systems to refresh creative weekly, not monthly.

• Balance Automation with Brand Voice: Generative AI tools are powerful, but human oversight is critical.

👉 Ensure your creative doesn’t just scale, it stays on-brand and resonates.

• Audit Your Account: Many advertisers are still structured for pre-Andromeda delivery.

👉 Now is the time to simplify campaigns, re-map testing frameworks, and invest in creative pipelines!

Meta’s Andromeda update marks a new era where creative is the lever for performance.

Success won’t just come from smart media buying. It will come from pairing automation with a steady stream of high-quality, brand-aligned creative.

Advertisers who scale creative volume and test consistently are more likely to win.

Reveal Offers in Cart

🎃 Add an extra layer of engagement by prompting shoppers to enter a code (e.g. BOO) at checkout to “unlock spooky savings.”

This creates a sense of discovery and boosts completion rates.

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💥 NexGrill, an outdoor cooking and heating brand, joined Walmart Marketplace in 2022.

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👏 Now’s your chance to follow their lead, and as a new seller you’re eligible to save up to $75,000 in New-Seller Savings, Walmart’s incentive program going on now.

🎧 Strategic Levers to Build Massive Meta Momentum Throughout Q4

Q4 is officially here!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain the biggest opportunities of the year for DTC brands but only if you keep the momentum going.

In this episode of the DTC Podcast, we sit down with Pilothouse’s Jocelyn K (Senior Media Buyer) and Jocelyn H (Senior Strategist) to talk about what’s new on Meta this year, how to structure offers, and why momentum is everything.

In this episode you’ll find insights like:

• Don’t procrastinate! Why you need to launch campaigns on November 1st rather than waiting until the last minute.
• The benefits of keeping your promo simple and split-testing in advance.
• Why you’ll see the biggest performance gains by testing this one thing. (Hint: It starts with a C)
• Avoid burning through your budget by using this organization tactic in your ads account.
• The power of evergreen ads and ‘Trojan Horse’ creatives over newer BFCM ads.
• The advantages and dangers of using AI in your ad creation process.
• And…why Q4 isn't the peak season for every brand and how to stock the pond for Q1.

👉 Listen to the full episode with Jocelyn K and Jocelyn H here.

Is your email list shrinking?

If your customers are feeling the email fatigue don’t just offer the option to “unsubscribe”, give them other choices.

For brands using Klaviyo, add frequency options like:

• Unsubscribe
• Only sales emails
• Only Black Friday and Cyber Monday emails

This way, you keep shoppers on your list who still want promos even if they don’t want weekly campaigns.

Small tweak = Big retention lift. 🚀

📥 Got a B2B Biz?

Join dozens of B2B companies finding demand-gen success through our niche community of 150k brand leaders and founders this year. Talk to our team to learn more.

Have you heard our latest podcasts?

• 📐 Ad-venturous 22: The Try-Angle Method for Smarter Brands
• 👚 TWBERP 53: Examining Urban Outfitters’ Email Machine
• 🚀 Highland’s $10M Playbook and CAC Payback
• 💡 AKNF 546: Pilothouse’s Strategy Team Transforms Ad Accounts
• ⛰️ Ad-venturous 21: Cringe Mountain and Why fearless Brands Win
• 😨 TWBERP 52: Don’t Let This Tactic Tank Q4

Don’t forget to rate the DTC Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.

Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content.