GRADUATED MONEY
/ WEEK 2 BRIEF
The buyer told us who she is.
Week 1 data revealed the actual buyer pool. The strategy pivots to match. Inside: 30 angles, scripts, hooks, the next 7 days, and the one account-level priority that protects everything we're building.
Meta showed us who's actually buying.
We launched believing the 17-28 dancer was the primary audience. The data says otherwise. The mom watching from the sidelines isn't our backup angle anymore. She's the lead.
83% of spend went to women 35 and up.
We targeted broad with an 18-45 cap on the ad set. Meta's algorithm pushed 83% of impressions to women 35 and older. Why? The pixel had no buyer signal yet, so it defaulted to the demographic Meta knows historically buys beauty products on cold ads. That's 35-54 women.
Here's what we learned by accident. 3 of our 4 Adds to Cart came from women 35-44. The buyer isn't the dancer. The buyer is the mom shopping for her daughter, or the woman 35+ who still performs in her own way. Corporate athletes. Fitness moms. Post-college dancers. Women who move and refuse to settle for lashes that quit on them.
This is actually a gift. No major lash brand owns the mother-daughter occasion space. Not Lilly Lashes. Not Glamnetic. Not KISS. That's untouched white space, and we're sitting on top of it.
Spend by Age Bracket (Female)
| 18-24 | $0.91 · 0.8% |
| 25-34 | $4.08 · 3.7% |
| 35-44 (3 of 4 ATCs) | $43.57 · 40% |
| 45-54 (high CTR, 0 ATC) | $46.71 · 43% |
| 55-64 (1 ATC, low spend) | $7.38 · 6.8% |
| 65+ | $4.64 · 4.3% |
The strategic takeaway: We don't kill the performance positioning. Performance is the brand promise. But the creative has to speak to the mom buyer first, dancer second. Mom holds the credit card. Daughter holds the routine. Both have to feel seen, but the mom has to be the one we sell to.
A quick heads up before we keep building.
Caught early in week 1, easy fix. Wanted to walk through what's happening and how we'll handle this kind of thing going forward so it never slows us down.
Quick note on Meta billing.
Good news first. We're lucky this one popped up in week 1 with only a few days of spend behind it. The Kemp Beauty ad account is currently showing UNSETTLED status in Business Manager, which just means Meta couldn't pull on the card. Could be an auto-bill hiccup, could be the card needs reverification. Either way, it's a 5-minute fix and we catch it now before it costs us anything real.
Here's how I want us to run it going forward, because this is going to come up again over the next 90 days for any account spending daily. I check the account every 3 to 4 days with a 7-day lookback window for the first month, then we settle into a cleaner rhythm once the pixel matures. But Meta sends billing alerts to the Business Manager admin (you) before they hit me, so the fastest path is you catching it first and giving me a heads up. We both stay protected that way.
Quick playbook so this becomes a non-issue:
- Today: Settle the outstanding balance. Business Manager → Billing & Payments → Payment Activity → pay the unpaid amount.
- Add a backup card. Two payment methods on file. Primary auto-bills, secondary kicks in if the first fails. Meta handles the fallback automatically.
- Quick Monday check. 60 seconds in Business Manager → Billing to confirm status is ACTIVE. That's it. After a month or two this becomes muscle memory.
- Forward me any billing email Meta sends. Drop it in the group chat. I can usually triage from the subject line.
- Group chat is always open. Anything looks off, send it. No question is too small when delivery is on the line.
Why I'm flagging it: An UNSETTLED account can pause delivery in 24-72 hours if it sits. We don't want that, mostly because we just spent a week training Meta's algorithm on the mom-daughter buyer signal and a delivery reset would cost us that progress. Fast fix today, easy habit going forward, and we're good.
The strategy resets clean.
Eight moves for the next 7 to 14 days. In order. No bumping budget until we've earned the right to scale.
Fix the pixel today
Meta sees 0 purchases. Shopify saw 4. The Purchase event isn't deduping correctly between Pixel and CAPI. Until this is fixed, nothing else matters. Events Manager → Test Events → real test purchase → verify Purchase fires both client-side and server-side.
Tighten age targeting
Edit the ad set. Hard-cap age at 25-44. Turn OFF Advantage+ Audience expansion (this is the toggle letting Meta deliver outside our range). The 18-24 bucket got zero meaningful delivery. The 45+ bucket is window-shopping not buying.
Pivot placements to manual
Switch off Advantage+ Placements. Manual select: IG Reels, IG Stories, Facebook Feed. Kill IG Feed (eating budget, zero ATCs) and Threads (noise). Expect blended CPM to drop from $68 toward $40-50.
Rebrief creative 70/30
70% of next round of creative leans into mom and mom-daughter angles. 30% stays in pure performance positioning. The mom is the buyer. The daughter is the why. Brief in this document.
Cut all video to 15 seconds
Hook rate was 59%. Strong. ThruPlay dropped to 13%. The middle of the videos is losing them. New default cut length is 15 seconds. Anything 30 seconds or longer needs to earn that runtime with a story payoff.
Launch retargeting Day 10
We have 390 sessions warm now. Launch the retargeting campaign at $10/day CBO. 14-day PDP visitors + 30-day IG engagers. Single-unit offer with UGC creative. Highest ROAS line in the account once it's running.
Hold cold budget at $25/day
Do NOT scale spend until CVR climbs back above 1.5% and CPA hits target. We're not throwing more fuel on a leaky funnel. Holding gives Meta time to learn the corrected audience.
Day 14 scale decision
If pixel is healthy, CVR is back to 1.5%+, and CPA is sub-$25, we bump cold to $40-50/day. If not, we hold spend and refine creative for another cycle. Discipline over impatience.
30 angles. 30 hooks. Built to feed the engine.
Organized by funnel stage. Each angle has a hook (literal first 3 seconds of the video), a script direction, a length spec, and why it works. Production stays on your team. Briefs stay on mine. Pull from this list in batches of 10-15 for the next 30 days.
How to use this: Pick 10-12 angles per shoot day. Cover all three funnel stages. Lead with the TOF scroll stoppers (60% of shoot time), layer in 30% MOF storytelling, finish with 10% BOF retargeting variants. The hooks are the first 3 seconds. The script is what happens after. Everything is shot vertical 9:16. Production-grade or UGC-raw, both work, but the brand voice has to come through.
Scroll Stoppers
Pattern interrupts and openers built for cold traffic. First 3 seconds carry the whole video. Designed to stop the thumb, pre-qualify the mom buyer, and pull her into the brand world.
The Mom Confessional
Mom on camera, no makeup, kitchen lighting. Explains daughter is a competitive dancer. Strips fall off mid-routine. Daughter cried after losing one on stage. Tried Kemp. They didn't move. Now she swears by them. Cut to product reveal.
Why it works · Pre-qualifies the actual buyer. Permission to buy. Emotional anchor.
The Founder Origin
Dana direct to camera, soft natural light. Tells the story plain. Years of watching her daughter perform under pressure. Lashes failing at the worst possible time. Built the lash that doesn't fail. Closes on product in hand.
Why it works · Founder POV trains the pixel for serious buyers. Story over feature.
The 60-Second Flex
No narration. Speed-run application start to finish. Stopwatch live on screen. Ends at exactly 60 seconds with full lashes done. Caption: "Apply in the time it takes to brush your teeth."
Why it works · Demonstration beats explanation. Pure proof of the speed claim.
The Mid-Tumble Test
Sports-edit style, hard cuts, no dialog for first 8 sec. Cheer comp, dance routine, gymnast vault. Lashes never move. End frame: Kemp Beauty logo. Caption: "Built for what you do."
Why it works · Performance positioning hits hard. The visual is the message.
Strip Lashes Are A Scam
Mom or fitness woman on camera. Opinionated, direct. Goes through it: glue irritation, mid-day lift, ruined contacts, the half-stuck hangover look. Lands on: "These don't do that." Quick product cut.
Why it works · Pattern interrupt. Polarizing claim pulls people in.
The Side By Side
15 seconds, no narration. Music plus text overlay only. Each side filmed during the same routine. Caption: "One survives a routine. The other doesn't."
Why it works · Visual comparison. No convincing needed.
Sneaking These Into Her Comp Bag
Mom narrates the secret. Last comp, daughter's lashes failed mid-stage. This time she's slipping Kemp Beauty into the comp bag before she leaves. Won't tell her until after the routine. Heart-warming, gift-like energy.
Why it works · Gift behavior plus mom-daughter emotion. This is the buyer we just found.
What Nobody Tells You About Extensions
Customer direct to camera. Breaks down the real cost of extensions: the fills, the damage, the time, the salon trips. Then reveals Kemp Beauty as the cost-saving alternative. Application demo as outro.
Why it works · Money math is a universal hook. Practical pivot to the solution.
The "Before I Found These" Confessional
Real customer, real bathroom, real morning routine. Tells the lash horror stories of pre-Kemp life. Quick cut to: clean application, gym scene, lashes intact at the end of the workout.
Why it works · Specificity builds trust. The pre-state pain is universal.
The Quiet Flex
Slow reveal. Packaging quality shown in soft light. Box opens. Lashes inside. Hand hovering over the different styles. Caption reveal: "The lash they're not advertising on TV yet."
Why it works · Luxury energy. Pre-discovery exclusivity feel.
Storytelling & Education
For the buyer who saw the scroll stopper, lingered, and now wants to understand. Brand-building, education, demonstration. These videos earn the click.
The Full Application Tutorial
POV mirror tutorial. Tweezers, cluster, placement, press, set. Narrated calmly. Camera close to eye. Each step labeled with on-screen text. Outro: "Took me 60 seconds. No glue. No mess."
Why it works · Demystifies the product. Removes friction for first-time buyers.
Why Pre-Glued Beats Strips
Demo of strip lash application with all its problems (glue dripping, alignment issues, drying time, eye irritation). Cut to Kemp pre-glued application: tweezers, press, done. Side by side.
Why it works · Educational comparison frames Kemp as the upgrade.
Why Pre-Glued Beats Extensions
Math on screen, narrated voice. Yearly cost of extensions vs. yearly cost of Kemp clusters. Side calculation. Caption: "You're buying time, not just lashes."
Why it works · Economic argument lands for the 35+ buyer who values practicality.
The Four Styles Tour
Quick walkthrough of Caris, Dana, Legacy, Babyface. Each on a model. Each labeled with the vibe (e.g., "Dana = soft full, everyday confidence"). Outro: "Mix and match." Babyface lingers slightly longer (our hero).
Why it works · Helps the undecided buyer choose. Reduces overwhelm.
Recital Morning (The Ritual)
Mini-doc style. Mom and daughter preparing. Coffee. Hair. Stretches. Lash application as part of the ritual. Backstage moment. Performance shot. Mom watching from the wings. Daughter beaming. Lashes still on at curtain call.
Why it works · Storytelling over selling. Builds the brand world. Mom-daughter front and center.
Behind The Brand
Mini-doc on Dana. Footage of her at the warehouse, the test lab, the shoot. Daughter cameos. Lash development story. The "why we're different" reveal. Premium feel.
Why it works · Brand equity build. Premium positioning. People buy stories before products.
A Day With Kemp Lashes On
Time-lapse plus clip-driven day journey. Coffee at 7. Workout at 10. Lunch meeting at 1. School pickup at 3. Dinner at 7. Late drinks at 10. Midnight close-up: lashes still on.
Why it works · Proves the all-day claim. Real life over studio claims.
The Coach Endorsement
Dance instructor or cheer coach on camera, in their studio or on the floor. Authority figure for the daughter, decision-influencer for the mom. Specific moments where Kemp held up under stress.
Why it works · Authority plus niche credibility. Coach is the gatekeeper.
The No-Glue-Mess Comparison
Side-by-side teardown. Strip lashes removed with residue stuck to eyelid. Kemp Beauty removed clean. Camera close-up. Caption: "Press-on doesn't punish your eyes."
Why it works · Pain-point reveal that's hard to argue with.
The First-Time Application
New customer applying for the first time, narrating live. Their hesitation. Their surprise at how easy it is. Their reaction to the finished look. Honest, unscripted, raw lighting.
Why it works · Authenticity sells. People want to see someone like them figure it out.
Conversion & Retargeting
For the buyer who's already seen the brand once, twice, three times. These close. Social proof, urgency, founder direct address, specific objection handling. Save for retargeting, not cold.
The Reviews Compilation
Customer or founder narrating real customer reviews on screen. Highlights unexpected praise. Specific moments customers called out. Visual proof: customer photos alongside the reviews.
Why it works · Social proof at scale. For retargeting buyers who saw the product and bounced.
What Surprised Me
Each customer finishes the sentence differently. "...how easy they were to apply." "...how light they felt." "...that I slept in them." "...that my husband didn't notice." End frame: brand logo.
Why it works · Reps the testimonial format that converts hardest in beauty.
Founder Direct Address
Dana to camera. Speaks directly to the hesitant buyer. Addresses common doubts: are they hard to apply, will they hold, are they worth the money. Personal, calm, confident. Closes with the offer.
Why it works · Closing pressure from the founder, not a salesperson. Disarms doubt.
The 2-Pack Math
Money math on screen. Single: $24.99. 2-pack: $41.58 (so $20.79 each). Free shipping included. Cost per application breakdown. Math sells the bundle.
Why it works · For the buyer who's already considering but needs the offer pushed.
The Gift Angle
Product reveal with gift packaging. Mom giving to daughter. Daughter giving to mom. The lash kit as a gift moment. Hits both gifter and giftee psychology. Soft music, intimate framing.
Why it works · Opens up a non-consumption-cycle purchase reason.
Customer Photos Collage
Fast-cut collage of real customer photos. Different ages, ethnicities, settings. Performance shots, casual shots, comp shots. Music-driven. Brand reveal at end.
Why it works · Visual social proof at scale.
The Sweat Test
Customer at the gym mid-workout. Sweat on the face. Lashes intact. Compares to old strip lashes that would have peeled off by now. Real-time durability proof.
Why it works · Performance proof at the niche level (fitness audience).
The Sleep Test
Morning POV. Customer wakes up. Camera close. Lashes still on. Quick mirror flip. They look fine. Caption: "Yes, you can sleep in them. Yes, they stay."
Why it works · Addresses a specific objection a lot of new buyers have.
Day 1 vs Day 5 Wear
Time-lapse documentation. Day 1 close-up. Day 5 close-up after wearing them through workouts, showers, sleep. Side by side. Caption: "Up to 7-day wear."
Why it works · Duration proof for the buyer who needs to justify cost.
The "Never Again" Close
Pure direct address. Real bathroom, real morning, real talk. Speaks to the embarrassment. Then introduces the solution. Closes with: "Never again."
Why it works · Specific shared experience hits harder than general claims.
What to shoot. How to shoot it.
The non-negotiables on the production side. Anything outside these specs makes my job harder and your reach smaller.
Format & Aspect Ratio
- Vertical 9:16 only. Shoot vertical. Crop vertical. No horizontal source footage.
- Resolution: 1080×1920 minimum. 4K source preferred.
- Frame rate: 30 or 60 fps. No 24 fps cinema for ads.
- Codec: H.264 MP4. Under 4GB file size.
- Safe zones: Keep critical text and faces in the center 60% (the rest gets cropped by Meta's overlays).
Hook Discipline (0-3 sec)
- Movement in frame 1. No static logos, no slow fades.
- Spoken hook lands by 1.5 sec. If the line takes longer, cut intro.
- Face on camera early. Eyes meet camera within 2 sec for direct-address ads.
- No brand reveal in first 5 sec. Pull them in first. Sell second.
- Captions burned in. 85% of Meta video is watched on mute.
Lighting & Look
- Natural light wins. Window light, soft, morning or late afternoon.
- No ring lights for UGC. Looks staged and dates fast.
- Real environments. Real bathrooms, real kitchens, real gyms, real backstage.
- Match Kemp's palette where possible. Blush pink, ivory, soft gold accents. Avoid clinical white or harsh corporate.
Voice & Tone
- Mom-first voice. Warm, confident, practical. Not influencer-y.
- Daughter-aware. When she shows up, she's the why, not the sell.
- No corporate beauty talk. No "transform your look" or "elevate your lash game."
- Performance language. Hold, anchor, survive, perform, last, endure.
- Real talk over polish. Imperfect delivery sells better than scripted.
Talent Mix
- Lead casting: Women 30-45. The buyer demographic.
- Secondary casting: Daughters 13-22 (in roles, not lead).
- UGC casting: Real customers when possible. Real performers. Real coaches.
- Founder presence: Dana in 2-3 angles per shoot day. Founder POV is our pixel signal.
Delivery to Patrick
- File naming: Angle # + short title + length. Example: "07_SneakingComp_25s.mp4"
- Drop link: Google Drive folder, organized by funnel stage.
- Cadence: 10-15 fresh assets every 7 days minimum.
- Notes: If a hook or shot changed during production, drop a one-line note in the file name or a sidecar text file.
The week, mapped.
Specific moves, in order, with owners. Nothing happens by accident.
Monday — Account & Pixel
Kemp: Settle Meta billing, add backup card. Kemp: Fix Purchase event in Events Manager (test end-to-end). GM: Verify status flips to ACTIVE, pixel firing clean.
Tuesday — Ad Set Tightening
GM: Edit ad set to 25-44 hard cap. Disable A+A expansion. Switch to manual placements (IG Reels, IG Stories, FB Feed). Confirm delivery resumes.
Wednesday — Creative Production Day 1
Kemp: Shoot batch 1 (10-12 angles from this brief). Lead with TOF mom-confessional and founder origin angles. Deliver raw files by Thursday EOD.
Thursday — Creative QA + Edit
Kemp: Edit batch 1 to 15-second cuts. Captions burned in. GM: Review, approve, queue for upload.
Friday — Launch New Creative
GM: Upload 6-8 new ads to the testing ad set. Pause the underperforming launch ads if data is clear by then. Hold budget at $25/day.
Saturday — Soft Check
GM: Monitor delivery, no edits. Kemp: Verify billing still ACTIVE. Light read on early CTR + Hook Rate by ad.
Sunday — Plan Next Week
GM: Brief batch 2 (next 10-12 angles). Kemp: Schedule shoot day 2. We meet Monday morning with full week 2 data + retargeting launch plan.
Day 10-12 · Retargeting Launch
GM: Spin up the retargeting campaign at $10/day. 14-day PDP + 30-day IG engagers. Single-unit offer. Highest-ROAS spend in the account once live.
Let's cook this week.
Settle the billing first. Brief in your team on the 30 angles. Schedule the first shoot day. Hit me on the group chat with any questions. We'll meet Monday morning with fresh data.
Let's cook