Crushing Paid Social KPIs With Groundbreaking 122% ROAS Surge

Susan G. Komen's core donors are aging, so the nonprofit recognized the need to captivate younger supporters by aligning with their values like social justice and health equity. Komen set an ambitious dual objective: to maintain momentum with existing individual donors while proactively attracting a broader, younger audience to join its mission — all without additional budget. The challenge was thoughtfully balancing sustained support from loyal advocates with nurturing the next generation of supporters.

Susan G. Komen and GRADIANT launched a new "Needs" evergreen social media creative campaign, focusing on why Komen needs donors and how they help the fight against breast cancer. This campaign messaging differed from Komen's previous emotional appeals. Leveraging a multiplatform approach, they strategically targeted existing and new donors across Meta's Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Concurrently, the team focused on reaching a younger demographic through emerging platforms like TikTok and Twitch. This comprehensive social media mix was designed to drive optimal performance, amplify reach and cultivate a younger donor base. On Meta, conversion-focused ads resonated with existing CRM donors, which lifted key metrics. Meanwhile, the diverse TikTok and Twitch approach successfully generated brand awareness and website traffic among younger age groups, laying the groundwork for future conversion efforts.

Susan G. Komen and GRADIANT’s innovative social media campaign delivered remarkable results, including a 122% increase in return on ad spend and an 18% surge in overall donation revenue across Meta platforms. Beyond Meta, the multiplatform strategy reaped dividends in broader reach and engagement among the coveted younger demographic, generating 28.6 million impressions, 23 million video views, a 25% increase in website visitors aged 18-34, and over 6,000 new TikTok followers.