A funny f***ing story about the
UK’s most reliable tool supplier.
The setup
Builders and tradespeople were not happy bunnies in 2023.
Their turnover was down from anywhere between 17–40% in just one year.
On the other side of the fence, our family run online powertools client, Howe Tools, were locked in a depressing cycle of PPC-only business generation.
It was costing them a packet and was a typically miserable affair.
They needed a campaign that could rise above the clutter and get tradies talking about the most reliable power tool supplier in the UK.
They needed to cut the sh*t and cut through the b*llocks.
The aim
Decrease Howe’s grim dependency on hefty ‘tap-always-on’ PPC spend ✔️
Generate organic sales ✔️
Fatten their margins back up to where they belonged, before the days of ‘always on’ sales ✔️
Help them stand out among the 15-20 other online brands they were struggle-sharing the market with ✔️
Cheer everyone the F**k up ✔️
The masterplan
Tradies hate unreliable suppliers. The bane of their existence.
But guess what? So does Howe Tools. They boasted a bold promise to all customers: if it’s on our website, it’s on our shelves. Guaranteed. And they had a 4.9% Trustpilot rating to prove it.
The challenge was communication. Above online competitors. Above the industry’s big dogs.
This campaign didn’t just need to cut through, it needed to punch a f*cking hole in the wall. So we went all out. We challenged not just the client but the ASA to create a sweary, funny campaign that spoke the language of our audience. No nonsense. Just reliability.
The response was enormous. Boasting some of the best ROAS figures we’ve ever seen.
All without ever once uttering the word ‘sale’ or ‘promotion’.
28.03%
Reach to impressions ratio
26:1 ROAS
up from 4:1
38.56%
Purchase conversion rate
