Rock 'Em Socks
Rock 'Em Socks teamed up with Snap and Subtropic to test UGC-style creator videos for its NFL collection. The results proved the power of native content, driving a higher return on ad spend and a lower cost per purchase versus traditional static ads.
“Partnering with Subtropic completely transformed our content strategy. Their creators delivered authentic, high-performing assets that not only elevated our brand presence but directly boosted conversions.”
- Harrison Hall, Digital Marketing Director, Rock 'Em Socks
The Creative Static Stuck Socks Scenario
When Rock 'Em Socks began, it was a dorm-room side hustle at University of Central Florida. It’s since grown into a full-blown licensed lifestyle accessory brand with more than 10,000 bold designs covering pop-culture, sports and entertainment.
The team’s usual paid social setup leaned on static visuals — great for glance and recognition — but video-native audiences want motion, story, and authenticity. The Rock 'Em Socks team knew that if they wanted to connect deeply with sports fans and other culture-driven audiences inside Snapchat, they’d need to upgrade their creative game to match the native feel of the platform.
From Static to Story: Game-Changing Creative Wins
The company arrived at a creative partnership with Subtropic to flip the script, moving from polished static posts to creator-led, UGC-style video assets built specifically for Snapchat’s native environment. They created a campaign around Rock 'Em Socks’ NFL collection, and then directly tested UGC video versus non-UGC static ads for the same audience segments.
The results were huge. Embracing a more spontaneous, authentic feel that matched how the target already consumes content in feed enabled them to squeeze far better performance:
34% higher return on ad spend with UGC-style video compared to non-UGC static ads 1
36% cost per purchase 1
The creative shift, which aligned natively-styled video content with Snapchat’s authentic vibe, proved to make the difference with thoughtful testing. For Rock 'Em Socks, the new approach resulted in stronger engagement, more cost-efficient conversions, and a clearer path from fandom to purchase. For any growing business considering digital advertising: UGC on Snapchat can show that beyond a brand just showing up in the feed, it belongs there.
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