In 2025, Diesel set out to grow SEM revenue YoY without sacrificing efficiency in an increasingly automated and competitive fashion retail landscape. The core idea was to move Search away from a rigid, efficiency-only mindset and toward controlled, profitable scale, using automation strategically rather than defensively.
With high allocation of annual SEM investment for both Google and Microsoft Ads, Diesel faced four clear objectives. First, to drive meaningful year-over-year revenue growth from Search. Second, to maintain stable efficiency despite higher investment levels. Third, to rebuild confidence in automation, particularly Performance Max (PMax), after inconsistent results from a more manual, PLA-led approach. Finally, to ensure SEM could protect demand and offset softness in Organic traffic during peak sales periods.
The strategy in 2025 focused on improving conversion quality, strengthening Brand coverage, and reassessing the role of automation across the funnel, so that in the future, there will be room to increase incremental traffic. Success would be measured not just by revenue growth, but by the ability to scale responsibly, protect Brand demand during peak competition, and build a Search framework capable of delivering sustainable performance beyond a single trading window.
To bring the strategy to life, Diesel and Crealytics restructured SEM across Brand, Non-Brand, and Shopping activity, focusing on simplification, learning velocity, and smarter use of automation.
We re-engineered Brand Search to act as a stable revenue lever rather than a purely defensive channel. Exact-match keyword coverage was expanded to capture high-intent demand more consistently, particularly during promotional periods. While CPCs inflated during peak moments, this approach protected demand in the face of declining Organic visibility and delivered stronger efficiency at scale.
We also streamlined Non-Brand Search to prioritise commercially relevant queries and reduce dilution from low-intent traffic. Instead of pursuing incremental clicks, the focus shifted to tighter query matching, clearer intent segmentation, and improved conversion quality. This allowed the channel to scale revenue more efficiently, even as overall spend was reduced.
A critical challenge came from Shopping performance. For much of the year, a PLA-first approach constrained scale and limited algorithmic learning. Through structured testing and continuous strategy reviews, we identified PMax as the stronger long-term solution. Ahead of Q4, PMax was repositioned as the core Shopping format, giving the algorithm sufficient time to learn before peak trading. This shift enabled more effective full-funnel targeting, while also supporting lower-funnel Brand and exact-match demand.
To support performance stability further, we consolidated campaigns from multiple small structures into fewer, larger campaigns, improving data density and optimisation signals. Geo testing further refined relevance, with learnings from a Jeans Geo test leading to the rollout of geo modifiers across major metropolitan areas.
The result was a SEM program that balanced control and automation, using machine learning where it clearly outperformed manual optimisation, while retaining strategic oversight to ensure commercial accountability.
SEM delivered strong, balanced growth against Diesel’s 2025 objectives across US, Canada, and Mexico markets.
Overall Performance
SEM delivered 9% YoY revenue growth alongside a 13% increase in orders, maintaining a stable ROAS despite higher investment levels YoY.
Brand Search
Brand Search protected and scaled demand during peak competition. Expanded keyword coverage delivered 29% more revenue for Brand Combi, offsetting declining Organic visibility during critical trading periods. Pure Brand drove 9% more revenue at 16% higher efficiency YoY.
Non-Brand Search
Non-Brand performance improved materially through stronger traffic quality and conversion efficiency. Revenue doubled YoY on 32% less spend, with ROAS also doubling, supported by a fourfold improvement in conversion rate.
PMax & Shopping
Repositioning PMax as the core Shopping format proved pivotal. The shift delivered stronger end-of-year returns, with December marking peak performance and achieving 14.5% more revenue with 7% less spend compared to December last year. This also stabilised YoY performance for the Shopping segment and established a scalable framework for 2026.
Peak Trading Impact
During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, SEM delivered standout results, driving 23% higher revenue YoY while maintaining a profitable, on-target ROAS, confirming Search as Diesel’s primary growth engine during peak trading.
