Q2 2026: BLOCK 1

Q2 2026 - QUARTERLY WORKSHOP

BLOCK 1: Contextualization

1. Q2 Intro
2. Quarter 1 vs Quarter 2 in 2026
3. Quarter 2 2026 vs Quarter 2 2025
4. Q2 Historical Metrics
5. Q2 Consumer Behavior
6. Q2 2026 Macroeconomic Context
7. Where do brands usually get stuck in Q2

Q2 Intro

Months: April, May, June

We come from a lot of volatility in Q1.

Meta updates screwing everything, many accounts restricted, the consumer doesn’t want to spend a lot of money, conversion rates die mid month, …

Q2 is typically more stable.

Conversion rate goes up and we can scale confidently.

BUT the cost of traffic will go up.

So manual overbidding (lower CPMs) and high-CTR ad creatives will be a MUST.

As I mentioned last year, and as I’ve told my clients, this quarter is super important.

In August, sales will go down, and September/October are also usually a bit shit.

How much we can push in Q2, really determines our 2026 numbers.

Quarter 1 vs Quarter 2 in 2026

Quarter 1:

• Post-Q4 “broke” customer
• The consumer wants “New Year, New Me”
• Low CPMs and low Conversion Rate
• Winter Sales and Valentine’s Day
• People buy with logic and are scared

Quarter 2:

• ☀️☀️☀️☀️
• After Spring Break+ Easter Holidays
• Higher CPMs but higher conversion rate
• Mother’s Day, Spring Sales, Mid Season Sales
• Lots of Summer Drops / Summer Collection Releases
• More emotional buying
• Summer anticipation

Quarter 2 2026 vs Quarter 2 2025

• In 2025, Andromeda was slowly being implemented, now it’s fully running and we have adapted
• Before: 1-2 ads carry all the ad account
• Now: We need 2-5 ads per angle per avatar (creative depth)

• High frequency and low incremental reach were not a problem back then, but now they are
  
• 2026: Lots of AI ad creatives
• 2026: Lots of partnership and whitelisting ads
• 2026: Lots of listicles and dedicated landing pages
  

Q2 Historical Metrics

CPMs

CPC vs Conversion Rate

Conclusions:

• CPM will go up
• Conversion rate will go up
• To win, we need to lower the CPM (overbidding) and increase the CTR (ad creatives)

Q2 Consumer Behavior

As it’s now sunny, and people go out more, do people buy more early in the day and less in the afternoon?

I don’t see huge changes, but you MUST look at this on your own.

Theory:

• People are more active during the morning/early afternoon and less active afternoon/night

Q2 Macroeconomic Context

Honestly, very challenging context.

1. Iran War
   Oil price is up (even if it corrects, re-building the infrastructure etc. will keep prices up imo) which increases the price of everything eventually

What could improve overall consumer confidence and desirability to spend?

• War ending
• Interest rates cut
• Inflation stabilizing

USA midterms in November 2026

• Before any election, all politicians artificially push the economy to have a better sentiment and get votes
• We could have the above 3 points before midterms

In practicality, what can help us have high ROAS during this challenging macro context?

1. CREATIVES
   Stronger hooks and more eye-catching images
   Be direct in advertising “identity, lifestyle, desire, summer” in your messaging
   
2. Overbidding Cost Caps and Bid Caps
   
3. Reduce any friction in the buying process
   Eliminate any small doubt
   Clear offer, clear outcome

Social proof visible fast

4. Strategic Wave Surfing
   (more on this later)
   
5. Flash Campaigns

Where do brands usually get stuck in Q2

• They take too much time to adapt their messaging to “Summer 2026”
  
• They stop running flash campaigns
  Q1: Winter Sale
  Q2: Nothing
  Q3: Summer Sale
  Q4: BFCM / Christmas
  
• No overbidding and no wave surfing
  (more on this later)