Founded in 1957, Magalu (Magazine Luiza) has evolved from a single store into a Brazilian retail powerhouse.
Today, its omnichannel ecosystem spanning physical locations, a robust e-commerce platform, and a comprehensive SuperApp, delivers a fast, customer-centric shopping experience to millions across a vast catalog of products.
GOAL
In the highly competitive landscape of Brazilian e-commerce, Magalu sought to grow its app user base without losing profitability, especially during the strategic period leading up to Black Friday. The central challenge was not just to generate volume, but rather to bring in qualified users and efficiently reactivate the installed base. Magalu was already successfully using Preload campaigns via Google Play Auto Install (GPAI).
However, scaling the investment solely in pre-installs can often inflate the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) and not guarantee conversion in subsequent events. It was necessary to find a lever that explored the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) ecosystem beyond the obvious, connecting the installation to the final conversion.
ROCKET LAB's solution
In collaboration with Monks, a global marketing and technology agency, Rocket Lab engineered a comprehensive full-funnel strategy leveraging First-impact Ads, our proprietary OEM solution for User Acquisition and Retargeting.
Many marketing professionals believe that advertising on OEMs comes down to Preloads (GPAI). The differentiator in this case was precisely demystifying this view, using Rocket Lab's First-impact Ads (FIA) solution to explore Native Display inventory within manufacturers like Xiaomi. The strategy connected the top and middle of the funnel to leverage what was already being done in Preloads:
-
User Acquisition (UA) - Beyond Installation: While GPAI ensured the app's presence on the device, FIA Display campaigns reached the user in moments of high attention (such as when opening tool folders or on the notification screen), generating incremental installs with a high purchase intent profile.
-
Re-engagement (Retargeting) - The Demand "Warmer": The strategy focused on impacting the installed base (including those who already had the app via Preload but were inactive). Through native operating system formats, the OEM acted as a low-friction reminder, "warming up" the user for the purchasing journey without the saturation of traditional search networks.
CAMPAIGN RESULTS
Only a month later, the campaign showed clear and measurable impact.
The synergy between First-impact Ads' Display inventory and Magalu's existing media structure drove a massive leap in performance. Comparing the baseline month (October) with the acceleration period (November), the results showcased significant gains in both efficiency and profitability.
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) saw a dramatic drop of 36.1%, plummeting from R$25.65 to R$16.39. Concurrently, Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) surged by 36.4% (jumping from 5.38 to 7.34). Another major highlight was the Conversion Rate (CVR), which increased by 32.2%, proving that the traffic driven to the app was highly qualified.
This optimization directly impacted sales volume, resulting in a 56.5% increase in purchasing efficiency. In practical terms, Magalu began generating 61 purchases for every R$1,000 invested in media, compared to just 39 in the previous period.
Ultimately, the First-impact Ads strategy proved that OEM inventory is a true full-funnel channel. By integrating Native Display ads into their Preload strategy, Magalu not only lowered its acquisition costs but also maximized conversions across its entire user base. FIA served as the missing catalyst to transform a "user with an installed app" into an "active, engaged customer."
Ultimately, the First-impact Ads strategy proved that OEM inventory is a true full-funnel channel. By integrating Native Display ads into their Preload strategy, Magalu not only lowered its acquisition costs but also maximized conversions across its entire user base. FIA served as the missing catalyst to transform a "user with an installed app" into an "active, engaged customer."