Stronger Returns | Gusbourne Google Ads Case Study

What we were up against

Gusbourne is an English winemaker producing premium vintage sparkling and still wines, made exclusively from grapes grown on its own vineyards in Kent and West Sussex. Founded in 2004, the estate is built on a meticulous, quality-first approach, from the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines through to traditional method winemaking, and its wines have earned international recognition for craftsmanship and consistency.

When we took on the account, spend was running high but the returns weren't keeping pace. There was clear room to do more with less, and the goal we set was a deliberate one: reduce spend while increasing ROAS and overall conversion value. That meant rebuilding the account around efficiency rather than volume.

Two things made it harder than a standard restructure.

First, alcohol advertising policy placed real constraints on the account, limiting ad formats, restricting product visibility, and ruling out remarketing and certain campaign types that most advertisers take for granted.

Second, the account leaned heavily on brand terms, with the bulk of revenue coming from high-intent buyers who were already looking for Gusbourne by name. That flattered the numbers, but it wasn't a foundation for growth, because much of that spend was chasing people who would likely have converted anyway.

How we tackled it

We started with a full account restructure, rebuilt from the ground up around efficiency. Rather than push for raw volume, every decision was weighed against what it contributed to return and conversion value.

The alcohol advertising restrictions meant we couldn't rely on the usual playbook, so we took a disciplined test-and-learn approach instead.

We worked methodically within the limits on formats and campaign types, refining continuously and letting performance data tell us where to lean in and where to pull back, rather than assuming what would work.

The bigger strategic shift was moving the account beyond its dependence on brand terms. We redirected focus towards non-brand activity, opening the account up to people discovering Gusbourne for the first time rather than concentrating budget on those already set on buying.

It was a far more sustainable basis for growth, and it meant the spend was working to win genuinely incremental revenue rather than taking credit for sales that would have happened regardless.

What we achieved

The result was exactly the efficiency story we'd set out to build. Across the year the refinements delivered stronger performance on a smaller budget, and in Q4 2025, following the new account structure, the picture was clear.

•ROAS improved from 258% to 418%
•Media spend down 28% year on-year
•Revenue from Google Ads up by 15%
•Google Ads conversions up by 7%

Just as importantly, the shape of the account changed. Non-brand traffic grew substantially, and a far wider range of keywords began driving conversions, many of which had never contributed to performance before. The account was no longer propped up by brand demand alone, which gives Gusbourne a more durable platform to grow from.