Breaking the Myth: Do "Facebook Ads" Really Boost Engagement? Showmax Proves a 4.1-Point Lift in Ad Recall!
The digital advertising landscape is evolving rapidly, with platforms like Meta introducing cutting-edge tools to enhance FB ads performance. At the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Meta unveiled its next-generation generative AI solutions, empowering advertisers to deliver hyper-personalized ad experiences at scale. Among these innovations, Facebook Reels has emerged as a game-changer for brands aiming to boost engagement and recall. A prime example is Showmax, Africa’s leading streaming service, which leveraged Reels in an A/B test to measure its impact on brand awareness and ad recall. The results were compelling—a 4.1-point lift in standard ad recall when Reels were included in the Facebook ads mix. This case study underscores the growing importance of Reels as a high-impact ad placement, particularly for brands targeting younger demographics.
I. Showmax’s A/B Testing Methodology
Showmax’s experiment was designed to isolate the influence of Reels on FB ads performance. The team created two distinct cells: a control group featuring ads in traditional Instagram and Facebook ads placements (Feed and Stories) and a test group that incorporated Reels alongside these standard placements. All other variables—creative assets, audience targeting, and campaign duration—remained identical. This approach ensured that any performance differences could be attributed solely to the inclusion of Reels. The test ran from March to May 2023, targeting adults in South Africa aged 18 and above. By maintaining strict consistency between the two cells, Showmax obtained clear, actionable insights into how Reels could amplify brand metrics compared to conventional Facebook ads.
II. Campaign Execution and Creative Strategy
The creative execution played a pivotal role in Showmax’s success. The humorous video ad depicted people enthusiastically recounting plotlines of their favorite Showmax series to friends and family, accompanied by the tagline: “No one tells a story like a local.” This approach resonated deeply with the audience, blending relatability with cultural authenticity. The ad also featured a prominent “Sign Up” CTA, directing viewers to the Showmax subscription page. By focusing on South Africa’s 18+ demographic, the campaign tapped into a broad yet highly engaged audience. The seamless integration of Reels into the FB ads media plan allowed the ad to benefit from the platform’s immersive, full-screen format, which naturally encourages higher engagement rates than static placements.
III. Results and Performance Analysis
The A/B test yielded impressive results, validating Reels as a powerful tool for brand lift. Beyond the 4.1-point increase in ad recall, Showmax observed secondary uplifts in brand awareness (+1.1 points) and consideration (+0.6 points). These metrics are critical for streaming platforms, where top-of-funnel awareness directly correlates with subscriber growth. The study also highlighted Reels’ effectiveness in driving mid-funnel actions, such as prompting users to explore Showmax’s offerings. Axel Schiefer, Showmax’s Paid & Owned Digital Media Manager, noted that Reels provided a “captivating landscape for storytelling,” making it easier to merge entertainment with precise audience targeting in Facebook ads.
IV. Demographic-Specific Insights
One of the most striking findings was the 4.6-point surge in consideration among users aged 18–24. This demographic, known for its short attention span and preference for snackable content, responded exceptionally well to Reels’ dynamic format. The results suggest that Reels is particularly effective for youth-focused FB ads, where traditional placements often struggle to cut through the noise. For Showmax, this insight is invaluable—streaming services thrive on younger subscribers who drive word-of-mouth buzz and long-term loyalty. The data reinforces the need for brands to tailor their Reels strategies to younger audiences, leveraging trends, humor, and interactive elements to maximize impact.
V. Comparative Case Study: Naiss Clinic’s Reels Success
Showmax isn’t the only brand reaping Reels’ rewards. Taiwan’s Naiss Clinic, a premium aesthetic clinic, optimized its Facebook ads using Meta’s best practices—vertical 9:16 formatting, sound-on videos, and “safe zone” design to avoid UI obstructions. The outcome? A 35% increase in potential customers and a 31% reduction in cost per lead. The clinic’s Messenger and Instagram Reels ads also saw a 17% boost in reach, proving that Reels can drive tangible business outcomes beyond brand metrics. Naiss Clinic’s success demonstrates how vertical video, combined with clear CTAs, can enhance lead generation in industries where visual appeal and trust are paramount.
VI. Meta’s Generative AI Tools and Their Role
Meta’s latest AI advancements further amplify Reels’ potential. At Cannes Lions 2025, the company introduced tools like AI-driven ad personalization, which automates creative variations while maintaining brand consistency. Features such as dynamic video generation (turning static images into animated clips) and AI-powered CTA stickers enable advertisers to test multiple creatives rapidly. For Showmax, these tools could refine future FB ads by auto-generating culturally tailored versions of their ads, optimizing for different audience segments without manual intervention. As AI continues to evolve, its integration with Reels will likely unlock even higher engagement rates and cost efficiencies.
VII. Future Implications and Industry Trends
The success of Showmax and Naiss Clinic underscores the growing importance of Reels as a critical ad placement, reflecting a broader industry shift toward immersive, short-form content. Meta’s continuous innovations—such as expanded AI voice assistants for customer queries and virtual try-on ads—are further blurring the boundaries between entertainment and commerce, creating new opportunities for advertisers to engage audiences. In this evolving landscape, platforms like Topkee offer specialized solutions to maximize the effectiveness of Facebook ads, aligning with key trends and advertiser needs.
Topkee’s approach emphasizes multi-dimensional precise creativity and efficient conversion strategies, leveraging proprietary tools like TAG technology to enhance audience targeting and creative performance. By collecting and analyzing user behavior across platforms, Topkee enables advertisers to create highly segmented audience lists, ensuring tailored creative content delivery.
A critical advantage of Topkee’s methodology lies in its multi-player multi-position advertising capabilities, which integrate Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp to support diverse marketing goals—from awareness to sales performance. This interoperability is particularly valuable for reaching younger audiences, who disproportionately engage with Reels and cross-platform content. Additionally, Topkee’s remarketing plans address the high cost of acquiring new customers by prioritizing retention, leveraging data-driven strategies to re-engage existing audiences with optimized creative content.
Topkee’s TAG precise audience strategy further enhances ad efficiency by tracking user interactions and automating data sharing across platforms. Features like the AG return module and call tracking provide granular insights into conversion events, enabling advertisers to refine targeting and measure campaign impact. This complements Meta’s advancements in AI-driven tools, as Topkee’s TTO marketing tools streamline creative testing and iteration, allowing brands to adapt content rapidly based on performance data.
For creative optimization, Topkee employs audience segment lists and advertising creative collaboration workflows to reduce fatigue and maintain ad freshness. By monitoring creative performance through the TM tracking module, advertisers can dynamically adjust content to sustain engagement—a practice that aligns with the industry’s emphasis on AI tools for scalable creative testing. Furthermore, Topkee’s advertising conversion strategy utilizes similar audience expansion and TTO topic management to refine messaging, ensuring creative content resonates with high-potential audiences.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Showmax’s Reels experiment underscores the format’s ability to enhance brand lift while delivering measurable business outcomes. For marketers, the message is clear: Reels is no longer optional—it’s essential. Whether boosting awareness, engaging Gen Z, or reducing acquisition costs, Reels offers a versatile and high-impact channel. As Meta’s AI tools mature, advertisers who embrace these innovations early will gain a competitive edge. For brands looking to replicate Showmax’s success, partnering with digital marketing experts can help tailor strategies to leverage Reels and AI effectively in FB ads.