Welcome to The CPG 3 Newsletter!

In each edition, we share three ways to fast-track your CPG brand.

These insights come from conversations inside of CPG Fast Track, the private network for high-achieving CPG founders.

🚨 Want help on YOUR business — FOR FREE? We're hosting a free session on June 12, answering your questions about branding, marketing, fundraising, and anything else you'd like. Or just come to listen and learn! Register here.

Today in the newsletter:

• Improve your video ad performance
• Best tools for reviews on your website
• Do you need to pay for that award?

Here we go!

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1. How to make better video ads

Want to improve your video ads' performance? Try this.

​Google AI Studio can actually watch and analyze your videos — and show you patterns you're missing.

Here's how to do it:

1. Upload your top-performing ads.
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2. Ask it: "What do these have in common? What patterns might humans miss?"
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3. Next, upload your worst-performing ads.
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4. Ask it: "What are the high performers doing differently?"

You'll uncover insights that guide stronger iterations.

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2. How to showcase reviews on your website

Reviews drive conversions. But which reviews tool should you use?

Our members were recently comparing notes. Here's what came up:

• More expensive: Klaviyo. A member said: "I like how you can group reviews, like on Amazon. So all my protein flavors are grouped as one, for example."
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• Less expensive: Fera: A member said: "It's clean, simple, customizable — and allows 1,000 monthly reviews for $19/month."
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• Free: Judge.me. A member said: "I liked the free forever pricing approach and it was really easy to install onto the site."

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3. Do you need to pay for media "awards"?

Media brands want to sell you awards. Are they worth it?

Here's the situation:

One day, you might get an email from a media brand. It'll say: "You won our most recent award! Buy our icon so you can tell everyone about it." The icons will look something like what you see above, from Men's Health's many awards.

Here's what to know:

• In media, this is called “accolade licensing.” Publishers create awards for the purpose of selling their icons to the winners.
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• Yes, you MUST pay if you want to use the award image on your site or social media.
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• However, it's totally FREE to SAY you won the award. You just can't use their logo.

For example, let's say you're a winner of the 2025 Men's Health Grooming Awards. You could say that on your website, or on social media — so long as you don't use the Men's Health logo or images.

What's the difference? The media company owns the images, but they don't own the fact that you won. Nobody can stop you from communicating a fact.

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Want more personalized help and advice?

Join our our FREE session on June 12!

We'll answer YOUR questions about branding, marketing, fundraising, and anything else you'd like.

Ask away, or just come to listen and learn! Register here.

It's the kind of thing we do regularly inside of CPG Fast Track! We've helped members increase conversion rates, lower their ad costs, navigate rebrands, succeed in retail, and develop game-changing relationships with founders like them.

See you on June 12?

Talk soon,
Jason + the CPG FT team