META-FREE
Until November 2025, we sent almost our entire advertising budget to Meta. It hurt.
Meta makes its money by polarizing the world, getting our kids hooked on screens (and much more). And when our advertising dollars, and everyone else's, keep flowing there, only Big Tech wins.
We could no longer support that.
So we said fu%k it and broke up with Meta.
NEW FRIENDS AND A BIG CHALLENGE
The logic and strategy are very simple:
Out with Meta.
In with kick-ass newsletters for engaged customers, content that sparks engagement, ambassadors we genuinely believe in, and advertising partnerships with Norwegian companies that share our values.
It's clear that many others feel uneasy about sending money to Big Tech, because we're now getting a lot of requests to share our experiences. Many want to quit, but don't dare.
That's why it's exciting to lead the way and inspire other companies (and, of course, a little scary too).
The main challenge is that we don't have the capacity to manage a large number of channels at the same time.
So which ones should we focus on?
What Are We Spending the Money On?
In 2024, we sent NOK 2.1 million to Meta (Facebook and Instagram), which accounted for almost our entire marketing budget.
That's about NOK 150,000 per month.
What did we get for that money?
We showed up in your feed, but also in the feeds of many people who weren't genuinely interested in who we are or what we stand for.
Now that the ads are switched off, we're taking the opportunity to test new channels and initiatives.
Here are some of the things we're trying:
PAID:
- Norwegian podcasts
- Hudd – a Norwegian social media platform, through paid advertising
- Kobler – contextual advertising in editor-led media that takes privacy seriously
- Advertising in magazines and member publications from organizations we support
ORGANIC (UNPAID):
- Hudd – a Norwegian social media platform
- TikTok for organic (unpaid) content. (We'd love to cut Big Tech out completely, but we still need visibility and a way to reach new audiences.)
- More newsletters, with a focus on quality and substance
- Most importantly: shifting the majority of our budget toward community marketing. Working with real people we believe in and who help spread the word. Ambassadors with a clear voice in society. People who are willing to challenge systems to make the world a little better.
AN IMPORTANT:
- We still pay for advertising on Google. But Google is on the list too.
- And we're still present in Meta's ecosystem through organic (unpaid) activity on Instagram and Facebook.
So, How Is It Going Without Meta?
Here are some key numbers comparing March this year with March last year.
The conclusion is clear: with Meta, we paid for a lot of visibility that generated neither sales nor genuine interest in our company. Most people clicked on an ad and disappeared again within seconds.
From a financial perspective, we're better off without Meta.
Note: These results come before we've properly rolled out the initiatives that are meant to replace Meta.
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
Want honest knowledge about sustainability, an unfiltered glimpse into what we're up to, tips for taking care of your clothes, and the occasional story about both what we nail and what we don't?
And not least: want to support us in the fight against Meta advertising, and help prove that growth without Big Tech is actually possible?
