How Redbrain Delivers 15:1 ROI for RevWise Brands on Awin

RevWise is a fast-growing UK affiliate marketing agency that manages and grows affiliate programs for a diverse portfolio of clients.

Redbrain is a leading Comparison Shopping Service (CSS) partner, delivering over £1.2 billion in incremental sales in 2025 alone. Operating on a cost-per-acquisition (CPA) model, it targets relevant search terms on popular discovery platforms like Google Shopping to place retailers in high-converting environments.

Redbrain is one of over 300 active CSS partners on Awin’s global affiliate platform.

The CSS opportunity on Awin

CSS has become one of the most powerful tools in the affiliate marketer’s arsenal, and the data backs it up. Across Awin’s platform:

• Investment from brands in CSS partners has increased by 57% year on year
• CSS now accounts for 4% of total Awin sales
• The average ROI from CSS partners across Awin is 14:1

RevWise and Redbrain outperform that benchmark. Across the agency’s top 10 retail clients, they deliver a 15:1 ROI.

Learn about their secret on the Marketing Over Milkshakes podcast, or view the key details below.

The challenge

Affiliate programs in competitive retail markets face a persistent problem. When the same products are sold by multiple retailers, or when pricing is the decisive factor in a customer’s decision, visibility at the research stage is everything.

RevWise clients operate across some of the most competitive verticals going. Wine, mattresses, beauty. In each case, the challenge is to intercept consumers early in their purchase journey, when they are actively comparing options, and ensure that the client’s pricing, range, and brand are front and center.

Traditional affiliate partners excel at bottom-of-funnel conversion. But capturing customers at the research phase, at scale, across high-intent search terms, requires a different kind of partner.

It’s why three years ago, when RevWise was formed as an agency, CSS partner Redbrain was included from day one when putting together client partner strategies.

Introducing CSS to clients meant explaining what was usually a new model, new search behaviors, and a new kind of value that doesn’t always show up immediately in last-click attribution.

RevWise needed a playbook for creating a strong case for CSS.

The solution

RevWise’s strategy is built on a clear thesis: CSS partners are not right for every advertiser, but when the conditions are right, they are transformative.

Those conditions include:

• Competitive pricing: A client that can win on price against other retailers stocking the same brands.
• Product range: A broad catalog, giving CSS campaigns more targeting options.
• High search volumes: Categories where consumers actively research before buying.
• New customer acquisition goals: A need to acquire shoppers who haven’t yet committed to a brand

To manage this effectively, RevWise designated an in-house CSS champion: a specialist who acts as an internal consultant, assessing client suitability, educating stakeholders, and overseeing campaign performance. This role has been central to the quality and consistency of RevWise’s CSS output.

Awin’s role

Awin has actively supported CSS adoption across our platform, delivering the infrastructure and reporting tools that allow performance to be measured alongside other affiliate partner types.

With investment growing across 300+ active CSS partners on Awin, we give agencies like RevWise access to a competitive, data-rich environment in which to run campaigns.

Partnership with Redbrain

Redbrain’s proprietary algorithms optimize CSS campaigns in real time, improving bid efficiency and targeting accuracy across high-intent search terms.

Its team provides detailed, transparent reporting, which RevWise cites as one of the most valuable aspects of the partnership.

Redbrain tracks everything through the existing Awin MasterTag, making activation fast and frictionless. Campaigns are then delivered entirely on a CPA basis via Awin, meaning RevWise clients take on no financial risk. 

Campaign snapshot: Wine retailer toasts high AOV, customer acquisition

Background

One of the UK’s best-known wine retailers had a large product range and strong pricing on premium bottles. It was an ideal candidate for CSS, but with a specific constraint: no brand bidding. That meant Redbrain had to steer clear of search terms involving the brand name or its own-label products.

Solution

RevWise and Redbrain’s response was to go after product-level search terms with high organic volume.

For that, you have to think a little out of the box. A standout example is ‘chicken wine’, the popular search term for La Vielle Ferme, a best-selling Rhône white.

By targeting this term, the brand’s listings appeared prominently in Google Shopping results for consumers who were actively researching a specific product but not yet committed to a retailer.

The campaigns are designed explicitly to drive acquisition, and RevWise continuously monitors the split of new vs. returning customers.

Result

The brand delivers an ROI of 20x through CSS, the highest across RevWise’s portfolio.

Campaign snapshot: Mattress retailer gets comfy with range of search terms

Background

A premium UK mattress retailer operates in a category defined by considered, research-heavy purchases. Consumers searching for a mattress rarely know exactly which product they want, searching by concern (e.g. back support, memory foam), material, or price range.

Solution

RevWise’s approach was to expose the brand to a wide range of product and sleep-concern search terms, ensuring it appeared at the moment consumers were forming their shortlists. The brand’s competitive pricing was a key asset in making this work.

Results

• +136% revenue YoY
• +44% conversion rate (click to sale) YoY
• +37% click-through rate YoY

The results

“Redbrain is a best-in-class example of what CSS on a performance model can achieve. RevWise has excelled at implementing CSS and the results showcased in this case study are testament to the strength of the RevWise, Redbrain and Awin partnership.”

Redbrain continues to drive consistent growth for RevWise brands. Over the past year, the agency’s top 10 clients using Redbrain have seen a +136% increase in revenue and a 44% boost to their conversion rate. That's on top of a +37% increase in their click-through rate, with an average ROI of 15:1.

Redbrain is now the agency’s number-one partner for growth and a go-to option for clients looking to stay competitive.

“The RevWise and Redbrain teams have been working incredibly closely together to execute growth strategies for a wide range of our agency’s clients on Awin. With detailed insights from the Redbrain team, our teams have been able to optimize, enhance, and ultimately grow the incremental revenue we are able to deliver to our clients significantly. The partnership between all three parties continues to go from strength to strength, with the results of this speaking for themselves.”

Ready to add CSS to your affiliate program? Get started with Redbrain today.