For more than two decades, Captain Notepad has been a trusted name in branded promotional materials across the United States and Canada. From custom notepads and office stationery to golf balls and hospitality supplies, the company built its reputation on craftsmanship, reliability, and strong client relationships. Yet despite its leadership in physical marketing, the transition to digital advertising proved far more challenging than expected.
Like many established B2B brands, Captain Notepad found that excellence offline did not automatically translate online. Over several years, the company worked with multiple advertising agencies, each promising growth but delivering little to show for it. Campaigns produced minimal traction, return on ad spend hovered around 1.5x, and the burden of creative production fell directly on Captain Notepad’s internal design team. Instead of fueling expansion, digital marketing became a drain on both time and resources.
The company needed more than just another vendor. It needed a strategic partner that understood the nuances of B2B buying behavior, platform mechanics, and creative execution. That search led them to BERK Labs.
Rethinking B2B Advertising from the Ground Up
From the beginning, the difference in approach was evident. Rather than focusing solely on surface metrics like clicks and impressions, BERK Labs approached Captain Notepad’s challenges through the lens of business fundamentals. Their team examined the company’s ideal client profile, typical purchasing cycles, product mix, and customer lifetime value before building a single campaign.
The strategy centered on three core pillars.
Targeting focused on creating personalized journeys using account based marketing techniques. By uploading audience lists and segmenting prospects based on company size, industry, and buying intent, BERK Labs ensured ads reached decision makers rather than casual browsers.
Creative execution prioritized clarity and relevance. Lead form extensions were used to streamline inquiries, while visuals and messaging were carefully designed to reflect the professionalism and reliability that define the Captain Notepad brand.
Attribution completed the loop. Offline conversions were connected back to digital campaigns using CRM integration and call tracking, allowing the team to understand which interactions actually produced revenue rather than just engagement.
Together, these elements formed a system designed not simply to attract traffic, but to generate meaningful business outcomes.
Turning Strategy into Measurable Results
With the foundation in place, BERK Labs built a diverse suite of Google Ads campaigns tailored to Captain Notepad’s full product range and customer base.
Smart Shopping campaigns promoted the entire catalog, enabling dynamic product visibility across multiple placements. Dynamic Search campaigns targeted more than eighty carefully selected keywords, capturing intent driven searches that signaled readiness to purchase. Brand campaigns reinforced trust and familiarity, achieving an impressive thirteen times return on ad spend within the first month.
What followed was not a one time spike but sustained improvement. Through continuous testing, bid optimization, and creative refinement, monthly conversions multiplied more than sevenfold over a two year period. Offline tracking allowed BERK Labs to measure which clicks turned into real customers, enabling smarter budget allocation and steady performance gains.
Strengthening Local and National Presence
While national expansion remained a priority, BERK Labs recognized the importance of reinforcing Captain Notepad’s strong regional roots. A dedicated local campaign was launched targeting the Englewood area in Chicago, where the company is headquartered. Within its first year, the campaign generated 2.8 million impressions, strengthening brand visibility and reinforcing trust among nearby businesses.
This dual approach allowed Captain Notepad to grow its footprint across North America while maintaining a strong local identity that continued to support sales and partnerships.
Relieving the Creative Bottleneck
One of the less visible but highly impactful changes was the shift in creative production. Previously, Captain Notepad’s in house designers were responsible for producing advertising assets in addition to client work. This divided focus slowed internal operations and reduced creative quality on both fronts.
BERK Labs took full responsibility for ad design, including static graphics and video production. Their team created visually consistent assets that matched Captain Notepad’s brand while being optimized for performance across platforms. Video campaigns were produced entirely from scratch, providing dynamic storytelling that helped differentiate the brand in crowded digital environments.
This shift freed internal artists to focus exclusively on customer projects, improving service quality while strengthening marketing output.
Navigating Industry Disruption
As the print industry evolved, Captain Notepad faced new challenges. The growing demand for e commerce packaging caused many paper mills to reduce copy paper production, leading to supply constraints and rising costs. For a business dependent on consistent paper availability, this disruption threatened both pricing and delivery reliability.
BERK Labs responded by launching targeted campaigns promoting outsourced products that were less affected by supply fluctuations. These campaigns quickly gained traction, creating a buffer against volatility and opening new revenue streams.
By aligning marketing strategy with operational realities, BERK Labs helped Captain Notepad maintain momentum during a period of industry uncertainty.
Standing Together During the Pandemic
The arrival of COVID disrupted nearly every sector, and promotional products were no exception. With offices closed and in person interactions reduced, demand dropped sharply. Many agencies responded by cutting services or terminating contracts.
BERK Labs took a different stance. Recognizing the long term potential of the partnership, the agency deferred payments and continued working closely with Captain Notepad throughout the downturn. Together, they explored adaptive strategies, including a temporary pivot into branded hand sanitizer to meet urgent market needs.
This period strengthened the relationship and positioned Captain Notepad for a faster recovery once business activity resumed.
Results That Changed the Growth Trajectory
Since beginning its partnership with BERK Labs in 2019, Captain Notepad has added 417 new customers and completed more than 1,000 transactions, generating over $500,000 in revenue directly attributable to digital campaigns. Return on ad spend now exceeds five times, more than triple the performance achieved with previous agencies.
The volume of demand generated has shifted the company’s primary constraint from marketing reach to operational capacity. Instead of struggling to find customers, Captain Notepad now focuses on scaling fulfillment and service to match demand.
Looking Ahead with Microsoft Advertising
The next phase of growth includes expansion into Microsoft’s search network. While Google commands the largest audience, Bing and related platforms often deliver superior results in enterprise focused B2B environments. Many larger organizations favor Microsoft ecosystems, creating a more concentrated and higher value audience.
With lower competition and lower acquisition costs, BERK Labs expects Microsoft Ads to deliver significantly higher impression share and reduced CPA, opening another avenue for efficient growth.
A Partnership Built on More Than Performance
Beyond metrics, what defines the Captain Notepad and BERK Labs relationship is mutual trust. In an industry often driven by short term optimization and transactional engagement, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to long term value creation.
By combining deep technical expertise, thoughtful creative execution, and genuine care for business outcomes, BERK Labs helped Captain Notepad transform digital advertising from a frustrating expense into a reliable engine of growth. For companies navigating the complexities of B2B marketing, the story offers a clear lesson. Sustainable success is not about chasing quick wins. It is about building systems, relationships, and strategies that compound over time.
