Amazon services
Anilas kids’ activities, arts and crafts
Becoming a challenger UK kids’ arts and crafts brand in a giant’s playground, increasing Amazon advertising revenue in peak Christmas season and beyond.
Amazon region
- Amazon UK
Amazon services
- Content for Amazon
- A+ content for Amazon
- Amazon advertising
- Brand store creation
- Amazon strategy
The client
Anilas is a family run retailer of toys, children’s activities and children’s partyware that has undergone a major transformation since they began working with Fluid Marketplaces in February 2022. We achieved particular success for Anilas during the peak Christmas shopping period Q4 2024, with a 32% year-on-year increase in Amazon advertising revenue, but we surpassed even this substantial growth figure in Q1 2025, when revenue increased by 42%.
Once known primarily for their unbranded toy inventory, under Fluid Marketplaces’ guidance, Anilas made a bold pivot to compete head-to-head with globally recognised names in the Amazon Toys category. In a landscape dominated by well-funded legacy brands with decades of consumer loyalty and trust, Anilas established itself as a true challenger brand through agility, sharp strategic thinking, smart product curation, and an innovative, performance-led advertising approach.
The brief
Anilas came to Fluid Marketplaces with clear objectives of increasing the revenue they were generating from Amazon, and clawing market share from the well-known arts, crafts and party supplies brands with a new range of branded products including Bluey, Paw Patrol and Sonic the Hedgehog.
The move into selling licensed products was unchartered territory for Anilas and they required support and a strategy to make it work. Their account at Fluid Marketplaces was managed by Harry Power, one of our Amazon experts, who put together a plan for how we could help Anilas to achieve their objectives and secure the Amazon growth they were looking for.
Fluid Marketplaces' approach
The strategy Harry recommended to Anilas centered around Amazon advertising, tailored to the complexities of selling licensed branded products and the company’s shift in operations. However Harry also looked at what changes could be made to the way the brand presented itself on Amazon to make it more successful.
One of the first changes Harry recommended was the introduction of additional product bundles based on Anilas’ existing licensed, branded listings. These were carefully selected depending on the current competition on Amazon, with Harry carrying out regular competitor research to understand which price points are converting well in the market for each brand. Harry also helped Anilas to set up a new Amazon brand store to increase the visibility of their brand and products and make them more attractive. As part of his holistic approach to Anilas’ Amazon strategy, Harry recommended that Anilas invested in Amazon Brand Transparency, a product serialisation service that verifies products purchased on Amazon before they are shipped. The service detects and prevents counterfeit goods from being delivered to customers, which could damage Anilas’ brand.
Next Harry looked at how Anila’s could gain visibility within high traffic, high competition search terms that were dominated by household names, which stock a huge range of products across Amazon. Harry recommended staying away from high cost broad keywords in the advertising campaigns and honing in on specific long tail terms to reach the right audience while maintaining profitability.
Harry also leveraged seasonal opportunities, planning well ahead of Q4’s demand peaks and aligning campaign structures, budget allocations, and stock levels to capitalise on high-intent moments. Close monitoring of real-time performance data allowed for nimble adjustments, ensuring the campaigns remained both agile and impactful.
Closing the performance gap
Harry’s primary objective was to close the performance gap between Anilas and category leaders by increasing visibility, improving conversion efficiency, and building credibility in the branded toy space. Competing against global household names required a highly strategic approach to targeting, creative execution, and budget allocation, all while staying within strict ACoS targets to maintain profitability.
Another key priority was shifting revenue away from low-margin, unbranded products to higher-value branded bundles. These included exclusive Anilas-created packs featuring licences such as Bluey, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Paw Patrol. These bundles not only improved average order value, but also differentiated Anilas in a crowded market.
Performance benchmarks focused on closing gaps in CTR, CVR, and ROAS compared to category leaders in segments like activity kits, bubbles and partyware. Harry closely tracked the share of voice and adjusted bids to improve positioning on competitive search terms.
Ultimately, Harry’s goal wasn’t to outspend category leaders, but to outmanoeuvre them. He supported Anilas with listing improvements, A+ content, and campaign strategies aligned with retail readiness to boost CVR and revenue. This efficiency-led approach helped transform Anilas from a niche seller to a credible contender in just a few months.
The results
Year-on-year, through a combination of advertising and organic improvements, Fluid Marketplaces were able to:
- Year-on-year Amazon advertising revenue increase: 32% in Q4 / 42% in Q1 2025
- CTR (click through rate) YoY increase: 37% in Q4 2024 / 98% in Q1 2025
- New-to-brand orders YoY growth: 17% in Q1 2025
- Arts & crafts conversion rate: 17% in December 2024 compared to 13% for competitors
- Party supplies conversion rate: 11%, higher than category average
