Some projects just feel meant for us. The Dungeon Crawler Carl: CROCODILE Graphic Novel (referred to as DCC from here on) crowdfunding ads project was one of those.
Vault Comics came to Vala needing digital ad management – and fast. No prelaunch and no time for big production cycles. Just: “Here’s the thing. It’s wild. It’s working. Make it work harder.”
DCC Full Immersion for Crowdfunding Ad Success
There’s no shortcut here. When we take on a campaign, we make it our mission to learn everything we can, and DCC was no different. Grant (the ads lead for this project) read all of the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, combed through the subreddits, and absorbed every theory, meme, and social media comment thread he could find.
That’s a huge part of our secret sauce. We don’t just study the audience; we join them.
The results show that. These ads didn’t sound like ads. They sounded like the System AI – referencing Florin’s class, Carl’s goblin-baby-blasting adventures, and everything fans already loved.
That’s the difference, and what made those ads crush.
The Results of the DCC Crowdfunding Ads Speak for Themselves
Here’s what that kind of deep-dive looks like in hard data:
- 82,000 clicks
- 8,000+ purchases
- 11.66x ROAS
The crowdfunding campaign hit 26,635 backers and raised an insane $2,625,208.
We didn’t have time to run our full crowdfunding playbook, just tapped into the process and watched the killer IP, best-in-class Vault team, and our deep-dive approach turning genuine fandom into real results.
How We Used Ads for Crowdfunding This Project
Our core process never changes. It just gets sharper every time:
- Use every data point available (pixels, lists, lookalikes) to find the right fans.
- Build creative with purpose (static, carousel, text, whatever works best for the story).
- Optimize obsessively. Adjust budgets, test hooks, move fast.
But here’s the thing: none of that matters if the ads don’t feel real. The best performing campaigns aren’t just targeted. They’re lived in.
Why It Worked for This Crowdfund
Vault needed experts who could run on hard mode. Hard mode meaning zero hand-holding, immediate action, and fantastic results. We showed up, dug in, and made their campaign sing, because that’s what we do best: learn the world inside out. Then turn that knowledge into performance.
The result? Over $2.6 million raised, 13K+ fans converted, and proof that when you understand the universe you’re marketing, you don’t just reach the audience. You become part of it.
