Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Wine and Spirits

Introduction

Across all countries, Wine and Spirits lead generation costs moved through the year with dramatic swings: a January spike to triple-digit CPLs, followed by a swift reset into single digits by spring, then a late‑summer lift before easing into October. Compared with the global benchmark across all industries, the category was cheaper on average but far more volatile, with standout months that widened and then narrowed the gap to the market. This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for Wine and Spirits across all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

The period opened at $39.07 CPL in November, dipped to $32.45 in December, and then surged to a cycle high of $122.73 in January. That peak quickly unwound: CPL fell to $16.94 in February and reached near‑floor levels in March ($4.96) and the period low in June ($4.91). From there, the category climbed through late summer—$53.72 in August and $54.74 in September—before cooling to $23.54 in October. Over the full window, Wine and Spirits averaged $36.29 CPL, finishing 40% below November’s starting point.

Volatility defined the category. Month‑to‑month changes averaged $32.29, a swing equal to nearly 90% of the category’s mean CPL. By contrast, the global benchmark was stable: it ranged from $33.35 (March) to $48.29 (September), averaged $40.94, and moved just $3.22 month‑to‑month. The benchmark climbed from $41.47 in November to $45.08 in October (+8.7%), while Wine and Spirits trended downward across the same span.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The rhythm was pronounced. Q4 was moderate, with November–December in the $32–$39 band. January delivered an outsized spike, then the category reset sharply: Q1 averaged $48.21 only because of January’s anomaly, while March landed under $5. Q2 marked the trough (average $23.71), bottoming in June. Momentum returned in late Q3, with August–September in the mid‑$50s (Q3 average $41.54), before October eased back to the low‑$20s.

The global market showed a steadier seasonal arc typical of Facebook Ads benchmarks: softer in March, gradually rising into late Q3/early Q4, and easing slightly in October.

Category vs. global benchmark

Across all countries, Wine and Spirits CPL averaged about 11% below the global benchmark ($36.29 vs. $40.94). The category undercut global levels in 9 of 12 months, most notably in March (−85%) and June (−88%). It outpaced the market during three moments: January (+243% vs. global), August (+20%), and September (+13%). The tightest gap appeared in November (−6% vs. global), while the widest underperformance came in June. Overall, the benchmark rose steadily (+9% from November to October), whereas Wine and Spirits declined (−40%), with far sharper month‑to‑month movement.

Closing

Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost per lead in the Wine and Spirits industry across all countries reveal a market that is generally cheaper than the global average but markedly more volatile, with a dramatic January surge, a deep Q2 trough, and a late‑summer rebound. Understanding cost‑per‑lead patterns for Wine and Spirits worldwide helps teams assess industry ad performance and compare global, country‑agnostic ad costs against broader market trends.