📦 - If I Want It, I’ll Get It

DTC 548 - Gen Alpha, Dad Gang Story, and Meta Ad Creatives Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Wanna know the fastest way to know if what you’re writing has a typo? Hit send or publish. 😰 Good morning, The TikTok ban saga continues… TikTok isn’t budging. ByteDance said they would rather kill the app than sell it off and denied rumors that they are exploring a sale. We asked you last week in our poll… Do you think TikTok should be banned? Here’s what your fellow DTC readers said: - 60% think TikTok SHOULD NOT be banned ❌ - 40% think TikTok SHOULD be banned ✅ Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC: - How well do you know Gen Alpha? Learn what makes them tick and why these tweens have more purchasing power than you think. - How Dad Gang found its niche in the hat market along with a passionate community. - And…why you need to have a mix of Meta Ad creatives to succeed. You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Dyson, Bell’s Brewery, and Vitality Nutrition. 👋 SCALING 🤝 Reach Millions of Customers Are you looking to branch out to a marketplace that already has a built-in audience of millions of shoppers who are looking for products like yours? Then, meet [Walmart Marketplace](. 🛍️ As one of the fastest growing ecommerce platforms in the world, [Walmart Marketplace makes scaling any ecommerce business simple]( with: - Zero monthly or set up fees. - [Competitive commission structures](. - Flexible solutions for fulfillment, advertisement, pricing, and more. And right now, sellers who join Walmart Marketplace can maximize their success on the platform with New-Seller Savings. This limited-time offer allows new sellers to save up to 50% on referral and fulfillment fees.* 👀 So, get started on one of the fastest-growing ecommerce platforms in the world today. [Learn More]( *Conditions apply *Sponsored DEEP DIVE 🧑 💻 Why Gen Alpha Is Built Different Generation Alpha is quickly emerging as an important consumer base as they approach their teenage years. Gen Alpha stats to know: - By 2025, Generation Alpha will reach 2 billion and be the largest generation ever. - And by 2029, [their spending power will be more than 5.46 trillion]( (which is more than Gen Z and Millennials combined!) 🤯 - 40% of parents admit their [Gen Alpha kids influence their household spending](. And while Gen Z is often referred to as digital natives, Gen Alpha will actually be the first generation to be fully immersed in the digital world from birth. Get to know Generation Alpha and their key characteristics (plus how they are different from Gen Z): 👇 1️⃣ They value authenticity. [92% of Gen Alphas]( say they value being themselves and authenticity, even more so than Gen Z. 2️⃣ They are mobile experts. [43% of Gen Alpha had a tablet before the age of 6]( and 58% have a smartphone by age 10. They prefer to consume content and make purchases on smartphones. 3️⃣ YouTube is their favorite product discovery channel. These iPad kids are big fans of YouTube videos. [Over 51% of U.S. children]( recall seeing commercials on YouTube. 4️⃣ They are not afraid to voice opinions. Compared to Gen Z they are more outspoken about what they want. 📣 5️⃣ They are drawn to adult brands instead of ‘kiddie brands.’ They are easily [influenced by their Millennial parents' shopping habits](. Rather than gravitating towards kid or tween brands, they want to shop like adults which explains [Gen Alpha’s obsession with Drunk Elephant](. 6️⃣ Mental health is important to them. [59% of 7 to 12 year olds]( see mental health as a big issue. 💗 7️⃣ They are socially conscious. Like Gen Z, Gen Alpha is passionate about the environment and social issues. 8️⃣ They strive for a balance of offline and online experiences. Gen Alpha are avid online gamers but they also enjoy venturing out into the real world and shopping in store. Brands who understand Gen Alpha’s desire for authenticity, and their affinity for channels like YouTube can create mobile friendly campaigns that resonate well with their pain points. Which one of these revealing Gen Alpha characteristics surprised you the most? 👀 Reply back to the newsletter and let us know! AI 👀 Give Your Product Photos A Whole New Look With AI Question: Where do you go when you need great product photos but photoshoots are too expensive and too slow? 🤔 Answer: [Claid.ai](. Claid creates studio-quality images in seconds, WITHOUT the high costs or hassle. [Claid is your all-in-one AI for product photos](, offering: - Background removal, realistic scene integration, and quality enhancement. - Customization for Amazon, Shopify, ads, and social media. - Brand consistency in visuals. - Professional-grade AI-generated photos. With user-friendly online tools and a scalable API, Claid supports over 10,000 businesses in instant visual creation. 📸 🚨 Exclusive for DTC readers: Get 20% off with code DTC20. [Level Up Your Product Photos]( *Sponsored PODCAST 🎧 Dad Gang Story: From A Boosted Post to 100K Hats Sold Yes, we have a podcast and we’re celebrating an important milestone! The big 400!! 🎉🎉🎉 In this 400th episode of the pod, we talk with Bart Szaniewski, a seasoned DTC marketer about the apparel brand [Dad Gang]( which is designed by dads. We dive into how to create a community-first brand and how they are revolutionizing fatherhood fashion with high quality hats. Bart explains: “We wanted to build a community where it didn’t take testing a million landing pages to get somebody to buy a really meaningful hat that represents a community. I think you need that when you don’t have a perfect product market fit. But I think we found our niche: hats for dads they can wear outside of Father’s Day. They can wear this everyday.” In this podcast, we cover: - Community Building: Learn how Dad Gang leverages social media to foster a community of dads and sell over 100K hats. - Quality Over Quantity: Insight into why focusing on one great product can be more effective than diversifying prematurely. - Marketing Strategies: Discover the organic and paid strategies that propel the brand’s growth. 👉 You can listen to the full podcast episode with Bart [here](. 🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE While there’s a lot of noise around short-form video, everyone has different preferences. Try testing a diverse ad set instead. If your videos aren't getting clicks, static images can help with conversions. Can't view the image? [Click here]( ⚡ QUICK HITS 👀 How are merchants getting 3X, 6X, even 10X subscriber acquisition lift? They keep visitors on site, maximize order conversion, and maintain campaign attribution with Onsite Opt-in. [See it for yourself here](. * 📰 NEWS - Google Ads [introduces six new AI features for Performance Max campaigns](. - ChatGPT [releases a Memory feature to Plus members in the U.S](. - Snapchat stock [surges 21% after beating user growth and revenue expectations in Q1](. - Gentle Monster [collaborates with BLACKPINK’s Jennie on its new Jentle Salon eyewear collection with detachable charms](. SPONSOR DTC 📥 Got a B2B Biz? Join dozens of B2B companies finding demand-gen success through our niche community of 160k brand leaders and founders this year. [Talk to our team to learn more](. Have you heard our latest podcasts? - 🛒 [AKNF 399:]( Mastering Meta Shops and Ad Instability - 🌎 Pela Case’s CEO Matt Bertulli [on Sustainable Consumer Goods]( - 🧑 [AKNF 397](: Using Data to Understand Your Authentic Audience - 👟 How Kizik [Revolutionized The Footwear Industry]( - 💸 [AKNF 395](: Navigating The New Amazon Fee-Scape - 🌱 Epic Gardening’s [Strategic Leap from Content to Commerce]( - 📧 [AKNF 393](: Staying Inbox Relevant With Gmail Authentication Update Tactics Don’t forget to [rate the DTC Podcast]( on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) DTC Newsletter is written by [Rebecca Knight]( and [Frances Du](. Edited by [Eric Dyck](. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content. [Direct To Consumer]( Pilothouse, 1011 Government St., Victoria, BC V8W 1X6, Canada [Advertise with DTC]( | [Work With Pilothouse]( [Unsubscribe](