Prepare to have your perspective shifted.

📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In

The U.S. will impose 35% tariffs on all Canadian imports starting August 1, 2025, intensifying trade tensions. Additional blanket tariffs of 15–20% are also planned for most other global trading partners.

🔧 Why You Should (Maybe) Turn Off Audience Network Placements 

Meta's Audience Network places your ads on third-party apps like Nextdoor, but limited creative control can risk brand misrepresentation. If brand safety matters, turning off Audience Network placements ensures your ads appear in the right context.

📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In

The U.S. will implement a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports starting August 1, escalating trade tensions and affecting goods like coffee, juice, and industrial products. Meanwhile, U.S. tariffs on China have surged to an average of 50.9%, contributing to a 22-year low in apparel imports from Chinese suppliers as retailers shift to Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India.

📉 The Fall of Roomba: A Cautionary Tale for DTC Brands

Roomba's decline on Amazon highlights critical missteps in merchandising, promotions, ad strategy, and affiliate traffic—areas where competitors like Eufy and Shark are excelling. DTC brands must treat Amazon as a dynamic, highly competitive channel requiring constant optimization, strategic promotions, and strong brand defense to stay visible and convert.

🎧 How to Safely Use Email List Growth Tools Without Killing Your Deliverability

Learn how to use email list growth tools safely without hurting your sender reputation, as Jordan Gordon from Pilothouse breaks down how these tools work and how to avoid spam issues. This episode covers segmentation tactics, welcome flow best practices, and attribution tips to boost list growth while protecting deliverability.

📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In

The U.S. will impose a 50% tariff on copper imports starting August 1, impacting key sectors like EVs and infrastructure, while copper futures jumped 12%. Trade tensions with China are rising again as Beijing condemns new U.S. tariffs and supply chain restructuring efforts.

⛳ How Malbon Captures More Sales With These Apps

Malbon Golf boosts sales with three key Shopify apps: BYOB for customizable product bundles that increase AOV, PreProduct for capturing cash flow through smart pre-orders, and Redo to streamline returns and drive conversions. These tools support the brand’s modern streetwear-meets-golfwear approach that’s resonating with a younger audience.

❗ Gmail Reveals New Feature Called Manage Subscriptions 

Google rolls out a new Gmail feature called "Manage subscriptions" that lets users easily unsubscribe from promotional emails directly in-app. This update could impact email list sizes and engagement rates as it launches on Android (July 14) and iOS (July 21).

🎧 UPDATE: Revel Bikes’ Founder Buys Back Brand After Sudden Private Equity Shutdown

After a private equity sale led to Revel Bikes’ shutdown, founder Adam Miller bought the brand back in a 10-day auction and is relaunching it lean and founder-led. In this DTC podcast episode, he shares lessons on regaining control, rebuilding with purpose, and why founder-led DTC brands often outperform PE-backed exits.

📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In

Trump has announced 25% tariffs on goods from Japan and South Korea starting August 1, 2025, warning of further hikes if they retaliate. Similar tariff letters were sent to 14 countries, with some facing rates up to 40%.

🌎 Why the Next DTC Brand Won’t Look Anything Like Old Fortune 500 Companies 

Modern DTC brands are winning by prioritizing authenticity, creator partnerships, and community-driven growth—leaving behind the outdated Fortune 500 playbook of polished ads and celebrity endorsements. To succeed, brands must shift from product-first to people-first, focusing on trust, distribution through creators, and co-creation with their audiences.

PRODUCT LAUNCH

Clinique partners with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo to launch its new Nude Honey lip tint. The campaign builds on the viral success of Black Honey on TikTok, aiming to engage younger audiences with an expanded product line.

🎧 Amazon Prime Day 2025: How Brands Should Budget, Pivot & Scale Over 4 Days

Amazon Prime Day 2025 runs for four days, giving brands more time to course-correct and scale mid-event. To win, brands should pace budgets, optimize SEO with Amazon’s new title format, and tap influencer content to drive discovery and ranking.

📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In

Trump has threatened a 10% tariff on countries supporting BRICS, citing the group as anti-American. Nations must agree to trade terms by July 9 or face the new tariffs starting August 1.

🤖 How Hands-Off Amazon Ad Automation Leaves Money on the Table

Many brands using Amazon's automated ad platforms miss out on sales and growth due to over-spending on branded keywords, slow bid reactions, and failure to adopt new ad features. A hybrid strategy—automation for routine tasks and human oversight for optimization—is key to maximizing performance and market share.

🧃 One Product, Many Use Cases? Reflect That in Your Creative

If your product fits multiple use cases or lifestyles, tailor your creative to reflect that. Liquid I.V. nails this with a four-ad set using the same product and headline structure—[Verb] More—but speaks to different audiences like travelers, athletes, and party-goers. This approach boosts relevance, engagement, and performance insights across personas.