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Good morning,
Hereâs what youâll find in todayâs DTC:
Youâre reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Pro Lash, Dry Variety, and Slick + Petals đ
âđ These AI Retention Strategies Are Quietly Outperforming Bigger Teams
As ecommerce teams come under pressure to do more with less, AI is becoming less of an experiment and more of an essential part of driving retention.
đĽ This February 11th, at 12PM EST, join Klaviyoâs fireside chat with Zac Fromson, co-founder of Lilo Social, to learn how AI is becoming a force multiplier for modern retention strategies.
Learn how leading brands are using AI to:
Drawing on work with Half Magic, Humantra, Bauer, and more, Zac will share practical frameworks you can apply immediately to drive retention more efficiently.
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ââĽď¸ Analyzing Sweethearts Candies âLove In This Economy?â Campaign
Forget roses and candlelit dinners. This Valentine's Day, romance smells like... splitting the rent?
Sweethearts Candies just launched "Love in this Economy?" A campaign that ditches fairytale fantasies for the reality of modern dating. And it's working because it actually gets how people date now.
The numbers don't lie:
Instead of pretending everything's fine, Sweethearts went all-in on the awkward truth.
The ad that cuts deep (literally):
Picture this: Rapunzel in her tower, knight climbing up her hair, classic romance setup. Then she grabs giant scissors and snip down he goes.
The tagline? "When it comes to finding love in this economy, you don't need a knight in shining armor. You need someone who will split the rent."
Brutal. Honest. Perfect.
The candy hearts got a glow-up too:
Out with only "Be Mine." In with messages that hit different:
They kept the classics but added phrases that reflect how couples actually operate today: shared costs, shared responsibilities, shared Netflix passwords.
As Evan Brock, VP of Marketing at Spangler Candy Company, puts it: "Sweethearts has always evolved with the times by staying aware of current dating trends and relationshipsâand being practical is having a moment."
Why this campaign works:
It flips the script. That rope-cutting moment? Chef's kiss. It takes our ingrained "happily ever after" expectations and dropkicks them out the window. The shock value makes it memorable.
It mirrors the room. Gen Z and Millennials are dealing with real economic stress. A campaign that acknowledges "yeah, dating is expensive and we're all broke" feels like solidarity, not a sales pitch.
The humor has receipts. This isn't random. It's funny because it's backed by actual data. That's the difference between insightful and gimmicky.
It speaks fluent Gen Z. This audience values authenticity and practicality over performative romance. Sweethearts matched the assignment.
Brand evolution, not revolution. Just like their viral 2024 "Situationships" campaign, they're updating without abandoning their identity. Older audiences still get their "Be Mine"âeveryone wins.
The lesson for your brand:
Valentine's Day marketing doesn't need to be precious or perfect.
The brands that win are the ones anchoring seasonal campaigns in actual consumer behaviorâespecially when times are uncertain. Generic romance tropes? Overdone. Real talk about how people are actually living? That cuts through.
The formula: Find a cultural truth. Validate it with data. Express it through humor or contrast.
That's how you make holiday marketing feel fresh instead of formulaic.
Bottom line: Sweethearts didn't just sell candy. They sold recognition. And in 2026, being seen might be more valuable than being swept off your feet.
Data-driven campaigns like this one don't happen by accident. To see where your strategy stands⌠đ
âđ Find Out What 2026 Omnichannel Benchmarks Reveal About Your Growth
Is your marketing strategy hitting the mark? đš
Time to find out. đŻ
Gauge whatâs working (and what needs work) with Klaviyoâs 2026 Omnichannel Benchmark Report. It breaks down the latest trends and takeaways across industries, based on data from 183,000+ brands. đ
Grab your copy to get in on:
đ Hone your campaigns and flows with the latest insights, trends, and metrics for your industry.
Get the 2026 Omnichannel Benchmark Report.
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âđ§ Counterintuitive Ways To Maximize Net Present Value From Your Email List
Jordan Gordon, Head of Email, Retention, and CRO at Pilothouse, breaks down a counterintuitive play: make your business more valuable without growing revenue.
The strategy: Stop treating every email like a sales pitch. Send weekly content that helps people get better at the thing your product enables. Tool brand? You in front of the router talking routing techniques. Climbing gear? Bouldering tips every Thursday.
The problem: Every time you send non-performance emails, performance drops. Most brands bail after two weeks.
What happens if you stick with it: Click-through rates go up across all emails because you're building a habit. List size grows because engagement keeps subscribers active longer.
Now pair that with a website refocused on cart adds (check episodes 66 & 68 for site funnels). Your less promotional emails drive traffic to a higher-converting site.
The result: Same revenue. Bigger list. Better engagement. Higher cart add rates. Someone would pay more for your business.
Two identical companies, but one has a larger, more engaged email list? That business is worth more.
The gold standard: People waiting for your Thursday email because they know there's value coming. Not 20% off. Just content that makes them better.
Email grows your audience. Website converts it. When these two do different jobs that complement each other, you build a flywheel.
âśď¸ Watch the full episode on YouTube.
đ§ Or listen here on Spotify.
CRO expert Harry Molyneux shares how this brand uses a third-party TrustScore on their supplement PDP to remove any customer doubts about the product.
Why this works: An independent rating signals credibility instantly, addresses common objections, and reassures buyers right under the Add to Cart button where hesitation is highest.
Itâs a simple trust lever that reduces friction and nudges shoppers to commit without overexplaining.
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ââď¸ Drive retention and revenue with AI-powered personalization. Get retention strategies proven by Lilo Social for brands like Half Magic, Humantra, and Bauer in Klaviyo's upcoming webinar. Register for free here. *
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.
Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content.
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