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Good morning,
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:
🔥 Hey Grill’s Glow Up
How listing images impact customer perception.
👀 Reaching Gen Z Audiences
Why brands are heading to Substack.
📦 Daily Tariff Update
Federal court reinstates Trump’s tariffs temporarily.
🏆 Crushing The Comp
Celebrating Pilothouse’s latest win.
You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: David Protein, Culver Hotel, and Savor Jerky. 👋
🔎 The Future of Search: How To Stay Visible In An AI-Driven World
Search is being transformed by AI, social discovery, and shifting consumer habits. Is your brand ready to adapt? 🌟
👏 Join Chris Andrew, CEO & Co-Founder at Scrunch AI, and Courtney Siegel, VP of Marketing at Skeepers, on June 17 at 2 PM EST for an exclusive webinar exploring how to thrive in this evolving landscape.
What you’ll learn:
👉 Whether you're a marketer, content strategist, or brand leader, this session equips you with the insights you need to stay ahead.
Stay visible in the new era of search.
* sponsored
🔥 Hey Grill’s New Impactful Images
The Pilothouse Amazon team recently helped Hey Grill revamp their Amazon listing image just in time for summer.
Here are the changes they made to help improve conversions:
1️⃣ Maximized Real Estate & Visual Impact.
Our new hero image utilizes the available space much more effectively.
Bigger, clearer shots of all the items in the kit – the rub, brine, sauce, and even the brine bag are clearly visible, well-lit, and stand out.
In the original, the products are small and obscured by the box's internal packaging window. The reflective glare from the packaging also hurts visibility.
With the new image, customers can instantly identify what they are buying.
2️⃣ Color Vibrancy and Appeal
Using brighter, more saturated colors makes the products pop and makes them more appealing to the customer.
We wanted to give an exciting, enticing, and interesting look for our potential customers.
3️⃣ Clear Product Identification & Branding
We created a box look as well as a label with large, contrasting colors to inform the shopper of the product's purpose immediately.
The consistent "HEY GRILL HEY" branding is also more clearly presented in the new image, allowing us to build on brand awareness.
👉 Listing the key components is ideal for the customer, but it's also a great way to sneak in some keywords!
The label is a necessary addition to avoid any doubts about what customers are getting and prevent negative reviews.
4️⃣ Appetite Appeal & Aspirational Content
A significant missed opportunity in the old listing was the lack of appetite appeal.
Adding an image of the delicious-looking cooked turkey creates an emotional connection, helping the customer visualize the end result.
It shifts the focus from just "products" to the "experience" and "benefit" of using the kit.
This aspirational aspect can be a powerful purchase motivator.
Looking to chat with the Pilothouse team? Reach out here.
🏖️ If You’re Not Selling On Walmart Marketplace Yet, You Still Have Time Before Summer Demand Heats Up
💡 Need some inspiration? Take RTIC Outdoors, a premium cooler and drinkware brand, as an example.
🗣️ “We went from a digital direct consumer business only, to an omnichannel retailer and Walmart plays a huge part of that,” said Bill Pond, CEO of RTIC.
💸 And right now, as a new seller you’re eligible to save up to $75,000 in New-Seller Savings, Walmart’s incentive program that includes:
Don’t miss out—New Seller Savings runs through January 31, 2026.
*Conditions apply.
* sponsored
📦 Your Daily Tariff Check-In
Whether it’s a minor tweak or a major shift, we’ll keep you posted on the latest tariff changes—so you’re always in the know.
May 30, 2025 update:
💡 The New Group Chat For Brands and Gen Z
Where is Gen Z spending their time online?
While we often think of TikTok and YouTube as popular platforms for younger demographics, Gen Z is also congregating over Substack.
Why Substack is gaining popularity:
Unlike other platforms, users need to ‘opt-in’ first to view content and they can deep dive into long-form content without any interruptions in the ad-free environment.
It’s also a place to intentionally connect with creators in a way that feels more exclusive and personal compared to other social platforms.
The stats:
Some notable brands, like American Eagle, are launching Substacks to connect with Gen Z by putting out more personalized long-form content.
The clothing brand just launched their Substack ‘Off the Cuff’, which is guest edited by youth culture expert Casey Lewis.
The brand says: “This is a cultural and style digest exploring Gen Z through trend insights and expert curations, blending guest editors and AE’s perspective to spotlight what’s shaping fashion, media, and youth culture today.”
Adding Substack into American Eagle’s content strategy is a great way to speak directly to that demographic and establish themselves as curators and tastemakers of Gen Z culture and fashion trends.
Other brand founders, like Dianna Cohen from Crown Affair and Lindsey Carter from Set Active, are also leaning into Substack to inspire and connect with niche audiences.
They show behind-the-scenes brand content, personal hobbies (like moodboarding), and share personal essays titled ‘What Founders Don’t Say Out Loud.’
The takeaway?
With uncertainty still looming around the U.S. TikTok ban, brands are exploring different platforms to connect with Gen Z audiences.
Platforms like Substack offer a chance for brands to connect and create strong niche communities.
🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE
Shoutout to the Pilothouse team! 👏👏👏
Earlier this month they attended the Momentum event in California and took home the Rising Star award from Rebuy Engine.
⚡ QUICK HITS
🍪 When cookie-based tracking falls short, what do you do? Luxury brand Parisa Wang struggled to re-engage anonymous shoppers. With Instant, they drove $32k in incremental value in the first 30 days. Read all about it here. *
❓ Answer: 80 to 90% of your YouTube ad spend should be top of funnel. For more YouTube ad insights, listen to this episode of AKNF with Pilothouse’s Google Head, Dougie.
📅 EVENTS
Digital Enterprise Show - Over the course of three exciting days in June, Málaga will become the hub of digital innovation, paving the way for the discovery and creation of extraordinary business and professional opportunities.
📅 June 10-12, 📍 Málaga, Spain 💰 €68 - €1,125
Generative AI Summit - This one-day event brings together over 500 attendees, predominantly senior management from 300+ companies across 15+ industries. The summit focuses on practical applications of generative AI, addressing challenges related to infrastructure, data layers, deployment, and optimization.
📅 June 11, 📍 New York City, NY 💰 $299 - $495
💸 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
📰 NEWS
📥 Got a B2B Biz?
Join dozens of B2B companies finding demand-gen success through our niche community of 150k brand leaders and founders this year. Talk to our team to learn more.
Have you heard our latest podcasts?
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.
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