DTC842: True Crime Ads, CGC Tips, and David Beckham’s BEEUP

Good morning,

Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:

💰 True Crime Inspired Ad Campaign
How this dark format resonates with Gen Z. 

⭐ 7 Creator Generated Content Tips
Produce content that converts. 

📦 Daily Tariff Update
ICYMI all the trade highlights from last week. 

🍇 David Beckham Disrupts Snack MarketHow BEEUP caters to active kids. 

You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Utah Steel, Stability AI and Foodsmiths. 👋

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🎥 Creative strategy + briefing + UGC delivery

You get licensed content from creators who actually follow the brief — and it’s all done for you.

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💡 Dark and Twisted…Cereal Ad? 

Cinnamon Toast Crunch launches an unexpected ad campaign that aims to connect with Gen Z.

The video "Must Cinnadust" mimics an early 2000s ad but with a true crime-inspired storyline.

The ad campaign:

The 30-second spot follows a piece of cereal wandering in a dark apartment, grappling with his need for cereal cannibalism.

In his voiceover, he recognizes what he does is 'horrific' before opening his fridge door and revealing severed "cereal body parts." 

Why this angle works:

Appeals to Gen Z’s interests: The serial killer storyline resonates with Gen Z's affinity for true crime podcasts and hit shows like Only Murders in the Building and Dexter.

There's the shock factor. It’s not your typical cereal ad, but it stands out.

While other brands are focused on filming summer themed ads by the pool, this spot is unconventional and attention-grabbing.

Early 2000s ads have been a big trend lately. It makes the spot feel more nostalgic, but it still feels fresh because of the unexpected dark humor.  

The takeaway? 

This campaign proves that leaning into weird, dark humor can be a winning move especially when it taps into cultural trends like true crime and nostalgia. 

By breaking the mold of traditional cereal ads, Cinnamon Toast Crunch has created something that not only grabs attention but actually sticks.

😍 Want Loyal Customers? Listen to The Strategies And Psychology Of Today’s Most Effective Loyalty Programs 

What actually builds long-term loyalty? (Hint: it's not discounts.) 👀

Find out on The Loyalists — Yotpo’s new podcast, where ecommerce leaders get real about what actually works.

👉 Join their host, Adam Long—aka Yotpo’s VP of Sales—as he chats with Lawrence Norman (Adidas, Eastside Golf) about emotional relevance, cultural credibility, and how purpose-driven brands earn not just repeat purchases, but genuine customer connection.

👏 From cause-driven storytelling to community-led brand building, this episode flips the script on traditional retention tactics and explores what it really takes to turn shoppers into long-term fans.

Ready to turn customers into advocates? 🤩

📦 Weekly Tariff Highlights 

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. 

June 20, 2025 update:

G7 Summit Trade Talks Recap 

• World leaders met in Kananaskis, Alberta for the three-day G7 Summit.
  
• While Trump signed off on a trade deal with the U.K., other countries left empty-handed.
  
• Trump cites that negotiations with the EU and Japan have been "tough" and is still looking for a "fair and good deal."
  
• Canada says it will impose new counter-tariffs against the U.S. if a trade deal isn't reached in the next 30 days.

📸 Seven Creator Generated Content Tips

CGC is essential for growing a modern DTC brand. 

But what makes it actually convert? 

Here are Pilothouse’s top tips for using CGC to drive results.

1️⃣ CGC vs. UGC

First off, let’s establish how CGC is different from UGC. 

UGC (User-Generated Content): Created organically by customers who love the product.

CGC (Creator-Generated Content): Made by paid creators to promote your product in ads.

The sweet spot? CGC that feels like UGC. Authentic, unscripted, and natural.

2️⃣ Quantity > Quality (At First)

On TikTok and Meta, volume wins. 

The more CGC you push out, the better your odds of finding a high-performing “hero” asset that can scale for months or even years.

This content flood builds artificial hype and fuels algorithmic discovery. 

Don’t wait for perfection. Test at scale. 🚀

3️⃣ Don’t Limit Your Casting

Great creators don’t need to look like your customer. 

Test across ages, ethnicities, lifestyles, and tones to find what actually converts.

Widen your net. The data will show you who performs best.

4️⃣ Be Data-Driven from the Start

Strong CGC starts with smart direction. Base your creative briefs on the following:

• Top-performing ad copy
• Best-selling SKUs
• High-converting CTAs
• Best product angles/display

The more you feed in proven data, the better your odds of success.

5️⃣ Iterate Relentlessly

Once a piece of CGC hits, break it down and split test variables:

• Hook styles
• Video length
• Trend usage
• B-roll approaches
  

Even small tweaks can improve your ROAS.

6️⃣ Follow the CGC Equation

When launching new products or promos, repeat this system:

1. Test high-volume CGC
2. Use data to guide briefs
   Iterate on winning assets
3. Expand reach with new creators
4. Scale with 3PB
   

7️⃣ Scale with 3PB (Third Party Brand)

Once you’ve found winning CGC, amplify it with third-party faces—influencers, dark posts, or community pages.

Why this tactic works:

• Feels more trusted than branded pages
• Generates lower traffic costs
• Adds social proof at scale

Just 1–3 third-party partners can make a massive difference in performance.

Turn CGC into a repeatable system for scaling DTC growth. 

By combining volume, data, and smart iteration, you can turn paid creators into a reliable acquisition engine.

David Beckham launches a snack brand, BEEUP, and hopes to disrupt the $53 billion U.S. snack market.

Inspired by his love of beekeeping, the honey-powered snacks aim to energize active kids and families without using refined sugars or artificial ingredients. It’s now available exclusively at Target.

🛒 Black Friday success starts now. Don’t wait until Q4 to start optimizing. Use Q2 and Q3 to build your remarketing engine with Instant. By converting anonymous shoppers ahead of time, you’ll double your email revenue and head into BFCM with serious momentum. *

⭐ Scaling on Amazon doesn’t happen by accident. Four Sigmatic reached #2 in ground coffee with our help. Your brand could be next. Book a call now.

• Alta raises $11 million to bring ‘Clueless’ fashion tech to life.
• Musk looks to raise $4.3 billion to strengthen xAI against OpenAI.

📥 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?

• 🧓 Ad-venturous 6: All About Baby Boomers 
• 📧 TWBERP 38: Stop Double Tapping Unengaged Addresses 
• 🍘 How Back To Nature Repositioned Away From ‘Plant-Based’

• 🤖 AKNF 516: Steal These AI Workflows and 3x Creative Production
• 🤔 Ad-venturous 6: Did Gen X Pledge Allegiance to Value? 
• ⚡TWBERP 37: They Subscribed, Now What? Welcome Emails 

Don’t forget to rate the DTC Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.

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