Good morning,
OpenAI is finally creating an AI Safety and Security board led by Sam Altman after employees like former safety leader Jan Leike resigned earlier this month citing safety concerns.
What this means: ChatGPT-5 might not be released until early 2025 as they work on creating more safeguards for the new model so it doesn’t, you know, take over the world and robots end up replacing the human race.
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:
✨ Amazon sellers, here’s how you can stand out in a sea of similar looking products.
🧒 How TBH refreshed their hair care packaging so it resonates better with a Gen Alpha audience.
📈 We are seeing a huge spike in searches for this one apparel item. Hint: the viral sound has taken over TikTok. I’m looking for a man in… 🎶
You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Ihana Skincare, Klaver Travel, and Ello Dave. 👋
⭐ Using Your Brand Story To Stand Out
A common challenge for Amazon sellers is how to stand out in a sea of similar-looking products.
When visitors search on the site, your listing can appear next to a competitor's with a similar visual, making it challenging to create a point of differentiation. 😮💨
The solution?
This is where a strong brand story can come into play and elevate your listing above the competition.
A compelling brand story should:
Amazon's brand story feature is a creative content carousel with several modules that sit above the A+ Content on all your product pages.
Why you should add a brand story section to your Amazon listing:
The brand story section is an opportunity to tell the story behind the brand, tell consumers the 'why' behind your products, and show that you are, in fact, an established brand (not just another knockoff or private label).
By adding content that builds connections, we can increase consumer spending, whether it comes through today in AOV or tomorrow through LTV.
When customers feel connected to brands, 57% of consumers will increase their spending with that brand and 76% will buy from them over a competitor.
An Amazon Brand Story example
ZBiotics does an excellent job of telling the story, showcasing the founder (and the team), and discussing the brand's primary purpose/values.
The Pilothouse Amazon team does wish they had included product benefits and pain points (however, these are covered in other sections of the listing) and used a different font that was easier to read.
Take advantage of this valuable real estate and tell your brand story on your Amazon product page.
Spend time creating compelling stories to move customers closer down the purchasing funnel.
TBH recently overhauled its hair product packaging, debuting a more sleek design to attract tween consumers.
Here’s the before and after:
The product design tweaks they made:
Is this a packaging glow up or glow down?
We definitely think this is a great rebrand!
The old branding looks very busy and cluttered and could be off-putting to shoppers who don’t want to read all the words in the message bubbles.
While it’s a cute concept, it’ll translate better as an ad rather than packaging design.
The rebrand also addresses two common problems for beauty brands catering to Gen Alpha:
1️⃣ Their customers will ‘outgrow’ the brand in a few years and branch out to try other brands with more adult-looking packaging. TBH’s new modern and minimal packaging makes it a compelling buy even when their target audience ages up.
2️⃣ While teenage Gen Alphas have strong purchasing power, younger generations still rely on parents to make household purchases. Parents have different preferences when it comes to packaging and design, so this rebrand does a good job of appealing to both demographics.
The takeaway?
Brands targeting a younger audience like Gen Alpha will need to consider not only their tastes but also those of their parents, as both have purchasing power.
The rebrand makes the product feel more timeless and accessible while the colors still make it youthful.
📈 SEARCH SURGE
Google Trends shares that these search terms reached peak popularity this week in the U.S.
Breakout search terms: Search interest for 'Finance Bro' was at an all-time high, and 'Finance Bro Vest' was a top related search term the past few days.
I'm confused. Why is this happening? It's all thanks to Megan Boni's viral TikTok, which has been viewed over 33 million times and remixed by users who can't get enough of the catchy audio.
Who should hop this trend: Apparel brands like Patagonia stand to gain big-time from this sudden spike in popularity and appetite for finance bro outfits.
⚡ QUICK HITS
🤝 Partner with the most transparent micro-influencer platform. minisocial was built by an expert team of creators and brand marketers who know how to get things done. No hidden fees, no nonsense. Join 1,000 brands who trust minisocial. *
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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.
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.
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