DTC712: Pop-Tarts’ Edible Mascot Campaign

Good morning,

Users can now ‘trial’ Instagram Reels before hitting publish.

The new feature allows creators to test their video performance with a small audience before sharing it with their followers.

Read more about this update in our News section below.

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

🏈 Pop-Tarts is going viral for creating a new football game ritual that involves sacrificing their best-selling product.
✉️ We unpack the latest email marketing trends and retention strategies post-BFCM.
🤖 And… how this video ad format leverages an ‘AI shopping assistant’ to engage with viewers.

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You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Bonk & Co, Rochford Wines, and Casetify. 👋

💡 Pop-Tarts' Smart Marketing Play Involves A Sweet Sacrifice

Another year, another televised sacrifice.

Of Pop-Tarts, that is.

Last year, Pop-Tarts introduced an edible mascot to a college football game and quickly went viral. This time, the brand is back again with another game day activation set for Dec 28th.

During Pop-Tarts Bowl, three edible mascots will vie for the honor of being eaten by the game’s MVP. This includes Wild Berry, Hot Fudge Sundae, and a mystery flavor.

To create hype leading up to the event, Pop-Tarts is asking customers on their website to guess which ‘retired flavor is returning to shelves and competing to get eaten.’

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Why this campaign resonated so well with viewers:

Fun product integration: This is a brilliant way for Pop-Tarts to integrate their product with football celebration rituals. It creates a fun experience for viewers, builds brand affinity, and makes older consumers nostalgic about the sweet treat.

Uncover most popular SKU: By adding more edible mascots into the mix this year, the brand can better understand which flavors resonate with people at the event and over social media. Most likely, this year's Pop-Tarts Bowl will go viral again.

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The takeaway?

This is an attention-grabbing way for Pop-Tarts to engage with fans and build brand affinity by modernizing football celebration rituals with a sweet snack.

💸 The Cheapest Time to Advertise on TV is Now—And Here’s Why:

Most TV advertisers end their campaigns after December 15th, as holiday shopping winds down and shipping cutoffs hit.

📺 But guess what? Audiences are still watching TV—especially during the cold, cozy days ahead.

❄️ This creates the perfect storm: lower ad costs, higher viewership, and consumers still ready to buy.

👉 Tatari clients typically see ~13% better performance during this period. Don’t miss out on the most cost-effective time of year to test TV as a performance channel.

🎧 Email Marketing in 2025: Why Gmail's New Spam Rules Demand Sniper Segments

In this episode of the DTC Podcast, Eric Dyck sits down with Jordan Gordon, host of TWBERP (The World’s Best Email and Retention Podcast) and Retention Director at Pilothouse, to unpack the latest email marketing trends and retention strategies following Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

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Subscribe to the World's Best Email and Retention Podcast (TWBERP) here.

Jordan shares groundbreaking insights into how inbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo are tightening spam filters by selectively targeting segments of email lists. These changes demand a more refined approach to email marketing—what Jordan calls “sniper segmentation.”

Marketers will learn why untargeted campaigns are becoming obsolete, how to avoid Gmail’s spam pitfalls, and why focusing on flows and automations is the key to maximizing deliverability and ROI in 2024.

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In this podcast, we cover:

• BFCM Wins and Losses: Discover why nimble, online-native brands thrived while legacy brands struggled.
• Sniper Segmentation: Learn how to ensure your most engaged audiences see your emails while avoiding spam folder pitfalls.
• The Future of Segmentation: Why AI-driven tools will dominate email marketing—and how to stay ahead by understanding segmentation fundamentals today.

👉 You can listen to the full episode with Jordan here.

🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE

Here’s a simple ad format you can test. Create a text convo with your ‘AI shopping assistant’ to stop the scroll and keep viewers engaged!

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⚡ QUICK HITS

📅 Want January to be as successful as Q4? Get ad assets that perform in the top 1% of TikTok with minisocial’s UGC creators. Quickly expand your social reach this Q1 with minisocial. *

📺 TV advertising is the cheapest it’s been, so why aren’t you doing it? Q5 is the perfect time to start, with lower ad costs and higher viewership. Get Tatari and test TV as a performance channel. *

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📅 EVENTS

The Founders Reset* - Join Eric and Jeff from DTC at this exclusive event for top DTC founders to unplug, share, find inspiration, and reflect on their business journey. Hurry, there are only 8 spots left! 👉 Get $500 USD off with discount code: DTCVIP

🗓️ January 23-25, 📍 Whistler, CA 💰 $3,000

Digiday Media Buying Summit - This summit gathers key decision-makers from top brands and agencies, attracting a diverse audience of professionals eager to explore cutting-edge strategies and technologies in media buying.

🗓️ March 3-5, 📍 Nashville, TN 💰 $2,295 - $4,495

Digiday Publishing Summit - This event for publishers and media professionals is focused on overcoming industry challenges and seizing new opportunities. Participants will engage in discussions around key topics such as monetization strategies, audience engagement, and the impact of emerging technologies in publishing.

🗓️ March 24-26, 📍 Vail, CO 💰 $3,395 - $4,795‍

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📰 NEWS

• Instagram introduces Trial Reel Insights feature.
• Oatly’s ‘Santa Taste Tests’ holiday campaign puts a fun twist on the milk and cookies tradition.
• Puma collaborates with Netflix’s hit show Squid Game on a limited edition apparel and accessories collection.

📥 Got a B2B Biz?

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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Have you heard our latest podcasts?

• 💰 TWBERP 11: The Financial Case for Email
• 🚀 Lessons from Dr. Squatch’s Walmart Launch with Martin Forde
• 🖤 AKNF 462: BFCM insights and Amazon’s Changing Ad Strategies
• 💬 TWBERP 10: Why Cohesive Email and Ad Messaging Matters
• 🏃🏽 Get on the CPG Fast Track: Insights from O2 and Four Sigmatic
• ⭐ AKNF 460: How to Craft Winning Q4 Sales Ads
• 🛒 TWBERP 9: The Only Site Abandon Flow You’ll Ever Need

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

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

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