DIP 004: Omnipresence isn't the point
PLUS: Soylent for boomers, transparency as table stakes, and Subway x Tastemade
đ Hi. Itâs been a minute. 2019 is shaping up to be a strong year in the D2C space, with Glossier, Rent The Runway, and Casper all announcing unicorn valuations within a few days of each other. I think they call that a tricornâŠ
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Perennial is Soylent for baby boomers.
Small-but-mighty wellness brand Golde is making on-the-go packs.
Cookware start-up Made In raised $5M. Like Misen and Potluck, it puts utility first, but unlike their more minimalist approach, Made In offers over 20 (!) cookware options.
The telemedicine pushback has begun. (See: this NYTimes piece, this Bloomberg article, and DIP 002.)
This HBR piece on customer happiness surfaces a critical shift in todayâs D2C brand book: transparency and âcutting out the middlemanâ are no longer selling points, theyâre table stakes.
Pajama company zzz launched and promptly crashed its site. The vibe feels like a cross between Offhours and Entireworld.
Subway has teamed up with Tastemade on a crowdsourced tuna sandwich. Related: Buzzfeedâs white label products.
Away is hiring a Head of Wellness / CPG. Related: Lululemon is launching a âself-careâ collection.
First came RightRice, then Banza Rice. Now thereâs Risoni. Does this mean weâve finally moved on from cauliflower rice?
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Like any good, food-loving millennial, I adore Bon AppĂ©tit. I also love media and storytelling, especially when it defies convention. Thatâs why Adam Rapoportâs most recent editorâs letter struck a chord.
He notes that Bon Appetit's digital consumers â those who follow the brand on Instagram, listen to its podcast, subscribe to its YouTube channel â are far younger than its print readers. And â wait for it â he celebrates that range and diversity.
Bon Appetit has succeeded because it has grown into secondary (read: non-print magazine) channels in a meaningful, authentic way. The team knows what its audience likes, regardless of platform or age, and it delivers content thatâs not gimmicky or transactional. Bon Appetit has managed to build a real, dynamic relationship with its readers â something that brands, just as much as media companies, can learn from.
Omnichannel, Omnipresence
Omnichannel is the buzzword du jour. Todayâs brands have their core digital channel, social media outlets, and maybe a blog. As they gain traction, theyâll open a pop-up, which might turn into a permanent space. Maybe theyâll introduce an app, maybe theyâll publish a cookbookâŠ
But omnichannel isnât about doing everything. Itâs about doing what adds the most value.
And itâs not about transactions, itâs about deepening relationships.
That could mean opening a long-term pop-up that functions as a lounge during the day and hosts events at night (hi, Recess). Or maybe itâs an AR-powered app that lets you try on glasses without getting out of bed (hi, Warby Parker). Or a podcast that spotlights a B2B companyâs partners (hi, Lumi).
The transaction is the tip of the iceberg, and exciting things can happen when a brand looks below the surface.
The Everlane Example
Iâve been an Everlane evangelist since 2012. On any given day, Iâm wearing at least one (more likely two) Everlane pieces. Iâve been to every NYC pop-up theyâve hosted, starting with the 2012 âNot A Shop.â Its positioning is rock solid and has only grown stronger as the brand has evolved.
The brandâs collection-specific pop-ups â like Shoe Park, Room Service, and the ReNew Experience â are always delightfully innovative, but its Prince Street store falls flat. When it opened in 2017, the brand said it would use the space to "host panels, community events, and art installations." That hasnât happened more than a handful of times.
Instead, itâs just another store. It lacks the robust storytelling that Everlane has mastered elsewhere. Itâs a large white box that stocks a limited number of products, and has a line thatâs in competition with Prince Street Pizza across the street. I want to love it, and I want to want to shop there, but Everlane isnât giving me a good reason toâŠ
Pulling Away
Awayâs success is a testament to the power of omnichannel marketing done right. Competitors like Raden and Bluesmart have shuttered, blaming their downfall on the ruling that smart luggage batteries must be removable (for Raden, at least, that wasnât exactly trueâŠ).
With smart marketing, a clear brand POV, and an ever-expanding assortment of products, Away built an impenetrable moat. And that moat keeps growing.
Away sells luggage, but itâs not a luggage company. Itâs a travel company. It helps get you from point A to point B, and it enables authentic experiences. It has a magazine with a dedicated editorial staff, a podcast, seven stores across the globe, and has dabbled in pop-ups. With all of this, it inspires.
Itâs all working, and I want it to do more. I want Away to launch a trip planner and host group tours (group travel is a super interesting space, but Iâll save that for another timeâŠ).
What About Words?
Blogs and digital magazines allow brands to own the narrative around their products and their positioning, and they offer another outlet through which to engage with customers.
But a lot of brand-led content is bad. Too many brands use blogs to draw in organic traffic through search optimization, but todayâs best content isnât (nor should be) an SEO play.
Itâs about rich, aspirational, educational storytelling that brings products to life. More importantly, it should be woven into the site experience, giving consumers the information they need exactly where they need it. Content should be omnipresent. Tracksmith has always done this well. Beni Rugs and Great Jones, too. Glossier is just starting to dabble in it, embedding content about customersâ skincare routines into product pages.
Where To?
Ikeaâs Planning Studio is one of my favorite examples of smart omnichannel marketing. Think of it as a guideshop (in that it doesnât house inventory) with design consultants. Ikeaâs ecomm experience is weak (though not for much longer â itâs working with Work&Co), making a visit to a ârealâ Ikea store the easiest way to buy furniture. But most New Yorkers who go to Ikea donât actually walk out with their furniture â they have it delivered.
Planning Studio is a secondary retail outlet that streamlines the entire shopping experience and pares the store down to its most essential part: a checkout kiosk. No lines, no meatballs, no forgetting to buy a middle beam⊠Just a fast, simple experience that gives customers exactly what they need.
Still Hungry?
Real Dip đ§
Chipotle adobo dip. Itâs hard to screw up and hard to stop eating.
Put about a cup of cashews (toasted, if thatâs your jam) and a can of chipotles in adobo sauce in a food processor. Add a three-finger pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice. Pulse until everything looks pebbly, then add a glug of olive oil and let âer rip.
Scoop it with tortilla chips, schmear it on a sandwich, serve it with crudités, eat it by the spoonful.
Thanks for snacking. Questions, comments, compliments? Hit reply and type to me.
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