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Hereâs what youâll find in todayâs DTC:
đž We celebrate the best and buzziest brand partnerships this year.
⥠Instagramâs latest new feature allows brands to improve their Reel performance with a bit of trial testing.
đ And understandably, searches for this word have skyrocketed this month.
Youâre reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Cotton Peru, Â ZenToes, and Rotary Watches. đ
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đĄ Unhinged Brand Partnerships and TikTok Influencer Collabs
This year, there were a ton of exciting brand partnerships that did a great job of creating buzz and going viral thanks to their amazing brand synergy.
Some were unlikely, others were a bit unhinged, and many leveraged the anticipation of blockbuster movies to put out limited edition offerings.
Without further ado, here are some of the best brand partnerships of 2024:
Hot Pink Barbie Collabs: Barbie had a moment this year, partnering with multiple brands to celebrate the dollâs 65th anniversary.
Some ranged from foul (pink Heinz ketchup?!), but other brands like OLIPOP, Patrick Ta, and Stanley also collaborated with Mattel on pink colorway products to win over consumers with Barbie fever.
Wicked Inspired Collabs: Barbie may have paved the way, but Wicked took movie brand partnerships to another level with collaborations from seemingly everyone from Starbucks tumblers to makeup products, a line of dolls, luggage, you name it.
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Scrub Daddy and Benefit Cosmetics: We definitely didnât see this collab coming but loved Benefitâs creative spin on discussing pore care with the popular cleaning supplies brand.
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Chamberlain Coffee and 818: These influencer-backed brands by Emma Chamberlain and Kendall Jenner put out a limited edition espresso martini kit, which promptly sold out, demonstrating the power of influencer marketing.
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TikTok influencer collabs were on the rise: We saw a ton of businesses leverage TikTok stars to promote their brand this year.
Poppi partnered with Alix Earle during a Coachella activation, Katie Fang became the face of Cetaphilâs first influencer-fronted campaign, and Julia Huynh (famous for her âhoodies that hoodieâ TikTok series) found herself collaborating with GAP on the perfect hoodie to sell online and in stores.
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Brands worked the wellness angle with Erewhon: It seemed like everyone this year partnered with the high-end grocery store on a $10 smoothie.
Brands like Rhode, Chamberlain Coffee, Vacation, and Salt & Stone tapped into sensory marketing, and all came up with delicious creations to keep their brands top of mind.
đ Hey Erewhon, can we get a DTC smoothie made? With butterfly pea protein powder, vanilla yogurt, and a generous dose of maple syrup.
⥠Improve Your IG Reel Performance With Trial Reels
ICYMI Instagram recently announced a new update: Trial Reels.
Pilothouseâs social team shares that this new tool can help brands optimize their social media strategy and influencer engagement.
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What is it, and how does it work?
If you are a brand that works with content creators or influencers, this update is for you! Trial Reels will allow content creators to share reels with non-followers before showcasing them to their existing audience.
This approach takes the pressure off creating the perfect post and empowers many, including DTC brands, to explore creative, out-of-the-box ideas without the fear of having only one chance to hit the target. đŻ
About 24 hours after posting a trial reel, you can review key engagement metricsâsuch as views, likes, comments, and sharesâdirectly in the Reels viewer.
If your Trial Reel gains traction, there are two options: sharing it with your followers manually or letting Instagram handle it automatically based on performance, like receiving a certain number of views within the first 72 hours. The best thing is that you can adjust or disable this setting anytime for full control.
These insights help gauge performance and include comparisons to previous trials.
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Why Trial Reels Matter for Your Business
1. Test Without Risk
One common hesitation among businesses and creators is trying new formats or ideas that might not align with their established voice. Trial Reels offer a safe space to gauge whether your content resonates without committing it to your main audience.
2. Expand Your Reach
By initially sharing Trial Reels with non-followers or a secondary group of targeted people, youâre tapping into new audiences. This can help you identify untapped market segments and broaden your brandâs visibility.
3. Data-Driven Decisions
Within 24 hours of posting, youâll access engagement metricsâviews, likes, comments, and sharesâthat show how your reel is performing.
Instagram even provides insights comparing current trials to previous ones, helping you or your marketing team make informed decisions about your content strategy.
4. Streamlined Success
If your Trial Reel performs well, Instagram offers a seamless option to share it with your followers automatically. This automation ensures that high-performing content gets maximum exposure without extra effort.
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The takeaway?
Businesses can create with confidence using this new feature. Simply toggle on the âTrialâ option before sharing to get started.
The reel will remain visible only to non-followers during the trial phase and wonât appear on the main profile grid.
Monitor key metrics like engagement rates and views. Use these insights to fine-tune your content strategy going forward.
đ SEARCH SURGE
Whatâs Trending: Overstimulated
Why is this happening? Searches for the word âoverstimulatedâ have skyrocketed YoY. Noise cancellation products are also seeing an uptick in searches.
đ This is a good opportunity for brands to emphasize how their products or services can offset the stresses associated with the holiday season and send some self-care reminders to unplug.
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⥠QUICK HITS
đş 20,000 new advertisers are predicted to run CTV ads in 2025. Are you one of them? Rokuâs Ads Manager makes CTV accessible with e-commerce integration and direct audience engagement. Lead the charge with CTV ads and get started. *
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đ EVENTS
The Founders Reset* - Join DTC Co-Founders Eric and Jeff 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! đ Get $500 USD off with discount code: DTCVIP
đď¸ January 23-25, đ Whistler, CA đ° $3,000
đĽ 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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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.
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