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Good morning,
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:
🙌 Why Brand Mascots Matter
Unlock limitless storytelling opportunities.
🤖 ChatGPT vs. Grok: Which Wins?
A breakdown of each AI model’s pros and cons.
⚡ Improve Your IG Reel Performance
Instagram reveals how the algo really works.
You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: ThermoWorks, Bluebird Care, and Lather. 👋
🛍️ Today’s Consumers Expect More—Are You Ready To Deliver?
Klaviyo surveyed 8,000+ global shoppers and spoke with top B2C leaders to uncover what really drives customer loyalty.
Now the answers are here in The Future of Consumer Marketing Report, and the message is clear. 🎯
Shoppers want seamless experiences, real personalization, and brands that align with their values. 👏
The Future of Consumer Marketing Report dives into:
The brands that adapt will lead the way. 🚀
If you want to stay ahead and build stronger relationships, this report is your roadmap. 💥
💡 Are Brand Mascots Having A Moment?
Think about how Coca-Cola’s polar bear instantly brings holiday nostalgia or how Ronald McDonald is forever tied to childhood memories…
That’s the power of a brand mascot—they create emotional connections, boost engagement, and make brands unforgettable.
The stats:
Brand Mascot Benefits:
Duolingo’s Brand Mascot Marketing Stunt
When Duolingo faked the death of its mascot, other brand mascots went viral by reacting to the “tragedy.”
Not only did the chaotic stunt entertain audiences, but it also drove massive engagement back to the language learning app.
Duolingo’s engagement skyrocketed by 346% as users took part in online quests to learn more about Duo’s death and chip in for its virtual coffin.
The takeaway?
Mascots don’t just represent a brand—they shape cultural moments and thrive on social media, especially on TikTok and Instagram.
🤔 What Do Today’s Consumers Really Want From Brands?
Stop guessing.
👉 Klaviyo surveyed 8,000+ global shoppers and spoke with top B2C leaders to find out.
The Future of Consumer Marketing Report reveals exactly how evolving expectations are transforming brand loyalty — and what businesses need to do to keep up.
Get key insights on how to:
Ready to see what’s next in consumer marketing?
🔎 YouTube Launches Premium Lite Subscription
YouTube announced a new premium lite subscription for U.S. users this week.
This new tier allows users to watch most videos ad-free and costs $7.99 per month.
The new feature will roll out into more markets in the upcoming weeks.
🤖 ChatGPT v.s. Grok: Which AI Tool Should You Use?
AI isn’t coming for your job—it’s coming for the busy work.
Pilothouse is all in on leveraging AI to help DTC brands move faster, market smarter, and sell more.
But with tools like ChatGPT and Grok in the mix, which one should you use?
Here are the pros and cons of both AI tools:
1️⃣ ChatGPT: The Content Workhorse
Think of ChatGPT as your brand’s in-house copywriter, strategist, and brainstorming buddy—minus the coffee breaks.
🔹 Best for: Writing email sequences, product descriptions, ad copy, SEO content, branding strategy.
🔹 Strengths: Ultra-customizable, integrates with marketing material, and generates long-form, high-quality content.
🔹 Limits: Knowledge isn’t real-time, and it lacks a distinct personality unless customized.
💡 How We Use It: We build custom GPTs to match brand voice, personalize marketing campaigns, and power content at scale.
2️⃣ Grok: The Trend Spotter
If ChatGPT is the workhorse, Grok is the hype machine—plugged into real-time conversations on X (Twitter) and armed with a sense of humor.
🔹 Best for: Trend monitoring, brand mentions, real-time content, and witty social media posts.
🔹 Strengths: Up-to-date insights, cultural relevance, and meme-worthy marketing magic.
🔹 Limits: Limited data sources (mostly X), and humor doesn’t always hit the right note.
💡 How We Use It: We use Grok to track consumer sentiment, spot trends, and inject personality into brands that thrive on social media engagement.
Which AI Tool Should You Use?
Use ChatGPT when you need structured, scalable, and personalized content.
Use Grok when you need trend-driven, real-time, and personality-packed marketing.
Or better yet—use both as we do.
👉 Want to see how Pilothouse is building custom GPTs for brands? Click here!
🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, just dropped some major insights on how the Instagram Reel algo works.
Turns out the algorithm takes into account not just the percentage of video viewed but the number of seconds viewed.
So worry less about the length of your video and more about how compelling it is!
📅 EVENTS
Shoptalk US - Shoptalk 2025 unites over 10,000 attendees from across the retail, consumer brand, and retail tech landscapes. The conference focuses on the future of retail, exploring critical trends, strategies, and insights shaping the industry.
🗓️ Mar 25-27, 📍 Las Vegas, NV 💰 Free - $3,995
Million Dollar Sellers Inspire - This conference brings together 500+ high-achieving ecommerce entrepreneurs. Speakers include successful entrepreneurs like Brez, Lee Assoulin, Matt Greene, and many more, sharing proven tactics and insights.
🗓️ Mar 24-25, 📍 Las Vegas, NV 💰 Register To Attend
⚡ QUICK HITS
🤔 Do you have what keeps customers coming back? Klaviyo asked 8,000+ consumers and top B2C leaders to uncover what drives customer loyalty today: personalization, quality, and trust. Download the report. *
📰 NEWS
📥 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?
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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