A quick note:

Hello DTC Pod family! 🚀 

Dive into Jordan Hicks’ and Victor Guardiola’s journey with Bawi, from college experiments to beverage stardom.

Plus, the latest in the DTC world, including Eater's cookware collab, Murad's bright city lights and more. Don't forget to catch our favorite tweet and the must-attend Amazon event. As always, your feedback is our compass.

Before we dive in, we have an announcement: we are now taking advertiser requests, if you are interested, please fill out this form.

- Blaine, Ramon, & the DTC POD squad ✌️

This Week's DTC Pod Guest

#288 - How Bawi Went From College Dorm to Nationally Distributed Beverage Disruptor

Victor Guardiola and Jordan Hicks are the co-founders of Bawi. With a passion for entrepreneurship, they turned their vision of creating ready-to-drink agua frescas into a reality. From testing their products at farmers markets to securing distribution in over 600 stores nationally, Victor and Jordan continue to grow their brand and bring refreshing beverages to consumers nationwide.

📰 DTC & eCommerce News

Eater’s Recipe for Success - Eater, Vox Media's culinary powerhouse, is stirring the pot with a fresh cookware line, crafted in collaboration with American brand Heritage Steel. Featuring saucepans to frying pans, the Eater x Heritage Steel line aims for an October debut on Amazon and select specialty stores. With this venture, Eater extends its flavorful footprint to home kitchens. Dig in to the full story here.

Murad's Big City Lights Debut - Murad, the upscale skincare brand, takes the OOH advertising world by storm with its inaugural Times Square billboard. Augmenting its visibility, Murad also plans 30 more billboards across LA and NY, supporting its fall campaign, "Not Your Ordinary Serums." Dive deeper into Murad's vibrant narrative and discover its expertise-centered campaign here.

Amazon’s Ads Branch Out - Amazon’s sponsored product ads, pivotal to its online store's allure, are set to grace third-party platforms like Pinterest, BuzzFeed, and Hearst Newspapers. This expansion, part of Amazon's $10.7 billion Q2 ad strategy, represents a significant shift in the digital advertising ecosystem. See full deep dive here.

Solo Brands’ Winning Omnichannel Play - Solo Brands bucks the DTC brick-and-mortar trend, opting instead to bolster its wholesale relationships. With a 55% surge in wholesale revenues countering a 12% dip in DTC revenues, Solo Brands' strategy seems to be paying off. The company anticipates further uplift as its Mesa tabletop firepit finds a home in 2,000 Target stores Q4. Catch the full strategy here.

China's Ecommerce Giants Eye US Market - Chinese shopping apps and marketplaces, like Shein, Temu, and TikTok, are making waves in the US ecommerce scene. With their quick production, competitive pricing, and unique product offerings, these Chinese giants might challenge Amazon’s dominance. Brace for a potential shift in the US retail landscape. Unwrap the full story here.

Parade Joins Ariela & Associates Portfolio - Parade, the DTC intimates trailblazer, gets acquired by Ariela & Associates International, renowned for intimates giants like Smart&Sexy and Fruit of the Loom bras. Celebrated for its dedication to inclusivity, sustainability, and fast fashion, Parade will function as an Ariela division, leveraging Ariela’s vast expertise in sourcing, design, and scaling. Founded in 2019 by Cami Téllez, Parade recently expanded its collection to include swimwear and activewear. The merger, sealed under undisclosed terms, promises powerful synergies. Full story here.

Tweet of The Week

Linus (@LinusEkenstam) dives deep into the future of e-commerce and the role of AI at @Shopify. Highlighting its potential to supercharge entrepreneurs, Linus sheds light on the growing AI integration at Shopify and how it's set to redefine online business. Sidekick and the power of tools like Shopify Magic are just the tip of the iceberg. A must-read 🛒🤖.

DTC Event

• AMAZON ACCELERATE SEPTEMBER 13/14 - Amazon is back with their premier annual seller conference, Amazon Accelerate, in Seattle, WA and virtually. This is the perfect opportunity for both current and potential sellers to meet with Amazon experts, connect with other sellers, and learn about the latest innovations to boost your business. Click this link to register and learn more 🛍️🚀

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