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The DTC model was a game-changer for retail. But the category’s three letter moniker won’t be remembered for the brands that came from that forgone era. Data suggests that it will be remembered as a media or advertising strategy. There is a precedent for this.

Google, Wikipedia, and other sites still suggest that the phrase “direct-to-consumer” and its shorter-form catchphrase are referring to a “business model focusing on e-commerce of a single product category” or a sales channel where the original equipment manufacturer sells directly to the consumer (instead of using traditional wholesale channels).

The DTC era marked a pivotal moment in the way businesses connect with their audiences. This evolution, initially sparked by pioneering platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce in 2007 and 2009 respectively, now sees the moniker pivoting from the exclusive domain of retail and towards other industries adopting the acronym. Today, the media and advertising sectors are the ones stealing the search traffic for DTC news.

The journey of the three letter acronym, from one meaning a nascent brand retail strategy to one meaning a broad-based approach impacting retail, advertising, and media reflects a deeper change in consumer behavior. In eCommerce, DTC is less of a category and more of a function. In media, DTC is entering the cycle that harkens back to the 2009-2014 years of online retail. Here is what I earlier published on this seemingly forgone era:

The Direct-to-Consumer Brand era brought about a significant change in retail dynamics. Brands like Figs and Warby Parker exemplified this era by cutting out intermediaries and connecting directly with consumers. This model, highlighted by the rise of Shopify, allowed for greater control over brand messaging, customer experience, and product quality. The DTC era highlighted the importance of eCommerce, digital marketing, and consumer data analytics, making it a pivotal period in the evolution of modern retail. But few retailers mastered the economics required to become a durable brand.

The pandemic further exposed the vulnerabilities of the DTC model. Many DTC brands, with high operational costs and low savings, struggled with diminished consumer demand and supply chain disruptions. This led to significant downsizing of companies such as Away, Everlane, Casper, and others. Post-pandemic, we’re witnessing a shift in the DTC landscape. Entrepreneurs and investors are reevaluating the model, seeking a balance between the aspects that worked and those that didn’t. The focus is now on sustainable growth, effective customer engagement, and prudent financial management.

Fueled by Facebook and Google advertising spend, that DTC era democratized the market for small and medium-sized brands. Shopify’s platform, among others, played a crucial role in this revolution, allowing brands to sell directly to their consumers and bypass traditional middlemen that were known to block entry, at the time. This model thrived on the back of digital advancements and a growing consumer preference for personalized, direct brand interactions. It is in decline.

But prior to the decline, the periodic spikes in Google Trends for “d2c” are testament to this model’s growing resonance with the public, highlighting key moments of technological adoption and consumer shifts towards more personalized shopping experiences.

The recent strategic move by ESPN to launch a direct-to-consumer version by fall 2025 underscores the shift away from DTC’s hold on physical product brands, moving beyond retail to capture media and advertising realms. This approach, aimed at reaching an audience increasingly disenchanted with traditional cable bundles, represents a broader industry shift towards offering content and products directly to consumers. The collaboration among giants like ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox Corp. to bundle sports content into a new streaming service exemplifies their need to meet the modern consumer’s demand for direct, personalized content consumption. Ironically, it’s a demand that retail brands helped normalize for media companies.

While media is headed away from omnichannel and towards DTC, the retail sector has increased its focus on omnichannel strategies, as highlighted in recent analyses. The convergence of physical and online selling, accelerated by the pandemic, has led to significant investments in technology that enhance the customer experience across all touchpoints. Innovations such as augmented reality fitting rooms and interactive in-store displays are not merely enhancements but fundamental shifts in retail strategy, blurring the lines between eCommerce and physical stores.

Yet, this shift towards a more integrated approach to product retail comes with its set of challenges and criticisms. Concerns over scalability, sustainability, and consumer privacy are increasingly prominent. The model’s reliance on continuous consumer engagement and data collection for personalized experiences raises ethical questions. Moreover, for smaller brands, maintaining growth without compromising on quality or customer experience presents a significant challenge.

For product retail: sustainability, transparency, and the protection of consumer privacy are set to become central to consumer choices and, consequently, brand strategies. For media companies venturing into DTC, the creation of value will extend beyond content to encompass interactive and personalized experiences, crucial for attracting and retaining a modern audience. The trajectory of DTC media strategies will likely be defined by a delicate balance between leveraging technological innovations and addressing cost considerations.

The evolution of the DTC model reflects a broader narrative of change, from its early days in retail to its current embrace by media and advertising sectors. This shift is indicative of deeper societal changes and technological advancements. As the landscape continues to evolve, the adaptability and appeal of the DTC model remain clear, promising new opportunities and challenges for businesses aiming to connect directly with their consumers. The future of DTC lies in its ability to innovate while remaining mindful of value creation and proper unit economics, ensuring a sustainable and consumer-centric approach to business.

By Web Smith | Edited by Hilary Milnes with art by Christina Williams

Let’s face it: the subscription model is hurting. This is a problem, especially for food-based brands. Now add inflation and other cost of living increases and you have a recipe for increased churn, poor sales efficacy, and a less-than-optimal marketing operation. Here are several of the common issues facing the subscription box model for foodstuffs:

Niche market limitation: This company targets a specific market segment interested in a premium product. This focus, while beneficial for brand identity and customer loyalty, may limit its market reach. Expanding its appeal without diluting its brand could be a challenge.

Perceived value versus cost: The cost of subscribing might be perceived as high by some potential customers, especially when compared to buying a similar product from local supermarkets. Communicating the value and justification for the price difference is crucial.

Subscription fatigue: As mentioned in the context of subscription model fatigue, consumers are increasingly wary of accumulating too many subscription services. Food delivery services is likely at the bottom of the priority list when compared to services like: internet, streaming networks, and lower-cost niche media.

Customer retention: Keeping customers engaged and subscribed over the long term can be challenging. Subscription box companies need to continuously find innovative ways to add value to its subscriptions, such as introducing new products, offering flexible subscription plans, or providing unique recipes.

Geographic limitations: Face it, food delivery services cannot go international. And even more critical, there are challenges in maintaining product quality during shipping to certain areas. This could hinder market expansion and customer satisfaction. Ensuring consistent quality and expanding logistical capabilities are key.

Failure to respond to consumer trends: The rapidly changing food industry requires constant adaptation to new consumer trends, such as plant-based diets or the latest dietary fads. Diversification of products or distributive partnerships can help the subscription box company to stay relevant and appeal to a broader audience.

From apps that promise to make our lives easier to the toothbrushes that magically arrive at our door, we’re drowning in monthly charges. This October 2023 Harvard Business Review sheds light on this phenomenon, revealing that we’re not just imagining things – subscription fatigue is real, and it’s cluttering up our digital and physical doorsteps with an overwhelming array of choices. At the core of the problem at hand is consumer bifurcation.

In response to this bifurcated economic reality, retailers must chart new courses with a new focus that shifts to creating offerings tailored to a spectrum of economic segments. (2PM, December 2023)

While Amazon tends to appeal to the upper wrung of customers, Aldi’s growth is indicative of the changing consumer landscape. With 2,356 stores, it would land at third on this list. The place is the antithesis of complication. Shopping at Aldi is like a breath of fresh, budget-friendly air. The store’s design is straightforward, and the selection, while limited, covers all the basics at prices that test the American belief of consumer pricing index. It’s the kind of simplicity that makes you wonder why shopping anywhere else feels like preparing for a space mission. Aldi’s model is a testament to the power of keeping it simple – a lesson many subscription services could learn from.

Then there’s Amazon – the Goliath of eCommerce. With its finger on the pulse of payments technologies, Amazon has the tools to make subscriptions feel less like a chore and more like a convenience. Imagine a world where subscriptions are so seamlessly integrated into our lives that we barely notice them, thanks to Amazon’s predictive algorithms and personalized recommendations. This wouldn’t just convenient; it would be revolutionary. Now Imagine if Aldi and Amazon, two giants from seemingly different worlds, both pursued the problem of subscription fatigue by allowing customers to be more fluid in how they request and receive their goods. Aldi’s mastery of simplicity and efficiency combined with Amazon’s technological prowess could pave the way for a subscription model that’s both effortless and exciting for food brands in search of growth. Subscriptions would no longer be a source of dread but a carefully curated part of our daily lives, offering exactly what we need, right when we need it.

A New Frontier: DTC Brands in the Grocery Aisle

But what about the DTC brands that are in need of efficient growth? There’s a new frontier for these brands, and I believe it’s piercing the veil of omnichannel distribution. The mission for those retailers, whether they are hawking beef, vegetables, or anything else with an expiration date is to land on the shelves of stores like Whole Foods, Kroger, CostCo, and Aldi. For DTC brands, this is not just about expanding distribution; it’s about integrating into the daily lives of consumers. It requires building an internal strategy that aligns with the values and operations of these retail giants. DTC brands need to understand the logistics, the pricing models, and the customer base of stores like Aldi and Whole Foods. They need to navigate the complexities of large-scale retail while maintaining the agility that made them stand out in the first place.

This direction is more than a business expansion; it’s a strategic alignment with the changing behaviors of consumers who crave simplicity and convenience in their shopping experience. By securing a spot in the inventory of stores affiliated with Amazon Prime or Instacart, DTC brands can ensure their products are as accessible as a click or a quick grocery run. They can also build an insurance model for the growing subscription fatigue that seems to be triggered by rising economic concerns.

In a world where subscription fatigue is the new norm, Aldi and Amazon emerge as potential beacons. For DTC brands looking to make their mark in the grocery world, the path is clear: align with the simplicity and technological savvy of these retail giants, and become an indispensable part of consumers’ lives.

The future of shopping is here, and it’s streamlined, personalized, and, most importantly, uncomplicated. The growth is in grocery delivery, not box shipments. This is the changing consumer behavior that the smartest retailers can opt-in to grow alongside.

By Web Smith 

According to recent projections, the golf apparel and accessories industry will triple over the next five years with the most substantial growth coming by way of the Middle East and Africa. This year also marks a sea change in the sport with Nike and Tiger Woods parting ways while several others claw for position atop of a red ocean market.

NFL Hall of Famer (to be) JJ Watt has said many wise things in his career and beyond it. But it’s something he mentioned six years ago that is still relevant today, “Has any one athlete ever moved the needle for an entire sport like Tiger for golf?! Maybe MJ, Serena… idk.” Given recent events, a rundown of the sport’s most interesting was in order.

To do this, I collected every list of golf brands that I could find over the last year, from Gear Patrol to GQ to Golf to Men’s Health and everything in between. I used ChatGPT to identify the brands most consistent among the many lists (with one clear exception). The list blends the old, the new, and the to-be launched.

The 2024 List of Top Golf Brands

• Sun Day Red – May 1, 2024 launch from Tiger Woods will symbolize dominance, victory, tradition.
• Fore All – A new women’s golf apparel brand that mixes functionality with fashion.
• Greyson Clothiers – Known for high-quality, stylish golf apparel.
• A. Putnam – A fresh brand in women’s golf apparel focusing on understated luxury.
• Adidas – Consistently stylish and functional golf apparel for both men and women.
• Malbon – A fashion-forward brand with partnerships across the industry.
• Ecco Golf – Offers some of the most comfortable spikeless golf shoes.
• Polo RLX Golf – Classic golf fashion meets innovative fabrics.
• Puma – Known for quality golf clothing and innovative shoe technology.
• FootJoy – Embraces traditional styles with modern technology.
• Rhone – Offers the “Everyday Five Pocket Pant” and stylish polos.
• True Linkswear – Stylish golf shoes designed for comfort and functionality.
• 7Diamonds – Offers the Yael Striped Sweater Polo, blending fashion with golf attire.
• Original Penguin – Known for its stylish upcoming collections.
• Devereux – The brand’s mantra is “play more, complain less.”
• Lohla Sport – European designs for the American sporty-resort lifestyle.
• Jones Sports Co – Offers high-quality golf bags and backpacks.
• Stitch Golf – Known for its travel accessories and golf bags.
• Sunday Golf – Light and fun golf gear, known for their golf bags.
• Lululemon – High-quality, fashionable athleisure suitable for golf.
• Nike – Offers a wide range of golf apparel and gear, known for affordability.
• J. Lindeberg – A luxury lifestyle brand with a strong golf apparel line.
• Manors – Focuses on classic, preppy shades and quality knitwear.
• G/Fore – Contemporary take on golf apparel with vibrant colors.
• Bogner – Luxury brand known for its functional and stylish golf polos.
• Rhoback – Functional, stylish, breathable, stretchy, vibrant, comfortable, sporty.
• Under Armour – Offers a wide range of golf apparel and accessories.
• Eastside Golf – A newer brand that blends streetwear with golf tradition.
• Bogey Bros – Golf style with an impeccable sense of humor.
• Peter Millar – Offers premium fabric golf apparel, from sweaters to jackets.
• Mizzen+Main – One of the original players in the performance wear space.

One of these brands deserves a spotlight given recent developments and it isn’t Tiger’s. Charlie Woods recently stepped into the limelight with Greyson Clothiers, diverging from his father’s first apparel partner. Tiger, an apparent fan of Greyson but in need of something more, leaned towards TaylorMade for the iconic Sun Day Red partnership. This decision likely hinged on TaylorMade’s robust omnichannel distribution network, despite the textiles bearing a closer resemblance to Greyson’s sophisticated offerings than anything TaylorMade has previously crafted. This strategic partnership reflects a blend of legacy, modernity, and a familiar design ethos (from what I can tell by the early images). That design ethos reminded me of Charlie Schaefer’s burgeoning brand.

In Awe of Greyson Clothiers

The Greyson story is shaping up to become the rare exit outcome in DTC fashion, one plagued with stall outs and private equity mergers (fire sales).

I consider Greyson the sartorial knight of the sweat-wicking fabric category.

Schaefer swung his way from the Duke golf team fairways to the polished floors of Ralph Lauren, only to later set the stage for a fashion revolution of sorts in a stale golf category. It was here, amidst the racks of preppy attire, that fate played its hand. As the story goes, he found himself plucked from the sales floor by Ralph Lauren himself, and whisked into the whirlwind world of corporate fashion development. He there learned how to manage a fashion retailer while maintaining the creativity required to see it to growth.

In 2015, armed with a dream and a rolodex to envy, Schaefer and world’s no. 1 amateur golfer, Morgan Hoffmann, birthed Greyson Clothiers. This wasn’t just another brand; it was a fusion of sophistication and performance, destined to redefine the golf attire landscape. Fast forward through nine years of cutting-edge designs and bold fashion statements, Greyson Clothiers now boasts a roster of brand ambassadors that reads like a who’s who of the golf world, including Justin Thomas and Matthew Fitzpatrick. This family, as Schaefer fondly calls it, is united not just by a love for the game but by a shared commitment to a lifestyle that transcends the golf course.

Justin Thomas, a brand ambassador and also an investor, sums up the Greyson ethos with the zeal of a true believer. When Thomas talks to fashion reporters about the brand, he notes the company line: it’s not just about looking good; it’s about feeling good, about embracing a lifestyle that’s as much about making a statement off the course as it is on it. Greyson has turned joggers from a golfing faux pas into a symbol of sporty chic, a testament to the brand’s influence on golfing culture and its trajectory.

In a world where golf attire regurgitated tradition, Greyson Clothiers leapt forward, crafting a future where fashion and function stride hand in hand down the fairway. This answer stands out amongst the rest; it’s from a 2021 article in Golfweek.

The evolution of sport and specifically golf has seen some “colorful” fashion. Knickers have been in and around the game since the beginning. I believe that the jogger is the modern-day knicker.

I consider Greyson the sartorial knight of the sweat-wicking fabric category. This is not just a story of triumph in the cutthroat realm of DTC menswear brands; it’s a saga of how Greyson clothed its way to the top of a heap that includes competitors like Mizzen+Main, State & Liberty, Rhone, and the Goliaths known as Travis Mathew and Peter Millar gazing in awe at its meteoric rise.

Greyson understood that to capture the imagination of consumers, it had to do more than just sell clothes with technical properties. It needed to sell a lifestyle, an ethos, and perhaps, a sprinkle of magic (there are a few quirks that I admire). The kind of magic that convinces a man or woman that they can shave strokes off of their game by donning the right polo, joggers, or members-only ball cap.

Ahead of Greyson, Mizzen+Main brought stretchy shirts to the table and relentlessly targeted a psychographic that could only be summarized as the “Chads.” State & Liberty, Rhone, and Rhoback offered sharp fits designed for athletes. And then there were the many others, with brands so entrenched in the golf world, they seemed as immovable as the ancient trees lining the 18th fairway at Augusta. In many ways, Greyson decided it would redefine the edges rather than join the fray.

Armed with the audacity of a startup and the finesse of a fashion house, Greyson Clothiers embarked on a campaign of charm, cool, and innovation. They looked at the sea of sameness – the predictable plaids, the mundane monochromes – and nearly ignored those statements altogether. Why settle for the status quo when you can disrupt the very fabric of golf attire? Thus, they unleashed bold designs (enough to make paisley look pedestrian) and patterns so intricate, you’d think they were hiding the secrets in the member house at Cherokee Plantation.

But Greyson knew that in the heart of every golfer, beneath the veneer of competitive spirit, lies a yearning for comfort and functionality. This is where they were able to match their competitors without giving up on perfecting its style cues. They engineered clothes that felt like a second skin while on course, yet possessed the resilience of a caddie carrying your clubs uphill both ways. Their offerings are not just garments; they were shields against the elements.

It’s safe to say that some of the competition watched in disbelief, wondering if their next line of shirts needed to double as yoga mats to keep up. Others pondered if their next innovation would involve integrating GPS technology into their fabrics to help golfers find the nearest hole. Travis Mathew might have even raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the audacity of the newcomer.

What truly set Greyson apart, however, was its ability to capture the essence of golf itself – a sport of tradition yet constantly evolving, steeped in etiquette but always on the brink of revolution. They understood that to win over the golfing community, they needed to respect its roots while gently nudging it towards the future. And nudge they did, with every stitch, every seam, every daring design that whispered, “This, too, is golf.”

As Greyson Clothiers ascended to the pinnacle of golf fashion, it became clear that they had not just overcome their competitors; they had transcended many of them with a compressed timeline. They had turned the act of dressing for golf into a statement, a declaration that one was part of a movement that honored the game while daring to dream of its possibilities.

In the end, Greyson Clothiers did not just capture the imagination of consumers; it captured the spirit of an era. An era where golf attire could be as dynamic as the game itself, where tradition and innovation could walk the course hand in hand, and where a brand could rise from the ranks to become not just a player, but one with staying power. In the world of DTC menswear brands, amidst the rivalry and the competition, Greyson emerged as an innovator in a space that is incredibly difficult to achieve the balance between sales today and innovation tomorrow.

By Web Smith | Edited by Hilary Milnes with art by Christina Williams