Welcome to The Week in Direct-to-Consumer, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news in the DTC space.
Chubbies partners with Team USA and Olympic Heritage
Ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris, DTC lifestyle apparel brand Chubbies just announced a multiyear partnership with Team USA and Olympic Heritage. The collaboration kicks off with the Team USA x Chubbies capsule collection, which features performance polos, tees, tanks and swim trunks “meticulously designed to embody the spirit of the Team USA champions,” per a Chubbies statement. Olympic silver medal-winning swimmer Steele Johnson stars in the first campaign.
Previously: “J Crew partners with USA Swimming for the Summer Olympics,” as we noted in the June 7 edition of this column.
Modern Retail explores why DTC startups are having less luck leveraging online sales to gain brick-and-mortar distribution
In an article titled “Buyers are becoming less enamored with DTC sales,” Modern Retail’s Gabriela Barkho explores a shift in pitch strategy for digital-native DTC startups. Barkho notes that while in the past DTC brands such as Liquid Death and Fly by Jing found success launching into physical retail by boasting about strong e-commerce sales, today’s rising DTC brands are facing skeptical retail buyers who understand that online sales may not to translate into brick-and-mortar sales. Read the full story here.
Previously: “eMarketer explores the DTC landscape,” as we noted in the March 1 edition of this column.
Indochino to open five new stores this summer
DTC apparel retailer Indochino plans to open five new U.S. showrooms between now and September, bringing its North American location total to 86, Retail Dive’s Howard Ruben reports. Set to open in South Carolina, Texas, New York, Utah and California, each showroom will feature “made-to-measure and ready-to-wear for men and women,” Ruben notes.
See also: “Skims opens first permanent brick-and-mortar store,” as we noted in the June 21 edition of this column.
Digiday discusses the challenges a DTC investor faces working with a founder-influencer
In a “Confessions” interview conducted by Digiday’s Kristina Monllos, an unnamed DTC investor discusses the challenges of working with a founder-influencer. (The idea behind the “Confessions” series, per Digiday: “We trade anonymity for candor.”) With influencer marketing on the rise, it’s only natural that the prevalence of founder-influencers would increase in the DTC space, Monllos notes. But these individuals sometimes lose focus on essential day-to-day operations and may be prone to misleading hype even in times of financial struggle for the brand, the investor tells Monllos. Read the full story here.
See also: “Shapermint leverages AI in influencer program,” as we noted in last week’s edition of this column.
Further reading
DTC strategy:
- “Levi’s comprehensively overhauls e-commerce site” (Chain Store Age)
- “How Vérité Wines is putting Sonoma County on collectors’ radars” (Retail Brew)
DTC trends:
- “Direct-to-Consumer Medical Tests Gain Traction” (The Healthcare Technology Report)
DTC results:
- “Adidas raises guidance again as Q2 sales surge 9%” (Retail Dive)
DTC expansion:
- “Ace Hardware, 100 Years Young, Celebrates 100 New Stores in 2024” (Retail Touch Points)
