Most DTC founders believe their product is enough – and that belief is exactly why they get forgotten.
They obsess over CAC, AOV, and LTV – but metrics don’t build movements. They launch paid ads and hope customers remember them. But in a world of infinite options, being remembered is not a hope – it’s a strategy.
Nik Sharma, DTC growth strategist behind brands like Feastables and Jolie, calls it the “Brand Moat” – the intangible force that makes people choose you again. Emily Weiss, who turned Glossier into a cultural movement with four products and a Tumblr audience, didn’t build a brand – she built belonging. Alex Greifeld, the sharp mind behind No Best Practices, says most DTC founders treat branding like frosting – when it should be the flour.
If your brand doesn’t feel like something, it will be treated like everything. And if it’s not emotionally sticky, it’s instantly forgettable.
The best brands don’t just sell. They signal. They say something about the person buying. That’s what creates memorability. That’s what creates loyalty.
Here are 5 ways to make your DTC brand unforgettable – and impossible to ignore.
1. People don’t buy products. They buy stories they want to be part of.
You’re not selling a serum, a shoe, or a protein bar. You’re selling identity. You’re selling meaning.
Nike doesn’t sell sneakers. It sells “Just Do It.” Glossier doesn’t sell skincare. It sells “You, but better.” Patagonia doesn’t sell jackets. It sells “This planet matters.”
Your product is the proof. The story is the hook. The emotion is what makes it stick. A great brand answers this question: “What kind of person does this make me?” If people can’t answer that, you’re just another item in their cart.
The brands that last don’t sell inventory – they sell initiation.
2. The most successful brands don’t compete on features – they compete on identity.
Features can be copied. Identity can’t. If your brand doesn’t stand for something, customers won’t either.
Olaplex doesn’t say “repair damaged hair.” It says, “Transform your hair. Transform yourself.” Liquid Death doesn’t sell water. It sells rebellion. People buy who they become when they buy from you.
What does your brand make people feel about themselves? That’s your edge. That’s your moat.
If they don’t feel transformed, they’ll never remember you. And if they don’t remember you, they’ll never come back.
Identity branding isn’t soft – it’s survival.
3. Your aesthetic is your first impression – and your first test.
People don’t read your “Why” page. They judge your vibe in 3 seconds. Design is your resume. Your credibility. Your energy. And it’s either clear – or confusing.
Feastables looks like fun because it is. Aesop looks like luxury because it acts like it. Gymshark looks like ambition because it feels like the gym.
People don’t just buy how it looks. They buy how it makes them feel. And how they feel is the filter for everything else.
If your brand looks like a commodity, it will be treated like one. If it looks like a leader, it becomes one.
Design doesn’t just reflect identity – it shapes it.
4. Brands that win in culture borrow from it constantly.
The best brands feel familiar the first time you see them. Why? Because they don’t invent culture – they remix it.
Feastables taps into YouTube culture. Liquid Death steals from skateboarding and metal. They create instant connection by showing they get it.
If your brand never references the world your customer lives in, it will never live in their mind. Culture is the fastest path to trust. It’s the cheat code to relevance.
No one wants to join a brand that feels like a stranger. They want to join something that feels like home.
Cultural fluency is brand oxygen.
5. Forget mass appeal. Obsess over your 100 true fans.
Mass appeal waters down meaning. The best brands go narrow – and go hard.
They speak to a niche like it’s the only audience that matters. They build rituals. They earn obsession. They don’t ask, “How can we scale?” They ask, “How can we matter more to the people who already love us?”
You don’t need 10,000 customers. You need 100 who evangelize. They’ll write your copy. They’ll create your UGC. They’ll wear your hoodie and explain your mission better than your pitch deck.
Go narrow. Go emotional. Go deep. Then go again.
6. Your brand voice should polarize.
Your copy isn’t just words – it’s personality at scale. And if your personality is bland, so is your brand.
Liquid Death sounds like a metal band. Glossier felt like your older sister. Oatly sounds like it’s having a mid-life crisis in a good way.
These brands don’t blend in. They own their weird. They own their voice. And in doing so, they become impossible to confuse – or ignore.
You don’t need to be outrageous. You need to be distinct. Distinct gets remembered. And remembered gets shared.
If your copy doesn’t polarize, your product will disappear.
If Your Brand Isn’t a Signal, It’s Just Another SKU
Most brands die in silence – not because the product wasn’t good, but because the feeling wasn’t strong enough. They played it safe. They spoke to everyone. They hoped to be remembered.
But if your brand doesn’t stand for something, it will be replaced by one that does.
If this resonated, here’s what to do next:
→ If you’re tired of content that fills space instead of driving sales, let’s talk. Schedule a quick demo.
→ If you’re ready to turn product pages, email flows, landing copy, and more into silent salespeople for your brand, subscribe to either our Unlimited Standard Plan or Unlimited Professional Plan to get started.
Your story deserves better than generic copy.
We make it unforgettable.