Why Most Brands Feel Stuck...

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Hey - Robert here.

In today’s edition:

• The shift reshaping marketing in 2025

• How creators are building brands with $0 ad spend

• How to apply this strategy (even if you’re starting from scratch)

The marketing world is changing fast.

Every day, new businesses flood social media…

And the fight for attention gets more brutal by the hour.

Meanwhile, consumers are bombarded with more ads than ever.

The problem?

People are tired of the same polished commercials and promotions.

I mean, how many times have you waited to press that SKIP button on the ad to continue watching the video?

That’s exactly why brands are shifting their playbook:

They’re betting on creator-led marketing.

Let’s break down what’s happening and how you can use it.

The Marketing Shift

The way brands are built has completely flipped.

Creators and founders aren’t launching products first anymore.

They’re building an audience first, then launching products people already want.

Audience First → Then Product

Why is this so powerful?

Because by the time they launch, they’re not just selling…

They’re serving a loyal audience that already trusts them.

All without spending a cent on marketing.

While big brands still pour money into:

• Paid ads

• Influencer campaigns

• High-production videos

Creator-led brands are reaching millions for free.

Successful creators who have built 7-8 figure brands:

Aimee Smale built Odd Muse, a fashion brand.

Arda Saatçi built day one, a fitness wear brand.

Ashley Alexander built Nami Matcha, a tea brand.

All of these creators built a loyal audience before their brand.

They started with stories and showed up consistently.

And created brands that followers were excited to support.

The Implementation

1) If you’re a creator or want to become one:

Focus on building a loyal audience first.

The goal isn’t to go mega viral, it’s to build trust.

To do it right, post:

• Behind-the-scenes updates

• Honest updates from your journey

• Valuable, relatable content that your audience sees themselves in

In the era of polished ads, people want something real.

2) If you’re a brand, turn to creator-led marketing:

You don’t need a bigger ad budget.

You need better content.

Here’s how to start:

1. Lead with value: Help them solve problems and teach them something new, making it about them.

2. Nail your positioning: Identify what makes your brand stand out, and double down on it.

3. Focus on establishing trust: Post authentic content that resonates and feels relatable to your audience.

Because in today’s world…

Connection beats all over polished campaigns.

And the brands that win in 2025?

They’ll be the ones who feel the most human.

One step at a time. More strategies next week.

Talk soon,

Robert