Nerd Marketing

Performance marketing gets all the spend—but is it driving real growth? Bonobos CEO John Hutchison talks with Drew & Mike about how rebalancing the mix toward brand led to stronger revenue, better retention, and long-term customer loyalty. Plus, they dive into his leadership style, navigating culture during change, and what younger marketers should focus on today to someday run the brands they love.

Mike gives a full rundown of Shoptalk, from the Vegas suite party to the AI trends in DTC. Plus, the Nerds talk about Vera Bradley unloading Pura Vida for... only $1 million?

Drew Sanocki and Michael Epstein break down PostPilot's Series A journey - why they chose growth equity over VC, the challenges of raising capital, and how it impacted their business strategy. They also dive into Cozy Earth's winning direct mail strategy, revealing how the brand optimized its catalog program for faster, more effective customer acquisition. Plus, they introduce the Email Echo Strategy, a powerful way for brands to extend their email marketing impact using direct mail.

Klaviyo just launched its first-ever CRM built for B2C brands, and Drew was on the ground at the event. He and Michael break down what this means for eCommerce, Klaviyo's competitive landscape, and whether this signals a major shift in the industry. Plus, they dive into two major DTC acquisitions and reveal how Four Sigmatic leveraged direct mail to drive retail success.

The DTC landscape is shifting fast: tariffs are disrupting supply chains, Meta's ad platform is more unpredictable than ever, and DTC brands are feeling the pressure. Drew and Michael break down the five major ways tariffs are impacting eCommerce, how Meta's latest changes are frustrating advertisers, and why brands like Hexclad are scaling smarter—with strategies like direct mail and a Super Bowl commercial.

Introducing Nerd Marketing Live, our new format where Drew and Mike break down key insights and trends in the eComm/retail space and answer audience questions. In this episode, they spotlight how True Religion and Abercrombie achieved remarkable turnarounds and what other businesses can learn from their success. They discuss key trends shaping 2025, including the role of AI, the retail comeback for DTC brands, and the growing importance of efficient marketing strategies. Plus, get insights into benchmarks and key trends that will help brands thrive in the year ahead.

Drew and Michael sit down with Brad Darooge, CEO of www.baudville.com/. Learn how Baudville went all-in on direct mail: how they did it, why they did it, and gives some actionable tips to incorporate direct mail into your marketing mix.

Drew and Michael break down the Series A process for PostPilot, offering valuable tips and insights for anyone looking to raise capital in the market today.