The art of marketing

Attention

Attention is the only pillar that is legitimately required to be successful. Without attention everything else you do is a waste. You can’t sell a product someone hasn’t seen, heard about or touched.

And yet, so many brands get this wrong. They assume people will take the time to read every label, watch every ad, or scroll through a perfectly crafted website. Spoiler: they won’t. Consumers move fast, and your job is to stop them in their tracks.

RX Bar, for example, nailed this by stripping their packaging down to the essentials—no flashy claims, no clutter, just a bold list of ingredients on the front. It was different, it was clear, and most importantly, it got picked up. 85% of shoppers who physically pick up a product end up buying it.

The same rule applies to everything—ads, websites, emails. If your brand doesn’t stand out in milliseconds, you’re already losing. So ask yourself: Is my brand breaking through the noise, or blending into it?

Communication

Most brands love to talk. They pack their marketing with buzzwords, over-explanations, and fine print—but the truth is, people don’t read. They skim, they scroll, and if your message doesn’t hit instantly, it gets ignored. The best brands understand this and communicate with clarity, confidence, and creativity.

Take Nike, for example. They once experimented with using only emojis on packaging to speak to younger consumers. Why? Because their audience thinks in emojis, not long-winded product descriptions. The lesson? Speak your customer’s language. The more niche, the better. If you can say something that makes your audience feel like they’re part of an inside joke—or part of an exclusive club—you win.

The same applies to social media. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, great brands double down on hyper-specific messaging. If your target audience reads your content and thinks, “Wait, this was made for me,” they’re hooked.

Distribution

You can have the best product in the world, but if people can’t find it, access it, or buy it effortlessly, it doesn’t matter. Distribution isn’t just about where you sell—it’s about making the buying process frictionless.

The best brands meet customers where they are. Whether it’s DTC, retail, Amazon, or TikTok Shop, they remove hurdles and make purchasing stupidly simple.

Think about it: If a customer has to hunt down your product, deal with clunky checkout, or wait too long for shipping, they’ll move on. The smartest brands know that removing friction = more sales. So ask yourself: Is your product as easy to buy as possible? If not, you’re leaving money on the table.

Retail Relationships

Getting into retail isn’t just about landing shelf space—it’s about keeping it. Retailers don’t care about your brand story unless your product moves. If you’re not selling, you’re getting replaced. Simple as that.

The brands that win in retail think beyond just placement—they create strategies to drive demand, secure prime positioning, and build strong retailer relationships. That means supporting in-store sales with killer packaging, smart promotions, and brand loyalty that makes people seek you out.

Nike vs. Adidas is a perfect example. While Nike dominated for years, Adidas started winning key point-of-sale battles by having better displays, shelf positioning, and in-store marketing. Retail success isn’t just about having a great product—it’s about making sure it gets picked up, purchased and reordered.

Performance Marketing

Organic reach is great, but ads run the game. The brands that scale the fastest are the ones who spend money efficiently and understand how to turn every dollar into a customer.

Smart performance marketing isn’t just throwing cash at Meta or TikTok ads—it’s about testing, optimizing, and iterating until you find what works. Facebook Ad Library is a goldmine for studying what top brands are doing. The best-performing ads? They’re simple, clear, and often highlight social proof—think five-star reviews, before-and-after shots, or quick-hit value props.

And here’s the thing—if you’re not leveraging email and SMS, you’re missing out. The highest ROI brands don’t just acquire customers; they own the relationship. Sending emails that aren’t just salesy but actually engaging keeps people coming back, making every marketing dollar work harder.

Creative Direction

In a world where everyone is marketing, creativity is your only real advantage. The best brands don’t just blend in—they demand attention with unique visuals, bold messaging, and content that actually feels fresh.

Creative direction isn’t just about making things look good—it’s about making every touchpoint an experience. From ad creatives to packaging to website design, every detail matters. The brands winning today are the ones obsessing over storytelling, using unexpected visuals, fresh formats, and a clear identity that makes them instantly recognizable.

The bottom line? Mediocre doesn’t cut it anymore. If your brand doesn’t make people stop, look, and remember, you’re just adding to the noise.