Welcome to the latest issue of Cuppa, a quick-fire newsletter for internet-first brand builders. Filled with analysis on the art, science and culture of building breakout brands in a digital age, it's quick enough to read over a cuppa. (Or something stronger if you need it...no judgement!). To get it direct to your inbox every other Tuesday, subscribe here.

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ART

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This sunscreen brand is selling NFTs to buy a grand manor

Sounds like a silly PR stunt right? Turns out Vacation (owned by Poolsuite) is deadly serious about their latest crypto endeavour. NFTs have become a big buzzword, and many companies have started testing the blockchain waters. But, what I love about Vacation's approach is that it's setting their brand up for long-term success in the real world, not the Meta one. Expanding the brands retro, 80's world into hospitality is a no-brainer, and I can totally see its potential to grow into a global brand and tourist/membership destination, similar to that of Soho House.

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5 ways to level up your copywriting

I bet top dollar that one of the last ads you remember had great copy. However when scaling a business, investing in copywriting is often an afterthought. So level up your growth and marketing teams with this article that highlights five tactics of effective copywriting so that you can apply them directly to your own business. TLDR: create contrast, get specific, let your customers write your copy, make it relatable and get witty.

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What happened to brand jingles?

Staying on the topic of ad memorability, this podcast from Dave Dye and Orlando Wood is a must-listen (as recommended by Adam Ross in his latest Creative Sparks report). They discuss left vs. right brain tendencies, and how advertising is becoming less impactful and memorable over the years due to being dominated by the more linear and logical left brain. For example, because we can target and retarget customers over and over again, we assume we've already made it into the room and we gear our adverts around persuasion and arguing our point, rather than building mental availability and charming our way into people's hearts. They also share an excellent exercise to practice when crafting a memorable ad: Ask yourself whether you can describe the ad by answering “who's involved, what happens and where is it set?" If you can't answer those questions, you probably haven't got anything memorable.

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SCIENCE

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TikTok launches new ad product

Meet Meta's new ad rival - TikTok Pulse. As it gets rolled out over the next couple of months, the ad program promises advertisers placement next to top-performing content, whilst measuring buyer intent in new ways. It also will offer operators the opportunity to place their ads alongside videos aligning with specific interest areas of the platform such as beauty, fashion, pets, gaming and sports.

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The ultimate 2022 social benchmarks report

Jam-packed with performance metrics from 30 industries and deep-dive case studies, with actionable advice from industry experts, pass this one onto your social team and see how your socials stack up against your industry peers.

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Meta's 6 codes for better native advertising

Recently, Meta offered insights and data into what type of ads are currently performing well on social media. Meta calls these insights their six culture codes. Each code outlines ways in which brands can appeal to consumers in a culturally relevant way. TLDR: polished is out, and lo-fi is in.

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SEO and CRO tips to boost organic revenue

Although this is a case study and audit focused on Glossier's website, there are loads of useful SEO and website optimisation tips throughout that all e-comm brands can learn from.