To do so, they turned to Twitter.

Olowe and Teng knew they had to find a way to differentiate themselves from the hundreds of other skincare brands on Instagram, so they used Twitter to post about topics important to their prospective customers, such as how to deal with acne caused by wearing a face mask daily to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“Instagram is a more visual platform…but it’s also a platform that’s extremely noisy,” Olowe said.

While Instagram might be a place for pristine selfies, Topicals wanted a place where they could honestly talk about the chronic skincare conditions their customers were facing. She felt Topicals could differentiate itself by focusing on a platform many other startups ignored (Twitter) and by talking to customers differently.

The approach paid off, at least early on: Roughly 50% of Topicals’ revenue in its first month came from Twitter, where the startup has now amassed more than 17,000 followers.

Over the past several years, Instagram has become the advertising platform of choice for venture-backed direct-to-consumer brand, so much so that social media users now use the shorthand “the Instagram swimsuit” or “Instagram bedding” when referring to some of these companies.

But new-to-market startups are increasingly doing away with some of the branding tactics that have been historically popular on Instagram. The first crop of direct-to-consumer startups built their business models around selling products online that had previously only been sold in stores, or selling more fashionable versions of household staples (think Away with luggage). That helped fuel now familiar Sans Serif and pastel-heavy aesthetic.

Now, newer startups are zeroing in on different opportunities — and making loftier claims. Olowe, for example, said that Topicals wants to “destigmatize” chronic skin care conditions. That requires a branding playbook that’s less muted.

Minimalistic aesthetics are rejected in favor of bright, clashing colors and oversized lettering. Edited photos that evoke a carefree way of life have been replaced by imperfect vignettes from home. And instead of positioning their products as ones that could swing open the gates to a breezy, minimalist lifestyle, brands are increasingly trying to stand …read more

Source:: Digiday