The simple evidence of how seriously America’s biggest marketers are taking direct brands is to be found in a simple list of acquisitions in the last two years.
PetSmart, for instance, has run away with Chewy’s dog bone; Albertsons grocery stores gobbled up meal service Plated; and Procter & Gamble is smelling fresher and more natural after its $100-million acquisition of Native deodorant.
This is the performance branding environment of 2019 ... and beyond.
What are some of the world’s largest advertisers doing in the new direct-brand economy, asked Randall Rothenberg, CEO of the...