Building a Brand Strategy That Lasts

Your 2025 playbook begins here, starting with brand strategy in this three-part series.

Happy Sunday, homies!

I hope you’re all out there kicking back, enjoying your Sunday, and relaxing. Anyone else feel like December—and Q4 in general—has been absolute chaos? Same. 🥲

If you’re new here, welcome! Every week, I slide into your inbox to talk about trends, consumer behavior, and strategies through the lens of someone who’s spent 15+ years working in eCommerce, CPG, and creator-led brands. And now the founder of Open Late Collective, a CX marketing agency AND future sleep supplement brand Sweet Rem, I’ve had the privilege of helping brands tackle some of their biggest challenges in brand strategy, retention and lifecycle marketing, and customer experience—the three pillars that drive sustainable growth.

And let me tell you, I’ve seen it all—breakthrough wins, tough lessons, and everything in between. But if there’s one thing that stands out, it’s this: the brands that thrive aren’t just selling products. They’re building relationships, solving problems, and delivering experiences that keep customers coming back.

With 2025 on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about how we can future-proof those relationships. That’s why I’m kicking off a three-part series this Sunday, going into the new year that will dive into the three core pillars of eCommerce success:

1️⃣ Brand Strategy: THE FOUNDATION

2️⃣ Retention & Lifecycle Marketing: KEEPING YOUR CUSTOMERS

3️⃣ Customer Experience: MAKING YOU UNFORGETTABLE

This week, we’re starting with brand strategy—how to stand out, connect emotionally, and create a lasting impact in an ever-crowded market. Let’s get into it, besties.

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Building a Brand Strategy That Lasts

Brands aren’t just logos or catchy taglines—they’re experiences, values, and promises. In a world where customers have endless options, your brand is your superpower. But in 2025, standing out will require more than good design or clever ads.

Why Brand Strategy is Foundational

When I help brands define their strategy, it’s always with the understanding that a brand is so much more than a logo or tagline. And while we all know this, you know I’m a CX girly first—at its core, a brand is the emotional connection customers feel when they interact with your business. In a world overwhelmed with options, the brands that thrive are the ones that stand for something meaningful and connect deeply with their audience.

Trust and emotional connection are the foundation of loyalty. Take Patagonia’s iconic “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign. By prioritizing sustainability over sales, they drove a 30% increase in revenue and proved that alignment with values drives impact. And it’s not just about big campaigns—81% of consumers need to trust a brand before buying from it repeatedly.

A strong brand strategy also sets the stage for retention and customer experience. Customers stick around when they trust your brand. Graza, for example, uses playful storytelling to make olive oil irresistible, while Brooklinen transforms everyday essentials into lifestyle staples through a relatable tone. These brands win by building trust and purpose into every interaction.

One of my go-to tactics to getting started is mapping out a visual customer journey—what drives them, where friction arises, and how they feel at every stage. Visualizing their goals, emotions, and pain points reveals the insights we need to craft a seamless, trustworthy strategy. Because in the end, a strong brand isn’t just about attracting customers—it’s about building lasting relationships that keep them coming back.

If you want my template, reply to this newsie! Sharing is caring.

Key Components of a Future-Proof Brand Strategy

When I am thinking about a brand’s strategy, I intentionally focus on three main pillars: authenticity, consistency, and adaptability. To me these create a foundation that can weather market changes while remaining deeply connected to your audience.

Authenticity is about showing up in a way that feels real and human. Nopalera, for example, doesn’t just sell products—it celebrates Mexican culture with vibrant storytelling and unapologetic pride. This builds trust by making customers feel seen and included. (I can attest to this as a latina consumer.)

Consistency creates recognition and trust across every touchpoint. Goodles nails this by maintaining a cheeky, fun tone in everything from their website copy to product packaging, making every interaction feel on-brand and memorable.

Adaptability is what keeps a brand relevant. Poppi has embraced the growing functional beverage trend without compromising its playful, wellness-first identity.

When brands balance authenticity, consistency, and adaptability, they create a foundation that remains strong in any market, and besties…we out here trying to create sustainability of our brands!

Actionable Brand Strategy Tips We Are Taking Into 2025

Building or scaling a brand in today’s landscape requires more than the usual playbook. Let’s explore strategies that are practical, approachable, and uniquely powerful for creating meaningful connections:

1. Reframe the Ordinary as Extraordinary

Your product is more than just what it does—it’s how it makes life better. Olive oil becomes the drizzle that turns dinner into a memory. Sheets become the cocoon that makes every night luxurious. Highlight these moments and celebrate them with your audience through rituals, recipes, or habits that inspire joy.

2. Create “What’s Next” Moments

Customers want to feel part of your journey. Share sneak peeks of new products, let them vote on an upcoming launch, or invite them to a community event tied to your brand values. These moments turn customers into collaborators, not just buyers.

3. Make Customer Feedback Part of the Show

Your customers are telling you what they want—show them you’re listening. Use reviews to guide new launches or celebrate improvements inspired by their feedback. Highlight these moments on social media, in emails, or even on packaging to make your customers feel seen and valued.

4. Teach Your Product’s Hidden Superpowers

Help your customers discover unexpected uses for your product. Maybe olive oil is perfect for baking, skincare doubles as a travel hack, or mac and cheese transforms into a party dip. Sharing these pro tips builds utility and deepens relationships.

5. Build a Community, Not Just a Customer List

The best brands don’t just sell—they connect. Create spaces where your customers can interact with your brand and each other, exclusive Facebook community, or local meetups. These connections foster loyalty and advocacy beyond a transactional relationship.

As always remember, you’re not just building a brand—you’re creating experiences, memories, and relationships. These are the things customers will remember and the reasons they’ll keep coming back long after the first purchase.

Brand strategy is the glue that holds your business together. It shapes how customers perceive you, drives loyalty, and creates the foundation for retention and customer experience. When done right, it’s the difference between being just another option and becoming the brand customers can’t imagine living without.

And that’s that on how I perceive brand strategy. Maybe these are things you already know, or maybe you learned something new. Either way, I’m here to meet everyone where they are and help you take that next step.

This is just the beginning—1 of 3 in our series about building your 2025 playbook. Over the next few weeks, we’ll dive into retention and lifecycle marketing and customer experience—the two other pillars that make or break eCommerce success.

If this week’s newsletter made you rethink your brand strategy (or you just love a good ol’ branding convo), call girl gang at OLC. Whether it’s strategy, marketing, or CX, we’ve got you covered.

Same time, same place next week? Let’s build something unforgettable together. And if you know someone who could use a little brand strategy inspo, send this their way. As we always say, sharing is caring. 🤝

Have a Marketing and/or CX-related question for me?

UPCOMING EVENTS

  1. Headed to NRF in January? Empath Club (Eli and I’s lovely community) and Midcoast (Dillon and I’s founder community) are teaming up to host a fun AF event at 12 Chairs on January 13th. If you are a brand operator or founder either attending NRF or just in the NYC, join us!

    RSVP HERE

  2. The Sheinnovates Girl Gang and I are plotting and planning for Sheinnovates 3 (LA) and Sheinnovates 4 (NYC) next year. Sign up here to be alerted when tickets are available!

More IRL events coming in 2025!
Interested in working together? Hit me up.

👐 BONUS CONTENT 👐

This week, I released an episode with Henry Rathjen, founder of Can-Tini. Yall…Can-Tini is one of my brand crushes and favorite espresso martinis in a can!

and if you are an earbud bestie, listen here.

If you are a brand operator or founder, I’d love to have you on Above The Fold in 2025! Fill out this form and let’s get you on!