BTR Media

Two hoses. One swimming pool. The big hose is organic. The small hose is retail media. If the big hose slows down and the pool level drops, that is not a retail media problem. But retail media is almost always the one that gets blamed. David Khoshpasand of Hasbro explained this better than we ever have on this week's episode. If you have ever had to defend your ad spend to leadership after a slow sales week, this one is for you. Full episode in the comments.

Tuesday drop. David Khoshpasand of Hasbro on why retail media keeps getting blamed for the wrong things.

One year of Isa at BTR 🧡 It’s been so fun to watch how much she’s grown in such a short amount of time. Over the past year, Isa has become a confident voice with clients, a thoughtful strategic partner, and someone the team can always count on to jump in and help. She brings such a strong mix of confidence, care, and willingness to learn, and it’s clear she’s only getting started. Happy BTRversary, Isabella Troia! We’re so excited to see what year two brings 🎉

What's in this edition? ⬇️ 🟠 The FTC just sued Amazon over secret ad surcharges 🟠 Amazon Ads is partnering with ChatGPT 🟠 The SERP as you know it is changing 🟠 BTR Media's Vivid Vision → And more

Start with the problem. Not the tool. That is the framework Christian Campisi of Wedderspoon brought to this week's episode and it is a good one to print out and tape to your monitor. Because right now everyone is opening AMC, asking AI to optimize something, and pulling reports that nobody knows how to action on. The irony is that nine years ago when there was almost no data available, practitioners had to work from first principles. What is the 20% driving 80% of my value? That discipline is harder to find now, not easier. Full episode in the comments.

Christian Campisi said it best. New episode drops tomorrow!

Amy Zitelman made a point in this episode that has been hard to shake. Tahini is a once a year purchase for most people. Which means if someone discovers your brand on Amazon and buys it, you have their pantry for the next 15 months. If they buy someone else's, that brand has it instead. That is why Soom Foods, now in 8,000 doors including 1,500 Walmarts, still prioritizes Amazon even while sacrificing margin to be there. New to brand discovery on Amazon is the entry point. Everything else builds on top of it. Full episode in the comments.

A new addition to the BTR team 🧡 We’re excited to welcome CJ Haugen as our new Sr. Account Director! CJ brings a ton of experience, strong leadership, and a thoughtful approach to client partnerships, and we’re so excited to have him on board. He’s already a great addition to the team, and we’re looking forward to everything he’ll bring to BTR and the brands we work with. Welcome to BTR, CJ! 🎉

Amy Zitelman of Soom Foods on the pod Tuesday. 13 years, 8,000 doors, zero shortcuts.

BTR Vivid Vision 2.0 - Madrid, Marrakech, and Barcelona 🇲🇦✈️ 🇪🇸 For the last two weeks I've been on a bit of a life changing trip. The purpose of the trip was to disconnect, disrupt routine, and force a change in my pattern of thinking. This forced change is what has allowed me to write our company wide "Vivid Vision". ----------------------------- The term Vivid Vision was coined by CAMERON HEROLD. The foundation of the vivid vision is "a 4 or 5 page written description of what your company will look like, act like, and feel like in the future. So everybody can see what the entrepreneur can see the future looking like, and then they can help you make that come true." ----------------------------- For me, the BTR Media vivid vision is one of the best things I've done as an entrepreneur. The vivid vision is a roadmap for who we are, where we are going, and who we will become. Every employees receives the vivid vision during onboarding, and it is something we review frequently throughout the year in order to make sure we are on the right track. We also share our vivid vision with clients and future employees. Why do I love it so much? It keeps us focused. Laser focused. In a world that moves incredibly fast, I believe that focus is one of the greatest competitive advantages. Since I started BTR, I have seen competitors switch gears, launch multiple companies, but struggle to gain traction. When you do not have a vision, every new thing seems more exciting than the last. When you do not have focus, you lack the ability to build something great. This is the advantage of the vivid vision. When the whole company knows what we are striving for over the next three years, it drives alignment and trust. It makes tough decisions easier, and it keeps everyone rowing in the right direction. Here's to three more years of overcoming hurdles, blowing past milestones, and an unlimited amount of personal development 🥂