Nishant Kedia: How Digital-First Marketing is Revolutionizing D2C Food Brands, ET HospitalityWorld

Time of India

6 days ago

We're in a world that's moving faster than our attention spans can keep pace with. Digital-first marketing is front and centre, and for D2C food brands, it is truly the foundation for sustainable growth. Today's consumers aren't what they used to be even five years ago. They want more than just a quality product; they love engaging stories, personal experiences and bang for bucks, in every interaction.
This change has encouraged brands to go beyond sporadic 'hero campaigns' and instead create ongoing storytelling engines. Daily engagement through micro-moments, bite-sized reels, clever memes and explainer videos keep the dialogues going — look at Nike's community focused campaigns, and CRED's platform-specific formats for instance. They show that having 100 smart executions every month is far more effective than relying on one big idea every year.
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This culture of 'continuous content' aligns perfectly with the new influencer landscape too. Nowadays, authenticity trumps celebrity status. Nano and micro influencers, with their deeply engaged niche audiences, have transformed brand partnerships. From co-creating products to shaping narratives and even driving sales, influencers are taking on a more significant role. Check out boAt's product lines which have developed with creators or Mamaearth's performance driven influencer networks that build trust while scaling up.Content and creators truly shine when they're backed by effective personalisation. For D2C brands, the real advantage comes from leveraging first-party data and AI to create those one-on-one experiences. With dynamic creatives, behavioral targeting, WhatsApp bots, and predictive retargeting, brands can offer consumers a journey that feels as personalised as Netflix.This level of personalisation also influences how people shop. Social media platforms have evolved into their own shopping destinations — think Instagram Shops, YouTube live streams, and WhatsApp catalogues that blend inspiration with the act of buying. Brands such as Tira by Reliance Beauty, The Whole Truth and WOW Skin Science have mastered this, transforming reels and influencer content into direct shopping experiences. While technology facilitates smooth transactions, it's the sense of community that drives lasting growth. Purpose-driven groups, fandoms, and user-generated content foster brand loyalty that no advertising budget can replicate. The Souled Store's fandom loops and Cult.fit's community challenges illustrate how brands can turn customers into passionate advocates.Another significant change is how brands approach content these days—they need to act like entertainment channels, tapping into culture and trends to remain relevant. Companies like Netflix India and Dunzo have really nailed meme culture, leveraging trending audio and pop culture references to go viral and keep themselves in the spotlight. For brands looking to connect with Bharat, focusing on voice, local languages, and video-first experiences is paving the way for the next growth surge.Short vertical videos on platforms such as YouTube Shorts, Moj, or ShareChat, along with voice assistants in regional languages and vernacular content, are helping brands build trust and relatability with Tier 2 and Tier 3 audiences. However, achieving success in this space requires creativity that's native to each platform. Every platform has its own cultural nuances — Instagram is all about bite-sized visuals, YouTube rewards in-depth storytelling, LinkedIn emphasizes thought leadership, while Reddit and Discord thrive on close-knit community discussions. The brands that succeed are those that create content that differentiates and gets the unique psychology of each platform's users.The D2C leaders today are better at striking a finer balance between brand building and performance. Take brands like Lenskart, Mamaearth, and Sugar Cosmetics, for instance — they've proven that having a full-funnel strategy is essential. Every single rupee spent needs to be tracked for customer acquisition cost (CAC), return on ad spend (ROAS), and lifetime value (LTV). A big idea has to show real, measurable returns, and growth teams are just as focused on keeping customers as they are on bringing in new ones. But none of this can happen without a solid tech foundation. Tools like CRM systems, marketing automation platforms such as MoEngage or Clevertap, customer data platforms (CDPs), and AI chatbots work behind the scenes to create smooth, hyper-personalized experiences that are available around the clock. From searching and shopping to reading reviews and getting customer support, today's D2C food brands need to connect all the dots to provide a seamless experience that keeps customers coming back for more.Ultimately, mastering digital-first marketing means being more than just a brand; it's about becoming a reliable, trusted part of a consumer's everyday life. The brands that can adapt quickly, stay true to themselves, and foster communities with technology at their heart will shape the future of D2C food commerce in the coming decade.The author, Nishant Kedia is CMO, Rebel Foods . The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of ET HospitalityWorld.
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