The Anti-Playbook - How Top D2C Brands Actually Grow on Instagram

If you're tired of cookie-cutter Instagram advice, we’ve got an anti-playbook featuring candid conversations with the creative minds behind two wildly successful D2C brands - NEWME (a fashion brand serving GenZ) and Subko (a design-led coffee, cacao, and craft bakehouse). These brands grew organically on Instagram while breaking all the conventional rules, and if you are looking for fresh perspectives on your Instagram strategy, you’ll love it.

In this deep dive, we talk to:?

• Jeff Nelson, Creative Director at Subko (80K+ followers)
• Sumit Jasoria, Co-founder & CEO at NEWME (481K+ followers)
• Shivita Sharma, Founding Member at NEWME

You'll discover:

• Why Subko has completely avoided influencer marketing to date
• How NEWME gives their Gen Z content team freedom to fail
• The controversial take on content calendars (and what to do instead)
• Why you should stop selling on Instagram (yes, really)

Our favorite counterintuitive insight, you ask??

“ROI in content is at least a six-month game. A lot of D2C brands pump resources into ads, thinking they'll invest in content after raising funds. The problem is, paid is not scalable.”

Want to know how these brands built massive, engaged followings by throwing out the rulebook? Read our latest Blume Beacon article by clicking here .

Blume Ventures