Justin Tidwell, co-founder and CEO of Nowadays, shares insights on the booming market of THC-infused spirits. He recounts their explosive growth fueled by a viral TikTok moment that generated a million dollars in just 90 days. Tidwell emphasizes the importance of balancing organic social media and paid marketing while navigating strict cannabis advertising regulations. He discusses building a strong customer base through a mix of DTC sales and wholesale partnerships, and hints at exciting future expansions beyond THC-infused beverages.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Consumer Education
Educate consumers about your product, especially in new or regulated categories.
Nowadays focuses on product benefits rather than directly mentioning THC due to advertising restrictions.
insights INSIGHT
Channel Diversification
Diversify marketing channels to avoid over-reliance on any single platform.
Nowadays utilizes a multi-channel approach to maintain flexibility and resilience.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Influencer Seeding
Focus on product seeding with influencers rather than paid promotions for authentic engagement.
Nowadays sends samples to influencers and encourages honest reviews, which drive more sales.
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🔁 Recharge - Drive more revenue from your subscription strategy with meaningful insights, dynamic subscriber experiences, and a subscription core trusted by over 20,000 brands.🔗 https://getrecharge.com/🍸 Viral Success: A million dollars in revenue within 90 days from a single viral TikTok video. This initial success highlighted the potential but also the volatility of relying solely on organic reach.📈 Multi-Channel Marketing: Nowadays utilizes a balanced approach, combining organic social media content (TikTok, Instagram) with paid media (Meta, App Lovin), influencer marketing (primarily through product sampling), and a strong direct-to-consumer (DTC) presence to reach a wide audience.⚖️ Navigating Regulations: The brand strategically focuses on consumer benefits and avoids direct mention of cannabis to navigate the strict advertising limitations in the industry. They prioritize compliance and responsible marketing.🛍️ Omnichannel Strategy: A blend of DTC sales, which provides valuable data and profitability, and wholesale partnerships with liquor stores offers a diversified approach to market reach and sustainability.🔮 Future Vision: Plans for continued product expansion, including limited-time offerings (LTOs) and potentially exploring other functional beverage categories beyond THC, while maintaining a premium brand image.0:00 - Intro1:14 - Going to market with limited funding5:05 - Having viral content6:21 - Breakthrough success8:46 - Ron's experience with Nowadays10:22 - Good product vs. good marketing12:45 - The impact of DTC 14:02 - Building organically19:01 - Product safety testing23:33 - Pivoting and learning from failures24:58 - Brand awareness and revenue generation26:06 - Sending products to influencers for organic exposure29:02 - Finding the right influencers who resonate with the target audience32:06 - Product safety and effectiveness34:06 - Premium products to stand out in a competitive market36:23 - Successful influencer partnerships to drive engagement39:00 - Subscription models to encourage repeat purchases41:18 - Product expansion based on consumer preferences45:50 - Final chewFollow us, subscribe to our newsletter, and to see our exclusive merch check outhttps://chewonthis.io/Ron Shah - https://twitter.com/obviceoAsh Melwani - https://twitter.com/ashvinmelwaniChew On This - https://twitter.com/chewonthisdtc
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