Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup

Many if not most eCommerce brands spend 15-20% of revenue on advertising—Simple Modern? Just 5%.

So how did they become a category leader in drinkware, dominate Amazon, and land major retail deals with Target?

In this episode, Bryan Porter, Co-founder & Chief E-commerce Officer of Simple Modern, breaks down their low-ad spend, high-efficiency growth strategy and why focusing on brand trust, product variety, and Amazon SEO led to 50M+ products sold.

What You'll Learn:

✅ The Amazon playbook that helped them win top search rankings.

✅ Why they only spend 5% of revenue on ads—and how they drive organic growth.

✅ How they expanded from Amazon to Target without traditional advertising.

✅ Why TikTok virality boosted Amazon sales more than TikTok Shop itself.

✅ How launching an electrolyte brand (Trevi) creates long-term customer retention.

One Big Idea:

👉 Customer trust and organic search matter more than ad spend.

This is a must-listen for brand builders who want sustainable, profitable growth.

🎧 Listen now!

Timestamps

00:00 - Simple Modern’s early growth on Amazon

02:45 - The jump to Target and retail expansion

06:30 - The rise of drinkware as a fashion category

10:15 - Leveraging TikTok Shop for brand awareness

14:50 - Expanding marketing efforts beyond digital ads

19:30 - Scaling through licensing and product innovation

24:15 - Testing TV ads and influencer marketing impact

28:40 - Launching Trevi: Entering the electrolyte market

33:10 - Hiring the right people and building a mission-driven team

37:45 - The role of generosity and company culture

Hashtags

#Ecommerce #DTC #AmazonFBA #RetailStrategy #BrandGrowth #TikTokMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #ProductLaunch #StartupSuccess #BusinessPodcast

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signup

Advertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertise

Work with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouse

Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter

Watch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Ep 491: Scaling to $1B While Spending Just 5% on Ads – The Simple Modern Playbook

DTC Podcast