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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question_answer ANECDOTE
Viral Launch
Justin Tidwell, Nowadays CEO, shares their initial product launch story.
Limited funding and a viral TikTok led to $1M in revenue within 90 days.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Marketing Challenges
Consider the regulatory challenges of marketing in restricted categories.
Nowadays faced hurdles with advertising its THC-infused products.
insights INSIGHT
Viral TikTok Strategy
Nowadays' initial viral TikTok video featured a woman enjoying a hangover-free drink.
This short, catchy video quickly gained traction and drove significant early demand.
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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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