Publications
Publications
- May 2020 (Revised August 2022)
- HBS Case Collection
Direct to Consumer Brands
By: Sunil Gupta
Abstract
In recent years, we have seen a dramatic rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands. Many of these brands, such as Dollar Shave Club, Harry’s, Glossier, and Allbirds, entered mature markets dominated by established companies, and yet they grew rapidly to attain valuations over $1 billion. At the same time, some DTC brands such as Casper saw a significant drop in their valuations after going public. Are these DTC brands a fad or the dawn of a new era? And how should incumbents respond?
Keywords
Direct-to-consumer; Digital Marketing; Industry Evolution; Business Startups; Internet and the Web; Brands and Branding; Marketing; Change; Consumer Behavior
Citation
Gupta, Sunil. "Direct to Consumer Brands." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 520-118, May 2020. (Revised August 2022.)