To get back to its “no-B.S.-essence,” Dollar Shave Club invited 23 male customers on a three-day retreat full of “adventure and foolishness,” where the group — cheekily dubbed The Order of the Blade — wielded T-shirt cannons, tried out stilt walkers and snacked on French fries day and night. Most importantly, the men brainstormed taglines for the brand’s new razor product, which were inserted directly into ad creative. We review the strategy behind the company’s nontraditional advertising approach.

Camp, a children’s entertainment and retail brand, is attracting two million consumers to its locations each year by creating interactive experiences at its ticketed events. Here’s how the brand found its winning formula after weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to demand for “localized, high-quality entertainment,” according to CEO Jenica Myszkowski.

Small brands face big hurdles when it comes to edging out competitors. They’re often operating with razor-thin budgets, limited personnel and little brand awareness, while fighting against bigger marketing machines with established supply chains. But start-up brands that manage to disrupt uninspired categories can create an edge with the right approach. Here are five ways to gain traction.

Lastly, Ace Hardware’s top marketer, CMO Kim Lefko, shares how having a clear directive and consistent messaging drives all of its initiatives, from marketing content to store layout.

Until next week,