From its roots in the print magazine world, to its pioneering of online genealogy, Ancestry has been at the center of every stage of the digital revolution. As it moves into the next stage of its direct to consumer marketing, the company is centralizing its data, obsessing on customer service, consistent branding across channels, and finding the right personalization approaches that deepen relationships. KathrynDavidson shares lessons learned by one of the original digital-first brands.

Famous for their mastery of performance media and metrics, the new generation of DTC products and services now look to the next level of brand building. But how do data-driven organizations devoted to sales metrics and performance add brand building to the equation? And as traditional branding media like TV and print contract, has brand building itself moved towards other channels? DTCs at this inflection point explore how their culture and media models need to evolve to achieve scale.

Younger DTC brands often point to their quick rise via DIY in-house marketing. But at some point, even self-made brands need to partner, asses internal investment, consider where agency and vendor involvement becomes key to growth. Several marketers bring us inside that decision process. From media buying to creative, data management to attribution, how are newer brands rethinking the perennial outsourcing conundrum and even the client/agency relationship?

Pivot to Branding - Andy Anderson, Media Planning & Buying Management, Aflac
Acquisition Strategies - Lewis Gersch, CEO, PebblePost
Do You Need an Agency Now? - Lori Gatto, VP of Marketing, TomBoyX
Does the Subscription Model Work for Me? - Jadey Chow, VP, Brand Marketing, Curology

DTCs have gone back to the future in looking for scale via TV advertising. But are they coming at an old media in new ways? For targeting their buys? Measuring impact? Leveraging new inventory on OTT and addressable TV? Is this just old DRTV or something fresh and new for TV advertising?

What do digital native brands know about performance media the rest of us don't? We ask several marketers to share their special tricks for integrating data with their digital media plans. What have they learned about combining display, video, email, social and search to move their customers through the purchase journey? How are they managing user behaviors, triggers, the media mix and creative in real-time environments?

DTC Meets TV - Adam Gassman, Senior Director, Growth Marketing, Freshly
Attribution and Measurement - Matt Sattel, RVP Brand Solutions, MiQ
Performance Media Best Practices - Trang Dao, VP, Performance Marketing, HungryRoot
Product Development - Gihan Amarasiriwardena, Co-Founder & President, Ministry of Supply

From personalized emails to chat, social media to direct mail, call centers to SMS, next-gen brands are using every imaginable channel to make a difference in their customers' lives. But where does the personal touch most matter in building a brand relationship? Where does marketing tech start and stop driving smart personalization? How are growing brands scaling the process? And how are they measuring and optimizing their efforts?

The Farmer’s Dog is on a mission to reimagine how food for our pets is produced, delivered, and consumed. As part of this mission, they build authentic, personal relationships with every single customer (canine and human alike!). Growth manager Adrian Evans explores how the company continues to maintain and build these relationships during exponential expansion.

CRM and Personalization - Adrian Evans, Growth Marketing Manager, The Farmer's Dog
Values-Driven Branding - Ash Williams, Senior Director Global Brand Marketing, KEEN