In a slight interruption to your usual programming, I’m excited to bring you a special edition of ConversionMail…

A takeover courtesy of The Mission Log - a weekly e-com newsletter brought to you by our close partners, the Soar With Us team. 

Now I’m passing the word to Andrew, head of Marketing at Soar with Us

Enter Andrew:

We’re (Soar With Us) are one of the leading e-commerce growth agencies in the UK.

We help brands like yours achieve consistent, profitable growth through paid social, paid search, email & SMS and performance creative. 

We’ve grown the likes of The Essence Vault, 47 Skin, Spacegoods, Puresport, Obvi, Nutrition Geeks and many, many more over the years so we’re confident we’ll be able to teach you a thing or two from what we’ve learned along the way!

Hacking The Awareness Funnel 🔻

If you’re responsible for growing a DTC brand you know that strong creative isn’t optional, it’s your biggest lever to capture attention and drive results with paid ads.

As we all know, marketers love a funnel. So let me introduce you to one of my favorites.

The ‘awareness funnel’ is something we can take and apply directly to our paid ad content. It describes the journey someone takes from being completely unaware of a problem to being fully convinced that your product is the right solution. 

Here’s how to turn eyes on your ads into cold hard cash for your brand.

(All creative examples created by us)

Unaware

Audience mindset 🧠They don’t know that they have a problem nor are they actively seeking a solution.

Your objective 🎯 Capture attention, create curiosity, introduce your brand and spark interest. Make them think ‘Hey actually yeah, that does affect me’ 

Creative strategy and content format 🚀

• Strong Hook: Lead with a pain point, trend, or bold statement that grabs attention.

• Tell stories that tap into emotion and take them on a journey.

• UGC & Founder Storytelling: Authentic, scroll-stopping content that blends into native feeds (this part is super important).

• Educational or Entertaining Angles: Position your brand as the solution in a way that’s engaging (not too salesy, as mentioned above).

Product-Solution Balance 🚨 

Don’t just assume your audience knows what your product is or what problem it solves. They don’t realise they have a problem at this stage. Focus on grabbing attention by leading with their pain points or desires packaged up with a scroll-stopping hook.

Pro-tip: Founder’s stories at this point of the funnel are a great, authentic way to tell a story and introduce your brand to a completely cold audience.

Creative example

Problem aware

Audience Mindset 🧠“Okay I get that I have a problem, but I don’t know how to fix it.”

Objective 🎯 Provide educational content explaining why the problem exists and the factors aggravating it… start to introduce your product as a solution.

Creative Strategy 🚀

- Problem-Solution Ads - Highlight the problem and present the solution.

- Before & After Transformations - Highlight real, tangible results of your product.

- Pain Point —> Benefit - Illustrate how your product improves daily life.

Product-Solution Balance 🚨 

At this stage, the audience is starting to recognise their problem but hasn’t yet found the right solution.

Your creative should reinforce the problem, introduce your product naturally, and build intrigue.

Creative example

Solution aware

Audience Mindset 🧠 “I know what I need, but I don’t know what to choose.”

Objective 🎯 Build trust and demonstrate why YOUR product is the best solution. It’s all about standing out from the crowd. 

Creative Strategy  🚀

• Benefit-Driven Messaging: Showcasing both the practical and emotional benefits of your product.

• Feature/Benefit Call-Outs: Explaining key product differentiators and why they matter.

• USP Focus: Make it crystal clear why your product stands out from competitors.

Product-Solution Balance 🚨

They’re actively looking for solutions. Your content needs to highlight your product’s benefits, unique features, and real-life effectiveness when compared to your competitors in the market. 

Creative example

Product Aware

Audience Mindset 🧠“I don’t know… Do I really need it?”

Objective 🎯 Make your product the obvious choice. WHY should they choose you? Overcome doubts, build trust, 

Creative Strategy 🚀

• Answer Common Questions: What makes this product better? How does it compare to competitors? Is it worth the price?

• Objection Handling: Address key hesitations—whether it’s pricing, ingredients, effectiveness, or trust in the brand.

• Social Proof & Trust Signals: Showcase real customer reviews, influencer endorsements, and expert validation.

• Proclamation: Assert why this product is the only choice in its category.

Product-Solution Balance 🚨 Lead with why your product is the right choice while reinforcing the problem it solves. The audience is exploring options but needs that final reassurance before moving closer to purchase.

Pro Tip: UGC & EGC are effective at this stage of the funnel. Testimonials, real-time demonstrations, and creator endorsements make the product feel trusted, effective, and worth it.

Creative example

Most aware

Audience Mindset 🧠 “Okay, I’m ready - let’s do it.”

Objective 🎯 Drive action, they’re primed and ready. They just need that final push.

Creative Strategy 🚀

• Limited-Time Offers & Scarcity: “Only 3 left in stock” or “Last chance for 20% off!”

• High-Intent Retargeting: Remind them why they need to act now.

• Strong Call-to-Action: Make it easy for them to convert with clear messaging.

Product-Solution Balance 🚨 

Lead with the product solution immediately and emphasize its benefits and social proof. This audience already knows their problem and is likely comparing solutions. Position your product as the best option up front.

Creative example

Depending on your product category and problem awareness, tackling the ‘Most Aware’ stage first can deliver the quickest wins.

These customers already know about your product and are actively considering a purchase - they just need a final push.

2025 E-com Trends, Tactics & What’s Next

In the latest episode of D2C Diaries, Olly and Loukas break down the top trends of 2025 and what it takes to scale in an increasingly competitive space.

Olly’s Predictions:

🔥 Profitability is king: First-order profit, LTV, and AI-driven ops will define success.

🎨 Creative volume wins: Rapid testing & iteration will be non-negotiable.

🌍 Omnichannel expansion: Brands winning new markets & acquisition channels will thrive.

Loukas’ Predictions:

📢 Authenticity over AI: Founder-led & employee-generated content will cut through.

🎬 Storytelling rules: YouTube & long-form content will drive brand growth.

🚀 Creator-led brands: Think Logan Paul & MrBeast-style dominance.

Watch on YouTube here

Listen on Spotify here

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Final thoughts…

2025 will be a huge year for e-commerce, there’s is a tonne of opportunity out there - you just need to reach out and grab it. Brands that test, learn, iterate and optimise will win. 

Here’s what you can expect from The Mission Log going forwards 

📌 Weekly insights & strategies to help scale your brand 

📌 Expert breakdowns of what’s working in DTC right now 

📌 Real-world case studies from high-growth brands

Thank you for reading, we’ll see you next week.

The Soar With Us team