EPISODE 266 - Challenger Brands and Amazon Growth Strategies with Wes Clark

The Smartest Amazon Seller

Wes Clark, Head of Marketing Operations & Marketplace at Kizik, shares his journey from working at Fortune 500 companies such as Intel to startups, revealing key insights about the importance of reviews on Amazon. He discusses the challenges of manipulated reviews and effective strategies to combat them.
Learn how Purple leveraged Amazon for brand awareness and how Kizik ensures presence across all customer-preferred platforms. The episode covers Kizik’s video advertising strategies and the importance of balancing Amazon with other sales channels to avoid over-reliance.
Wes also shares data-driven tactics for ad mix optimization, competitor analysis, and efficient return management. For more insights or questions about Kizik’s strategy, listeners can reach out via LinkedIn provided in the show notes.
Tune in for expert advice on maximizing your Amazon strategy!

Episode Notes:

00:28 - Wes Clark Introduction
01:20 - Wes Clark's Background and Entry into Amazon
03:33 - Understanding and Combatting Review Manipulation on Amazon
07:05 - Purple’s Brand Awareness Strategy
09:10 - The Success and Growth of Kizik on Amazon
10:34 - Kizik's Selective Approach to Amazon Listings and Shaping Customer Experience
14:05 - Utilizing Amazon Demand Side Platform (DSP) for Brand Exposure
15:09 - Measuring the Impact of Off-Amazon Advertising on Amazon Sales
16:00 - Growth Levers and Generating Top-of-Funnel Awareness
17:32 - The Importance of Video Marketing for DTC Brands on Amazon
19:00 - Exploring Sponsored Brand Video vs. DSP Video on Amazon
19:49 - Insight into Brand Risks and Challenges When Selling on Amazon
21:20 - Utilizing Data to Inform Strategy and Stay Ahead of Competitors

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wesclark2
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