In this episode, we break down what’s actually driving Meta performance right now and why the brands scaling in 2026 aren’t chasing more creative, but building smarter systems around personas and AI.

We go deep into how top-performing accounts are reusing existing assets, structuring creative by persona, and using AI to unlock speed, diversity, and incremental reach... without burning teams out or inflating creative costs.

We also cover what’s next for high-production creative, why emotional authenticity still beats AI in key moments, and how founders and teams should be thinking about context, not prompts, as AI becomes embedded in everyday work.

If you’re a founder, head of growth, or creative leader trying to scale Meta in a world where targeting is gone and AI is everywhere, this episode will reset how you think about creative strategy.

Deep research AI guide here: https://kylepoyar.substack.com/p/deep-research-for-gtm?r=10j51v&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

From the team behind Soar With Us and Hambi Media: http://www.soarwithus.co/

🚨🚀 If you're a brand spending £100K/month, we'll run your ads. Apply for your growth roadmap: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0rls0q0

00:00 Intro
01:15 Creative formats we're using right now
11:20 Next evolution of AI generated content
15:30 Creative testing strategy (ABO vs. CBO vs. ASC)
17:40 Criteria for deeming a scalable ad
19:40 ASC by persona scaling campaigns
22:40 The "Bidcap Graveyard" hack
24:20 Exclusions in ad setup
25:50 Intentional persona mapping
30:50 Post-purchase surveys for purchase triggers
34:10 AI-powered customer interviews
35:20 Do not turn off winning ads
36:50 Importance of AI experimentation
39:00 Claude Skills and Co-worker
42:15 Context engineering over prompt engineering
44:20 Building a Claude Skill for script writing
51:45 The rise of vibe coding

Follow Olly: https://linktr.ee/ollyhudson
Follow Joe: https://linktr.ee/joe_marston
Follow Loukas: https://shorturl.at/TRI8B / https://x.com/LoukasHambi
Follow Liam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-dean-a11a43152/
Follow D2C Diaries: https://www.tiktok.com/@d2c.diaries / https://www.instagram.com/d2c_diaries/

How we’re solving the biggest hiring bottleneck in DTC (and why Meta’s backing it). There’s a shortage of world-class creative strategists and it’s slowing down growth for agencies and brands alike.

You can apply for the incubator here: Apply here: https://apply.workable.com/soar-with-us/j/F587A37B6F/

You can find more information on the opportunity here: https://www.notion.so/soarwithus/Are-you-ready-to-launch-your-career-in-performance-marketing-2e611884e3c980589a44cb0d73c6bfb8

In this episode, Olly and Loukas break down how Soar/Hambi are solving the problem from the inside out… by launching the UK’s first Creative Strategist Incubator.

Whether you're hiring for this role or trying to be the hire, this episode covers:

— Why great creative strategists are so hard to find (and even harder to train)
— The exact soft skills to screen for if you're hiring
— How we built a system to turn generalists into high-performance strategists fast
— What Meta told us about upcoming creative similarity changes and why they're backing this programme
— Who this is for, how to apply, and what’s actually included

Applications for the first 5-person cohort are now open.This is not a junior marketing role.

This is the MBA for creative strategy.

Apply here: https://apply.workable.com/soar-with-us/j/F587A37B6F/

Chris’s newsletter (featured in the episode): https://copychris.substack.com/

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:16 The shortage of great creative strategists
03:50 What makes a great CS: baseline traits + transferable skills
07:53 Incubator announcement
12:01 9–12 month pathway to Creative Strategist role
14:51 Why CS is hard to train
15:56 Training method + modules
21:48 Scriptwriting focus: train hardest first
27:58 Gold Standard scorecard
34:18 Why people leave companies: managers, progression, culture
45:24 What’s next: course content + apply link
From the team behind Soar With Us and Hambi Media: www.soarwithus.co

Follow Loukas on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/TRI8B
Twitter: https://x.com/LoukasHambi

Follow Olly on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/kPrqO
Twitter: https://x.com/oliverwhudson
Follow D2C Diaries on socials
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@d2c.diaries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d2c_diaries/

IM8 went from $0 to a $120M run rate in just 11 months and they’re targeting $300M by the end of 2026.

In this episode of D2C Diaries, Olly sits down with Danny Yeung, CEO and co-founder of IM8 Health, to unpack how he built one of the fastest-growing supplement brands in the world.

From bringing on David Beckham as co-founder, to replacing 16 supplements with one clinically-backed daily drink, to assembling a scientific board with experts from NASA, UFC and Mayo Clinic, Danny shares the full playbook behind IM8’s explosive growth.

You can watch our IM8 breakdown here: https://youtu.be/FSO_kiGOVu8

Download the IM8 funnel resource here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0q_2-h0

🚨🚀 If you're a brand spending £100K/month, we'll run your ads. Apply for your growth roadmap: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0qMvq60

What does it take to scale a wellness brand to £25M+ after your first startup crashes, your health collapses, and you’re told sleeping pills are the only way out?

In this episode, Dan Murray-Serter, co-founder of Heights, breaks down the unfiltered journey of building one of the UK’s fastest-growing brain health brands. From startup failure and burnout-induced insomnia to founding a category-defining company used by real celebrity customers, Dan shares the mindset shifts, health breakdowns, and bold brand decisions that fuelled Heights’ rise.

We talk:

• How burnout and gut issues led to a £25M brand
• Why Heights rejected nootropics hype and built around boring fundamentals
• How they landed celebrity endorsements
• Why real customer obsession beats clever marketing

This one’s part growth playbook, part founder therapy. Raw, honest, and genuinely useful for any DTC operator or founder building through the pain.

Follow Dan on socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmurrays/
X: https://x.com/danmurrays

Follow Olly on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/kPrqO
X: https://x.com/oliverwhudson

Follow Loukas on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/TRI8B
X: https://x.com/LoukasHambi

Follow D2C Diaries on socials
TikTok: / d2c.diaries
Instagram: / d2c_diaries

If you're a brand spending £100K/month, we'll run your ads. Apply for your growth roadmap: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0qBQFh0

In this episode of D2C Diaries, Olly and Loukas break down the biggest lessons from 2025 and what they believe will be the single biggest changes shaping e-commerce in 2026.

They recap a huge Black Friday (nearly $40M spent on Meta in November), explain why Q5 (Boxing Day → early January) is the most underutilised growth window of the year, and share a clear creative framework for capturing short-lived New Year motivation without defaulting to lazy discounting.

The conversation also goes deep on leadership and operating lessons from scaling Soar - feedback loops, urgency, prioritisation, process mistakes - before closing with the D2C Diaries Awards, standout brands and campaigns, and predictions for where channels, creative, and acquisitions are heading next.

If you’re a founder, operator, or marketer planning for January and beyond, this episode is essential listening.

00:00 Intro
01:48 Black Friday recap: $40M spend & what actually worked
04:18 Why brands forget to analyse BFCM cohorts
06:17 What this episode covers
07:15 What is Q5 (and why it matters)?
08:10 Why CPMs drop after Christmas
09:17 The “flash in the pan” New Year motivation window
10:25 Q5 creative framework: TOF vs BOF mistakes
13:05 Why brands go too bottom-of-funnel
14:00 Creative mix for Q5 (TOF / MOF / BOF)
16:03 Outcome-led offers that outperform discounts
17:14 What was happening in Jan 2025
19:12 Biggest leadership lessons from 2025
23:42 Prioritisation, planning & time-blocking
27:45 Process rollouts & buy-in mistakes
29:41 Why urgency compounds growth
32:01 D2C Diaries Awards
40:11 New brand of the year: IM8
41:24 DTC dominator of the year
48:31 Most viral campaign of 2025
56:11 Predictions for e-commerce in 2026
1:02:47 Brands to watch in 2026
1:04:03 Outro

Follow Olly on socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-hudson/
Twitter: https://x.com/oliverwhudson

Follow Loukas on socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loukas-hambi-388067152/
Twitter: https://x.com/LoukasHambi

Follow D2C Diaries on socials
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@d2c_diaries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d2c_diaries/

🚨🚀 If you're a brand spending £100K/month, we'll run your ads. Apply for your growth audit here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0p-Mxb0

SEO made £13.9M. ChatGPT made £175K. So why is everyone chasing AI?

In this episode, Olly sits down with Thomas Phillips, founder of DTC SEO Agency and a veteran of 17 brand exits, to cut through the noise around AI SEO.

Tom breaks down how one of their clients generated £175K in revenue from ChatGPT at a 19.7% conversion rate, yet that same brand made £13.9M from traditional SEO in the same 90-day window. The kicker? The strategy behind both is almost identical.

From backlinks and content depth to digital PR and entity trust, Tom explains why the fundamentals of ranking haven’t changed. AI has just added a shiny new label. If you're chasing AI visibility without nailing your SEO baseline, you’re prioritising tactics over foundations.

---

We're excited to share that we are hiring creative strategists to join the UK's number one independent meta-agency, as recognised by Meta. Our team is known for being curious, innovative, and fast-growing, and we work with leading D2C brands like Heights, Mindful Chef, and Space Good 47 Skin. If you're interested in being part of our dynamic team, please send me an email loukas@hambimedia.co.uk

From the team behind Soar With Us and Hambi Media: http://www.soarwithus.co/

00:00:00 Intro to Thomas Phillips
00:04:30 The journey to 17 brand exits using SEO
00:07:50 Starting the DTC SEO agency
00:09:20 The rise of AI SEO and how to track it
00:14:00 AEO vs GEO: The 2 types of AI SEO
00:15:55 How to rank in Google’s AI Overviews
00:18:00 Why long-tail, question-based content still wins
00:22:35 How brands are ranking in AI search
00:25:45 How to get unbiased ChatGPT rankings
00:27:15 An increase in branded searches
00:28:40 Shopify X ChatGPT integration
00:30:10 How to rank long-term in AI search
00:32:00 Link building and credibility still drives SEO
00:42:20 SEO fundamentals top brands are doing
00:45:15 Where newer brands should start with search
00:49:10 The future of AI search + DTC landscape
00:57:25 AI usage across content
01:00:35 Key takeaways of AI SEO

Follow Tom:
https://www.instagram.com/thomasmrphillips
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomphillipsofficial/
https://x.com/thomasmrp
https://www.dtcseoagency.com/

Follow Olly on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/kPrqO
Twitter: https://x.com/oliverwhudson

Follow D2C Diaries on socials
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@d2c.diaries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d2c_diaries/

🚨🚀 If you're a brand spending £100K/month, we'll run your ads. Apply for your free audit here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0pQjYt0

In this episode of D2C Diaries, Olly and Loukas sit down with Matt Lewis, Managing Director of Soar Group and the very first hire in the business, to break down the real operating system behind Soar’s growth.

The rebuilds, the mistakes, the hard lessons, and the frameworks that turned 2025 into Soar’s strongest year yet.

If you’re a founder, operator, agency owner, or business leader, this is one of the most valuable conversations we’ve recorded. It’s a deep dive into culture, leadership, operations, forecasting, talent density, and how fast-growing companies actually scale from the inside.

Matt has been part of Soar from day one and has scaled the group to nearly 80 people. His perspective is rare, tactical, and brutally transparent.

Perfect for anyone building a team, scaling an organisation, or trying to create a high-performance culture.

---

D2C Diaries is proudly sponsored by Wayflyer
They’re offering $25,000 in upfront capital for just $1,800 to help you ramp up your efforts leading into Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This funding can be crucial for covering unexpected costs and ensuring you can double down on your best-performing ads while staying stocked. Timing is everything, so don’t miss out! https://kntn.ly/55cfeeff

From the team behind Soar With Us and Hambi Media: http://www.soarwithus.co/

Follow Matt Lewis:https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-d-lewis/

Follow Olly on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/kPrqO
Twitter: https://x.com/oliverwhudson

Follow Loukas on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/TRI8B
Twitter: https://x.com/LoukasHambi

Follow D2C Diaries on socials
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@d2c.diaries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d2c_diaries/

🚨🚀 If you're a brand spending £100K/month, we'll run your ads. Apply for your free audit here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0pzLCJ0

Creative costs are climbing fast.
Meta’s changed how ads learn.
And AI is completely redefining what “creative strategy” means in 2026.

In this episode, Olly and Loukas dive into how brands can adapt to Meta’s creative similarity update, scale creative diversity without burning resources, and build systems that use AI as part of the production line — not a side tool.

They unpack what happens when 70% of your iterations get grouped under the same entity ID, why the role of an AI videographer is about to become one of the most important hires in performance marketing, and how tools like Sora, VEO 3.1, Nano Banana, and Gemini are reshaping the creative process.

From creative operations to prompt engineering, this episode breaks down what the next wave of performance marketing really looks like and why the future belongs to the brands who move fast and systemise smarter.

Watch Andrej Karpathy's podcast episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXUZvyajciY

---

We're excited to share that we are hiring creative strategists to join the UK's number one independent meta-agency, as recognised by Meta. Our team is known for being curious, innovative, and fast-growing, and we work with leading D2C brands like Heights, Mindful Chef, and Spacegoods and 47 Skin. If you're interested in being part of our dynamic team, please send me an email loukas@hambimedia.co.uk

---

From the team behind Soar With Us and Hambi Media: http://www.soarwithus.co/

0:00 - Intro
01:08 - Club Neuro community event
03:10 - Film recommendation: “I swear”
04:40 - Creative diversity revisited
07:18 - The new iteration strategy
15:15 - Rise of AI production
19:40 - Andrej Karpathy podcast episode
23:35 - New AI drops
27:45 - Building our AI data warehouse
36:66 - How we're using VEO 3
45:20 - The future of creative operations + predictions

Follow Olly on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/kPrqO
Twitter: https://x.com/oliverwhudson

Follow Loukas on socials:
LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/TRI8B
Twitter: https://x.com/LoukasHambi

Follow D2C Diaries on socials
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@d2c.diaries
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d2c_diaries/