This Startup Built Its Brand On Facebook. Now It Can Never Leave
Facebook gave Quip great bang for its buck but little data on the consumers it targeted. With a Facebook backlash brewing, how will small advertisers fare?
While scrolling Facebook you might’ve noticed a slim, futuristic toothbrush hovering between photos of your friends’ babies and your uncle’s political rants. It’s an ad for Quip, a brand dedicated to making toothbrushing sexier. Quip is unique in the history of toothbrush brands because it isn’t gaining customers by appearing on drugstore shelves. Instead, it’s marketing its product where consumers spend much of their time: on social media, particularly Facebook and the Facebook-owned Instagram.
When founder Simon Enever launched the brand in 2015 with only $300,000 in funding, he knew only a fraction could go toward advertising. And according to Shane Pittson, Quip’s head of marketing, Facebook was an obvious place to spend it. “Facebook removes all kinds of barriers to entry for small companies,” he says. “You have a very clear understanding of what you’re paying for and how much is returning back to your business. With other channels–like magazine or podcast ads, for instance–it can be very difficult to…
