DTC Podcast Bonus Episode: How to Blend Your Omnichannel Marketing with Dean Krowitz from Blend.AI

Date: December 31, 2025
Host: Eric Dick (DTC Newsletter and Podcast)
Guest: Dean Krowitz (Co-Founder, Blend.AI)

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, Eric Dick sits down with Dean Krowitz, co-founder of Blend.AI, to explore the evolving landscape of omnichannel marketing for direct-to-consumer (DTC) e-commerce brands. The discussion centers on the challenges and necessity of diversifying marketing channels, leveraging AI to optimize media buying, and practical tips for brands managing complex, multi-channel campaigns. Dean breaks down Blend.AI’s philosophy, features, and the tactical insights that drive more efficient and scalable brand growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Brands Need Omnichannel Marketing

• The "Composite Funnel" Concept:
  • Dean explains that too often, brands invest heavily in one platform (e.g., Meta/Facebook), leaving them vulnerable to algorithm changes or platform disruptions ([00:54]–[02:25]).
  • "You could hit the scale button on Meta and kind of go indefinitely. But things have really changed… Now, every brand needs to be omnichannel." – Eric Dick ([01:41])
  • Blend.AI enables brands to manage campaigns across multiple channels, optimizing at every stage to unlock hidden efficiencies.

2. Blend.AI’s Approach to Multi-Channel Campaigns

• Execution Simplified:
  • Blend automates campaign deployment across platforms, adjusting budgets and creative strategy based on real-time results ([04:06]–[05:45]).
  • "Who are you targeting? That’s your audience. What are you targeting them with? That’s your message. And where are you targeting them? That’s the channel. When you wrap those three things together, you have a blend." – Dean Krowitz ([04:06])
• Agnostic Budget Allocation:
  • Blend acts as an impartial “middle layer,” allocating spend based on performance, not channel loyalty ([08:08]–[09:15]).
  • Metaphor: Marketers as mother hens distributing budgets to “hungry chicks” (channels) in a nest ("You have to decide who you're going to feed your budget to…" – Dean ([08:08])).

3. Platform-Specific Intelligence and Guardrails

• Guardrails Against Overspending:
  • Platform bias (Meta, Google, etc.) can push brands to overspend on bottom-of-funnel; Blend sets in-built controls to prevent this trap ([05:45]–[08:00]).
  • "They are making it really easy to spend money with them with automated campaigns… But you need a wider perspective to understand what is happening with your marketing mix." – Dean ([06:36])
• Automated Funnel Management:
  • Blend distinguishes between top, middle, and bottom of funnel traffic—across and within channels ([09:54]).
  • Instantly deploys creatives for each funnel stage across multiple platforms.
  • "If you launched two pieces of content and two channels, you would have six ads instantly for each piece of content…12 instances live across channels." – Dean ([09:54])

4. Freeing Up Human Focus: Creativity Over Drudgery

• Let AI Handle the Tedious:
  • AI relieves media buyers from repetitive optimization, empowering focus on brand, product, and strategy ([12:31]–[13:43]).
  • "Use Blend so you can focus on what actually matters in running your business…You shouldn’t be focusing on how to tweak micro adjustments." – Dean ([12:31])

5. Campaign Budgeting & Real-Time Adjustments

• Blend measures every possible conversion event, automatically reallocating budget for optimal performance ([13:55]).
• Brands can easily visualize spend shifts and campaign performance through Blend’s dashboard.

6. Channel Expansion and Underutilized Opportunities

• Microsoft Ads/Bing as Untapped Potential:
  • Most brands neglect Microsoft; Dean advocates testing, noting it's often incremental and brings new audiences ([15:14]–[16:26]).
  • Caution about attribution and misreading cross-channel impact; traffic may convert elsewhere after initial touchpoint ([16:34]–[18:05]).
  • "You will get some conversions in there…now how do you measure how that affected your Meta performance? That’s harder." – Dean ([16:34])
• Challenging Channel Spend Assumptions:
  • Many brands guess or “go by vibes” when splitting channel budgets; Blend uses data to correct imbalances ([18:05]–[19:32]).
  • Real-world example: Shifting budget from Meta to Google resulted in higher efficiency and reduced overall spend.

7. Creative Approach Across Channels

• When to Repurpose Creatives:
  • Test Meta creatives on TikTok, Google, etc., then refine; success depends on thoughtful distribution, not volume alone ([19:51]–[22:26]).
  • AI-driven Creative Analysis gives actionable feedback, identifying missed opportunities and grading assets on pillars like CTA, emotional resonance, and technical hygiene ([19:51]).
  • "Too many brands throw content at the problem, but it’s more nuanced than that." – Dean ([22:26])

8. The Reality of Platform Algorithms (e.g., "Andromeda")

• Skepticism over claims that platform AI fully optimizes for every micro-segment; fundamentals still matter ([22:26]–[23:59]).
• “It is really overhyped if you want my honest take.” – Dean ([23:50])

9. Measurement, Discipline & Always-On Optimization

• Customer Journey is Non-Linear:
  • Customers don’t care about the channel; omnipresence is key ([25:37]).
• Consistency Wins:
  • Anecdote of a client using simple Excel tracking per channel, daily; discipline and feedback loops are critical for long-term learning ([26:18]–[27:50]).
  • Blend provides the “always on” complement to human routines, ensuring real-time adjustment even when the team is offline.

10. Black Friday/Cyber Monday Case Study & Tactical Learning

• Brands using Blend saw up to 3× revenue YoY with 20% less ad spend ([29:29]).
• "Late October was super efficient to start acquiring customers…Those brands absolutely slayed it this year." – Dean ([29:29])
• Email remains a massively underutilized tool post-acquisition.

11. Shifting Perceptions: Google Demand Generation

• Google (esp. YouTube) is often overlooked for new customer acquisition. Dean suggests fixing data layers, not just ad creative ([32:33]–[34:31]).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "Marketers are like the mother hen in the middle of all the chicks and they’re all saying 'me, me, me,' wanting more budget." – Dean Krowitz ([08:08])
• "We’ve seen customers do three times more revenue than in 2024 with 20% less ad spend." – Dean Krowitz ([29:29])
• "Use Blend so you can focus on what actually matters…You shouldn’t be focusing on how to tweak micro adjustments." – Dean Krowitz ([12:31])
• "[Platforms] are making it really easy to spend money…You need a wider perspective." – Dean Krowitz ([06:36])
• "No fat birds. No starving birds. That could be a good t-shirt." – Eric Dick and Dean Krowitz ([36:49])
• "Too many brands throw content at the problem, but it's more nuanced than that. You need to be smarter about how content is distributed across channels." – Dean Krowitz ([22:26])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------| | Why Blend.AI was Started | 00:54 – 02:25 | | The Composite Funnel & Omnichannel| 02:25 – 04:06 | | Blend’s Execution & Automation | 04:06 – 05:45 | | Guardrails vs. Platform Bias | 05:45 – 08:00 | | The Hungry Chicks Metaphor | 08:00 – 09:15 | | Building a Blend Campaign | 09:54 – 11:39 | | AI Frees Creatives to Strategize | 12:31 – 13:43 | | Automated Budget Adjustments | 13:55 – 14:56 | | The Case for Microsoft & Untapped | 15:14 – 16:26 | | Testing & Measurement Challenges | 16:34 – 19:32 | | Creative Diversity & Analysis | 19:51 – 22:26 | | Skepticism on Platform AI Claims | 22:26 – 23:59 | | Always-On Optimization | 27:50 – 29:21 | | BFCM Heroic Results | 29:29 – 31:57 | | Google Demand Gen Opportunities | 32:33 – 34:31 | | Getting Started, Pricing | 34:46 – 36:28 |

Takeaways for Listeners

• Diversification & Data: Don't rely solely on a single channel. Automate cross-channel measurement and budget shifts to maximize ROI and mitigate platform risk.
• AI & Automation: Let smart platforms handle the repetitive and mathematical, focus your human creativity on strategic messaging and audience insight.
• Measure Everything, Adapt Constantly: Use tools that deliver real-time feedback—channel performance changes fast and last year’s analysis quickly becomes obsolete.
• Action on Untapped Channels: Test Microsoft and other often-ignored networks. Innovations are still possible in dark horse channels and with overlooked data integrations.
• Start Early, Nurture Always: BFCM winners start acquisition well before November, then nurture using email and retargeting when costs soar.
• “No Fat Birds” Philosophy: Don’t let one channel bloat your budget; keep a healthy, data-driven, agile mix for stability and sustainable growth.

How to Try Blend.AI

• Go to blend-AI.com, book a demo, or install via the Shopify App Store.
• Initial onboarding involves a Blend human guiding the transition; ongoing pricing is a mix of subscription and ad spend percentage, tiered to favor scaling brands ([34:46]–[36:28]).

For more direct-to-consumer insights, subscribe to the DTC Newsletter at directtoconsumer.co. – The DTC Podcast with Eric Dick