DTC Isn’t Dead—It’s Everywhere

very time you open Instagram, you’re likely hit with an ad from a brand you’ve never heard of, showcasing a beautifully photographed product that’s sold only online. Welcome to the age of “direct-to-consumer,” or DTC—the name that’s been assigned to the digitally native businesses that now dominate your social feeds and have replaced traditional brands in the closets and cupboards of your home. Lately, rumors have been swirling of DTC’s demise, in press coverage of individual companies as well as the category at large. But I think these proclamations are missing the point, which is that these businesses aren’t defined by their model,