Acing the D2C playbook

WILLTHESE BRANDS SHAKE UP 2026?

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

THE PAST YEAR has been action-packed for direct-to-consumer or D2C brands, whether it is Lenskart going public or Minimalist getting scooped up by Hindustan Unilever. At the start of this new year, Brand Wagon asks three industry leaders from the world of advertising and brand strategy to identify digital-first brands that have the potential to roil the waters in 2026.

Aalap Desai, co-founder and CCO of tgthr, Manish Solanki, COO and co-founder, The Small Big Idea, and Asparsh Sinha, managing partner, OPEN Strategy & Design, give us their top picks (in no particular order). The brands below have been shortlisted not from the viewpoint of funding, public listing or revenue growth but for their differentiation strategy and unique marketing.

The Whole Truth