The Scoop: Etsy tells customers to ‘Shop Other Jeffs’ ahead of Amazon Prime Day

Plus: Study finds major trust gap in brand messages that use AI; Oatly changes strategy to focus on events, collabs.

Etsy is using Amazon Prime Day to expand its own visibility by encouraging customers to “Shop Other Jeffs,” referring to Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos without directly naming him or Amazon.

The company’s campaign encourages customers against spending more money with one billionaire Jeff, but instead supporting one of the more than 5,000 Etsy sellers named Jeff, Inc.reports.

CEO Kruti Patel Goyal said during the company’s latest earnings call, “Buyers come to Etsy not just for what they buy, but for who they buy it from. This is one of our most defensible advantages and one that we haven’t fully delivered on.”

The campaign features real sellers, including a potter, a woodworker and a lighting designer. Its ads use lines like “One Jeff should not rule commerce” and “Shop non-billionaire Jeffs.”

It’s funny, but it’s also strategic. Etsy isn’t trying to compete with Amazon on pricing or reach, but it is trying to make those things feel less important than human connection or backing small sellers. They even changed their Instagram bio to, “Shop from regular people, not billionaires.” Short video clips on the platform highlight all the “Jeffs” creating cool stuff from their homes, workshops or the outdoors.

In the comment section, users were quick to get the joke. “Wowww @etsy, you better give your social team a raise because this is so good,” one person wrote. “Etsy, you really read the room here!!!” another person said.

Etsy CMO Brad Minor said: “Etsy represents an alternative to anonymous, monolithic, mass-produced commerce with our community of more than six million sellers at the center. That message has never felt more urgent than it does right now, and we wanted to say it in a way that was human, direct and a little defiant.”

Why it matters: This is a smart play. Etsy is tying its message to a major cultural moment when shoppers are already thinking about online deals. Prime Day gives Etsy a fun built-in news hook, which is a great example of how brands can use major events or cultural moments to really sharpen their own identity. They don’t have to own the moment to be a part of the conversation.

“Shop Other Jeffs” is also simple, but memorable. It turns a giant competitor into a symbol of mass-commerce without needing to overexplain the joke. They’re not attacking Amazon, but using them to tell people why they’re different. It also plays on the current anti-billionaire sentiment sweeping across the world as wealth inequality grows.

The best brand campaigns do a few different things: they join a timely conversation, make the brand’s value clear and give people something memorable to take away. “Shop Other Jeffs” does all three.

How do consumers feel about AI in brand messaging?

A new WordPress VIP report found a steep trust gap around AI in brand messaging. According to TechCrunch, 60% of U.S. consumers said brands using “AI” in their messaging puts them off. Eighty-six percent said they don’t fully trust AI and still want to check original sources. The report also found 42% trust AI-generated answers without clear attribution less than medical bills, airline fees or hard-to-read privacy policies. People are increasingly wary of how organizations are using AI and they’re not being shy about airing out those frustrations, as we’ve seen and reported before. This doesn’t mean brands should hide their AI use, but they need to think carefully about how their audience receives it. It’s important to remember that in this AI age, consumers value transparency, realness and human connection first.

Why is Oatly doing more events?

Swedish drink maker Oatly is moving away from the wordy, oddball billboards that helped make oat milk feel new and interesting. Now that oat milk is more mainstream, the brand is spending more energy on events, cafe partnerships and trend-building. Michael Lee, Oatly’s executive vice president and one of its executive creative directors, told WSJ that the old strategy worked because “we basically wrote novels on billboards.” But the brand has now shifted toward beverage culture, where “drink drops are treated like sneaker drops.” They even have an event for retailers, media and other collaborators they dubbed as the “Davos of beverages.” Lee said the goal is “bringing the people who influence drinks and beverage culture together to discuss the future of what’s happening. We scale that by creating content and spreading that vibe over the internet.” Oatly is showing that brands are allowed to divert from what originally worked. They’re following where the culture went, making Oatly feel like part of what’s next in coffee and drinks. When your product or industry evolves, your comms should too. Keep the voice that made people notice you, but find new ways to make the brand useful, social and part of real behavior.

Why is the BBC cutting jobs?

The BBC is making some big cuts as it tries to close a major budget gap and become more digital. The Hollywood Reporter says the broadcaster plans to cut 550 jobs across news, nations, and content, reduce senior leadership by 10%, eliminate about 700 corporate roles and cut spending by about £80 million next year. Overall, as many as 2,000 jobs could be cut over three years as the BBC looks to save £500 million. Director General Matt Brittin told staff, “First, we will protect and sustain output with the highest audience value and impact. Second, we will meet audiences where they are, as more consumption moves online. Third, we will make the BBC simpler and faster — we must reduce duplication, clarify accountability and increase the speed of decision making.” This is another example of a legacy media brand significantly affected by changing audience habits. There will be fewer reporters with less time to cover brand stories that are not clearly useful to audiences. That means brands shouldn’t rely on generic pitches or email blasts. They need to understand what each outlet is still investing in and shape pitches around audience value, not just their own priorities.

Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.

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