Think You Have a Distribution Problem? You Might Have a Perception Problem

Lauren Ridgley
Sep 26
2 min read

It’s easy to blame lack of shelf presence on distribution.

But in many cases, the issue isn’t logistics, it’s visibility.

Here’s the truth: retail buyers are people, too.

They scroll. They see what’s trending. They notice when your brand is generating buzz—and when it isn’t.

If your brand isn’t top of mind, it’s not top of shelf either.

Gatekeepers Are Watching

We’ve worked with emerging brands trying to grow from DTC to retail, or from regional to national distribution. And while performance, margins, and product quality matter, they’re not always enough.

You need a reason to be stocked.

And more often than not, that reason starts with perception.

One seltzer brand built early distribution by asking their fans to flood the stores they launched in—creating a temporary demand spike that buyers couldn’t ignore.

It wasn’t scalable, but it was effective.

They went from “new” to “noticed”—one shelf at a time.

That’s not luck, that’s earned perception.

Visibility Drives Velocity

Buyers want to see velocity. But they also want to see signals:

Is this brand showing up online?
Are people talking about it?
Do consumers care about this product?

We’ve seen brands go from regional tests to national expansion because their media strategy drove velocity—not just in sales, but in visibility.

Buyers noticed.

Stores responded.

It’s the multiplier effect: Consumer attention fuels buyer confidence.

And buyer confidence gets you on the shelf, or keeps you there.

This Is Why Awareness Matters

A lot of DTC brands assume retail entry is purely math. But the truth is:

Great products don’t sell without placement.
Placement doesn’t happen without a buyer’s vote of confidence.
Confidence often comes from perceived momentum.

You don’t just need sales data.

You need to look like you’re winning to consumers and buyers.

And that’s where media matters.

How to Influence the Influencers

Retail buyers don’t sit on ad panels or social comments.

But they see your ads.

They hear buzz from friends.

They notice when people are talking.

So your media strategy isn’t just about conversion. It’s about signaling.

Here’s how to use media to support distribution growth:

Run OOH or geo-targeted video near test retailers to drive sales and create visibility for the buyer.
Use paid social to amplify reviews, awards, or UGC that reinforces credibility.
Include your retail partners in your creative—show your support for the store as you drive traffic to them.
Seed PR or influencer content that travels outside your core buyer base—because sometimes the right person noticing is all it takes.