Gen Z is becoming a new generation of consumers, but they aren’t doing the same things the generations before them did. Gen Z’s media and its approach to advertising is different, and it demands a new media platform. Pavel Dler knew that, and using his insight into this generation, he built a media platform that netted more than six figures in income this year alone.
Steeped In Social Media Culture
Dler didn’t come up with this idea overnight. He studied fashion design with marketing at Central Saint Martins and, after graduating, worked with several brands to increase their social media presence. Little by little, he learned what these businesses wanted, but more than that, he knew what consumers wanted.
In less than a year, the idea for Culted, the new media brand, came into being. He spotted a hole in the traditional media coverage of the day, which spurred him to develop Culted. The brand would deliver bite-sized fashion industry news, combining content and insight.
Playing To His Strengths
Dler knew what fashion media was about, and he was especially aware of what people wanted to know about what was going on in the fashion world. He realized that he was uniquely poised to offer insight into this world.
His education and the work he had done for his clients all pointed him in this direction. Having the idea of the industry news outlet was huge, but his road to making it a reality was not an easy one. Most of the industry didn’t believe he could make this work.
Overcoming Doubt From Others And Yourself
When he began, Dler knew what he wanted out of this endeavor. He wanted to have someplace where people could quickly scan the news that happened. But at first, it seemed to him that it might not be something brands or anyone in the industry would jump onto.
Even the people at the British Fashion Council were not too keen on his idea. They told him that brands trusted traditional media outlets and relied on them for marketing. Based on what they said, Dler almost felt as though he was just a kid playing at being a news agency. Over time, however, people started following him. When big stars follow your news channel, you know you’ve made it.
Finding a Niche and Filling a Niche
When Dler was working out what Culted was supposed to be, he looked at traditional and new media. Too many traditional media outlets didn’t fit the groove of what he wanted. There were also enough text outlets with captivating photos. Yet, no matter where he looked, there was no video coverage.
Combining this idea with commentary, reporting, and entertainment, he started to carve out a niche for himself. He knew this was something people in the industry wanted, and he could offer it to them. With how short attention spans were, he kept his videos to sixty seconds each, ensuring that people weren’t bored from start to finish.
Building A Brand
With competition from traditional media, which had a leg-up on the big, influential brands in the industry, Dler realized he would have to look elsewhere for his news. Smaller, less commonplace brands that offered great value for money became the ones he would cover in his news.
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision either. Dler knew that many people in Gen Z weren’t into those huge multi-million-dollar brands anymore. They wanted something closer to their level. By linking his audience with the brands they wanted to support, he found a ready audience for his content.
Explosive Growth Because of Strategic Decisions
Culted saw massive growth after its inception because it chose to limit itself to a handful of social media channels. The brand is present on Instagram and TikTok since those social media networks primarily deal with video content. He knew where his audience was and went there to find them.
These strategic decisions also helped to drive the brand to over 30 million impressions across all its channels, with half a million alone coming from the company’s website. Dler notes that fashion is about seeing and being seen, and his brand capitalizes on doing that in bite-sized chunks.
Finding Your Audience Is Crucial
Asked about what makes a brand like his stand out, Dler noted that finding his audience early is what drove his success. Entrepreneurs have different audiences and many of them get frustrated when they go looking for that audience in the wrong place. Find the media and the network that supports that media, and everything will fall into place.
He reminds new entrepreneurs that people will find your product if you consistently reach out to them. Social media is about engagement, and producing a good product is as important as engaging with the people who are interested in that product.
Manage Your Day To Avoid Burnout
Dler also wants young social media marketers to know that burnout can happen even if they’re young. He’s seen it happen to many people in the fashion news industry because of its fast-paced nature. There’s no room for rest, and people just keep going until they can’t.
He avoids burnout himself by taking breaks completely separated from technology. He says those breaks spread across the day are more important to him than anything else. Usually, when he takes these breaks, he’s accompanied by a book to read. He avoids putting it on a device, preferring the feel of written pages to complete his disconnection.
Now Is The Best Time To Start a Business
Starting a business is a huge step, but entrepreneurs should try to do it as early as possible. According to Dler, there’s always a need for something. People seek out new products all the time, and no one likes to settle for what they already have. Produce something that’s new and fresh, and people will come to it because it’s the new thing. This philosophy was how he developed Culted and grew it to such prominence.
