What Big Brands Like Doctor Squatch Can Teach Small Businesses About Branding and Marketing
If you haven’t heard of Doctor Squatch then you need to have a gander on YouTube and look at their adverts. They’re pure genius. Why? Because in a world where small businesses often struggle to cut through the attention-seeking noise that is social media, Doctor Squatch stands out as a prime example of how to build a brand that truly connects with their audience.
Their success didn’t come from having the most polished logo or the most intricate packaging, instead, they focused on connecting through personality and understanding how their target audience feel through delivering a brand experience that was bold, humorous, and unapologetically masculine. A brave thing to do in a world where there is little room given for masculine personalities.
Here is what I think small businesses can learn from Doctor Squatch’s approach to their branding and marketing.
Engage with a specific personality type not a large group of people
Doctor Squatch didn’t take the traditional approach of selling natural soaps and shampoos through generic eco-friendly messaging. Instead, they injected personality into their marketing, using humour to engage their audience. Their ads are playful, exaggerated, and filled with witty one-liners that make their brand memorable. Not only that, they spoke directly to men.
Their approach isn’t just to sell soap—they sold a lifestyle. They spoke directly to their ideal customer: ‘men who care about using natural products but don’t want to feel like they’re shopping for skincare in the women’s aisle’.
Instead of trying to appeal to everyone who wants natural products, they went all-in on a specific audience. They crafted a brand story that positioned their soap as rugged, fun, and uniquely masculine.
It works because instead of trying to appeal to the masses and both genders, they thought hard about who their ideal person was and went all in. Call it a niche within a niche (natural products for heterosexual men).
Personally as a women, I watch their ads and found them so amusing I instantly thought about buying their products for my partner. I did buy them and for years after we still use their products even though their are cheaper alternatives out there. But I ‘bought’ into their story, their authenticity and I wanted to be on team Squatch, even though I wasn’t their target audience.
How can you apply this method to your own brand?
Standing out from the rest starts with being brave enough to be different and to be wholeheartedly invested in who you want to help. Whether it’s a personal brand or promoting your business, having a specific person in mind when you are positioning your business will be what help pin you as an authority figure in your industry. Try and avoid being a people pleaser and instead become a beacon for your dream customer/client to join a community they can be 100% themselves too.
Authenticity is your friend
Being authentic and raw is a powerful way to build trust and admiration from your audience. Doctor Squatch exemplifies this by prioritising authenticity over high-budget production. Their marketing isn’t about glossy perfection; it’s about creating content that feels real and speaks directly to their niche audience.
Instead of relying on dolphin-smooth models with airbrushed skin and choreographed poses, they showcased everyday men—people you’d see on the street, with different body types and ages. This made their brand relatable and grounded in reality.
Their video ads are simple but highly effective, often featuring a single person speaking directly to the camera in an engaging and humorous way. This low-budget, high-impact approach makes their marketing feel more like a personal recommendation from a friend rather than a corporate sales pitch.
This trend is becoming more common across social media nowadays, where I’m noticing big brands leveraging the ‘behind the scenes’ content and dedicating a team of people to represent their customer care/community to foster trust and build deeper connections with their audience.
So how can you replicate this for your brand?
Rather than simply following what meme is trending or replicating other brands’ successful posts. Focus on how you want to tell your story in an authentic and clear way. People are craving something genuine, especially with the rise of AI.
The Power of Simplicity in Your Branding
Doctor Squatch’s logo and packaging are relatively simple compared to many high-end personal care brands.
But what they lack in design, they make up for with a strong brand personality. Their branding is instantly recognisable because they’ve established a consistent tone of voice that makes their product stand out. Their name alone is quirky and memorable, setting the tone for the entire brand.
I’m always saying how building a brand isn’t just a great logo. Yes logo’s are important and a good one will do you a world of favours. However, if you’re just starting out and want people to engage in your business. Building a brand that is likeable, memorable and leaves a lasting impression. This is going to have more impact than a crazy good logo. You can always have a logo refresh further down the line.
Just like Doctor Squatch, they could easily have a facelift and elevate their logo and packaging but what stands out and what people are more invested in, is their quirky attitude and values.
So to summarise, while great design is important, personality sells. Small businesses often spend too much time perfecting logos and packaging when they should be focused on developing a compelling brand identity. The key is to strike a balance—having a clear, well-thought-out visual identity while ensuring your brand voice is strong and consistent. The pretty stuff can come after.