What Graza, Truff, Harry’s, and Dr. Squatch Taught Us About Marketing a Brand

By Phil Masiello, Founder & CEO, CrunchGrowth Revenue Acceleration Agency

I want to pull back the curtain on something companies pay agencies like mine hundreds of thousands of dollars for: the actual playbook behind some of the most disruptive consumer brands in the last decade.

If you're in the trenches trying to grow a brand, listen up. I'm going to walk you through how Harry’s Razors, Dr. Squatch, Graza, and Truff broke through the noise, connected with consumers, and scaled.

Spoiler alert: it’s not magic — it’s strategy.

Start Here: Be Different. Be Better.

Before we get into case studies, let me make this clear: if your product isn’t better or different, you’re already in trouble. If you're just another “me too” brand, you’ll end up competing on price — and that is a race to the bottom.

When brands come to my Agency, "CrunchGrowth", the first question we ask is:

What makes you different?

If they can't answer that, we either walk away or help them figure it out.

That point alone is non-negotiable. So keep that framework in mind as we dive into these brands.

Harry’s: Redefining Value with Smart Strategy

Harry’s didn’t invent razors — they reinvented how razors are marketed. They entered a saturated market owned by giants like Gillette and Schick and won by being clear and simple: a better shave at a fair price.

Not cheap. Fair. That nuance matters. Their $5 trial kit — including a handle, a five-blade cartridge, shave gel, and a travel cover — probably cost them more than that to deliver. But it worked because they weren’t chasing profit on the first sale.

They were buying customer loyalty and long-term value.

Before launching, they built a landing page and incentivized people to sign up and invite friends. When launch day hit, they had 100,000 emails ready to go. Then they went all-in on PR. If you've ever wondered how you first heard about Uber, Amazon, or even Harry’s — odds are, it wasn’t an ad. It was an article. That’s PR.

Harry’s also nailed content marketing (blogs on men’s grooming), email marketing, and influencer seeding. They even went omnichannel early — Connected TV, podcast sponsorships, and smart paid ads. But none of it works without a clear differentiator.

Harry’s sold the shave, not just the razor.

Dr. Squatch: The Power of Humor and Identity

Now, let’s talk about soap. Or rather, let’s talk about how Dr. Squatch made natural soap cool — and hilarious.

They didn’t just say their soap was “better.” They made fun of themselves. They leaned into masculine identity, brought in humor, and ran ads that made people laugh and buy. Their famous Sasquatch character wasn't just memorable — it made the brand relatable.

This approach made them different. Natural ingredients made them better. They layered in social media storytelling, content marketing, and a strong email game. But again, it started with the brand voice: fun, masculine, a little absurd — and crystal clear about who it was for.

Their TikToks and Reels perform incredibly well not because they throw money at them, but because they speak their audience’s language. They connect. That’s the lesson. Today’s consumer doesn’t want a billboard — they want a conversation.

Graza: Simplifying the Complex

The olive oil category is notorious for being confusing. Polyphenols, smoke points, bottle opacity — it’s a mess for everyday consumers.

Graza came in and said: No more confusion. Sizzle and Drizzle. That’s it. One for cooking, one for finishing. The end.

This brand exploded not because they had a better product (though they do) — but because they made it simpler. Their packaging was bold, their message was clear, and their strategy was relentless.

Before launching, they seeded thousands of bottles to micro-influencers. They invested in brand storytelling before spending on ads. So when they finally did launch, the name was already on everyone’s lips — and retailers came calling. Not the other way around.

They also addressed criticism smartly. When people pushed back on their use of plastic, they released a refill can. That’s knowing your audience and building trust.

Truff: Making Hot Sauce Luxurious

The team at Truff did something brilliant. They turned hot sauce — a $4 condiment — into a luxury item.

They infused it with truffle, designed a bottle that looked like it belonged on a perfume shelf, and made sure the cap even resembled a truffle. That attention to branding detail elevated the entire category.

But the genius move?

They owned the Instagram handle @sauce for years before launching. They built content, followers, and credibility before anyone even tasted the product. That’s foresight.

Truff focused heavily on PR, micro-influencer seeding, and social storytelling. They weren’t pitching to retailers — retailers came to them. That’s the power of demand creation.

They followed the same blueprint as Harry’s, Squatch, and Graza — but added their premium twist. And now, they’re not just in hot sauce — they’re in mayo, pasta sauce, and more.

The Common Thread

Here’s what ties all of these brands together:

1. They knew their differentiator.

2.They led with storytelling, not selling.

3. They invested in micro-influencers before paid media.

4. They built demand online before chasing retail.

5. They used PR like a weapon.

6. They connected deeply with their audience.

None of these brands had overnight success. What they had was clarity. A unique point of view. A willingness to do the unscalable things — like sending out 1,000 bottles for free, or building an email list of 100K before launch.

Final Word: Don’t Just Compete. Connect.

I’ll say this again: if you don’t know what makes you different, you’re going to lose. Because if you’re not better or different, then your only tool is price. And competing on price is a dead-end.

Your product might be incredible — but people don’t know that unless you show them. So simplify your message. Use social. Use PR. Use influencers. Use humor. Make it easy for customers to say, “This is for me.”

It doesn't matter if you're selling razors, soap, olive oil, or hot sauce.

It all comes down to this: Be different. Be better. Or be forgotten.

Phil, Masiello is 4x Exit Entrepreneur, Author of The Why Behind The Buy, Founder of CrunchGrowth Revenue Acceleration Agency, Host of Crunching Your Growth TV Show and Podcast, Startup coach and business mentor.