Etsy launched a direct-attack campaign called 'Shop Other Jeffs' during Amazon Prime Day 2024, according to Retail Dive. The play: position independent sellers named Jeff as the anti-Bezos, run it during Amazon's biggest sales event, and name the competitor outright. The brand aired spots on streaming and social, bought search terms around Prime Day, and sent email to its seller base with toolkit assets. Etsy reported the campaign generated significant earned media coverage and drove measurable traffic to seller storefronts during the two-day window.
The mechanics were simple. Etsy profiled real sellers on the platform — a woodworker, a jewelry maker, a candle maker — all named Jeff. The tagline: support another Jeff. The timing was the weapon. Most brands either join Prime Day or go dark. Etsy did neither. It used Amazon's own media spend and consumer attention as the backdrop, then redirected a slice of that traffic by naming the alternative. The campaign included display ads, YouTube pre-roll, and organic social content featuring the seller profiles. Etsy also ran search ads on terms like 'Prime Day deals' and 'Amazon alternatives,' according to Retail Dive.
It worked because it violated the unspoken rule: never name the category leader. Etsy broke that rule and gained newsworthiness. The press covered it as a David-Goliath story. Shoppers shared it because it was funny and had a clear villain. The brand turned Amazon's own event into a distribution channel for its counter-message. The underlying mechanism is contrast positioning during maximum attention. When everyone is talking about one thing, the brand that credibly positions against it gets free reach. Etsy didn't need to outspend Amazon. It needed to be the only alternative voice in a saturated news cycle.
The steal for a small physical-product brand: find the dominant event in your category and position against it, not alongside it. If you sell sustainable home goods, run a 'Shop Not-Amazon' campaign during Prime Day. If you make handmade pet supplies, counter Chewy's big sale with a 'Meet the Maker' series. The spend is modest: $500–$2,000 for a week of targeted search ads on competitor terms, a dozen organic social posts profiling your product story, and one email to your list with a clear contrast message. Write the ad copy to name the alternative: 'This Prime Day, support a solo maker in Vermont instead of a warehouse in Nevada.' Use real product photos, not stock. Buy search terms your competitor owns that week. The press angle is the contrast. Send a one-paragraph pitch to niche trade blogs and local business reporters: 'Local brand counters [Big Competitor] sale with maker-direct alternative.' Most won't cover it, but two or three will, and that doubles your reach at zero cost.
The broader pattern: when your competitor owns the calendar, own the counter-narrative. The timing is the leverage. The contrast is the story. The small brand advantage is you can name the giant and gain points for honesty. Amazon can't punch down. You can punch up.