Messy, Human, Substack

For years, brands have chased polish and precision. Instagram feeds were grids of perfection; campaigns were rehearsed spectacles. Now, some are testing a different approach. Substack, the newsletter platform best known for independent writers, is becoming a space for brands to experiment with voice, immediacy – and, increasingly, a bit of mess.

i‑D, the fashion and culture magazine recently acquired by Karlie Kloss’s Bedford Media, has just joined the platform. Its inaugural post promises subscribers “a one-way ticket into the i-D hive mind (be careful), including exclusive columns by our team, live group chats and premium shitposts straight from our own phones.”

The message is clear: this is a space for direct, sometimes messy communication, where formality is less important than immediacy. 

Nike, too, has entered Substack – albeit quietly, without Nike in the name, and unannounced. In fact, In The Margins describes itself as “a bi-weekly publication dedicated to new sports writing” only “made possible by Nike”. The newsletter blends storytelling, editorial commentary and occasional playfulness. It is a subtle departure from the polished narratives that dominate its mainstream campaigns.

Each illustrates the growing appetite for content that is less about selling and more about engagement. And it feels like a tipping point. A year from now, it wouldn’t be surprising for many more big brands to have crossed over. Because Substack offers something that traditional social media cannot. Its opt-in model means audiences actively choose to receive a brand’s content. There is no algorithm to appease, no feed to game. The format encourages experimentation: rough drafts, casual tones and sometimes unpolished thoughts are not just tolerated – they are expected. For brands, this is a rare opportunity to humanise themselves without the usual intermediary of marketing strategy.

There are risks. If more companies join in large numbers, Substack could suffer the same fate as every other platform before it: inundation with formulaic content, algorithmic gaming and a decline in authenticity. Brands will need to tread carefully – the last thing audiences want is to feel like the platform has been flooded with corporate messaging disguised as intimacy. The challenge will be maintaining a delicate balance between openness and overreach. Brands that succeed will likely be those that embrace genuine, human voices without turning every post into a thinly veiled advertisement.

Still, the appeal is obvious. Consumers, particularly younger ones, are weary of perfection. They respond to authenticity, even if it is messy, and they value access that feels personal rather than broadcast. In this context, Substack is not merely a new distribution channel; it is a cultural tool, one that rewards brands capable of subtlety, wit and restraint.

It makes sense why big brands have finally joined Substack – first Nike in stealth mode, and more recently i‑D loud and proud. Consumers don’t want Substack to become just another marketplace for constant corporate pitching. At the same time, the platform has grown too influential for brands to ignore entirely – real, meaningful conversations are happening there, and being absent means missing out on a vital cultural dialogue.

The rise of Substack among brands signals a broader shift in marketing. The polished, one-way communication of the past is giving way to something more interactive, more human – and, crucially, more chaotic. In the economy of attention, it may be the messy, DIY voices that command it most effectively.