Why Most Brands Are Marketing to the Wrong Audience (And How to Fix It) with Seth Waite
On this week’s episode of Pixel Retentive, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Seth Waite—a powerhouse in consumer psychology and strategic brand growth. With nearly two decades of experience working with both global CPG giants and bold early-stage founders, Seth has developed a unique framework for uncovering why people actually buy. This guy doesn’t just talk theory—he’s helped brands scale by 8x just by identifying their true customer. Whether you're in retail, branding, or just trying to understand your audience better, Seth’s insights cut through the noise.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
Why most brands are targeting the wrong audience
How one premium meat brand found its true customer and grew 8x
The difference between motivation and demographics
How to use the Why People Buy Pyramid
Why fandoms, emotional resonance, and identity matter in modern branding
The psychology behind brands like Fishwife, Liquid Death, Red Bull, and Olipop
The role of product positioning vs. persona creation
When demographics actually matter (hint: at the end)
“Most marketing and brand teams get caught up optimizing a funnel full of the wrong people.” – Seth Waite
Let that sink in. We often obsess over tweaking headlines, polishing conversion paths, and running endless A/B tests—without realizing we’re speaking to the wrong audience entirely. Seth’s point here reminds us that real marketing power lies in alignment. Are you talking to the people who actually want what you’re selling? If not, all the optimization in the world won’t help. Start with who you are, then figure out who that resonates with—not the other way around.
In this episode…
In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, host Carl Cleanthes (Founder of Epic Made) chats with Seth Waite, a strategist and expert in buyer psychology. Seth breaks down his powerful framework for uncovering why people buy—and how brands can stop wasting time marketing to the wrong people. From high-end meat to challenger beverage brands, Seth shares real stories and actionable insights that show how aligning your values with your real audience can 8x your revenue. If you’re building a brand or refining your messaging, this one’s packed with gold.
Until next time,
Carl Cleanthes
Resources Mentioned in this episode:
Seth Waite’s Website: schaefer.co
Connect with Seth on LinkedIn: Seth Waite
Fishwife Tinned Seafood: fishwifeseafood.com
Liquid Death (Water): liquiddeath.com
Olipop Soda Alternative: drinkolipop.com
Poppy Prebiotic Soda (by Coca-Cola): drinkpoppi.com
Simon Sinek’s Start With Why: startwithwhy.com
Crystal Lee Beck (Comma Copywriters): commacopywriters.com
Lord of the Rings (because yes): lotr.fandom.com
Sponsor for this episode...
This episode is brought to you by Epic Made.
Epic Made creates memorable animation, digital art, and graphic design to elevate brands.
They are a collective of talented artists across a multitude of disciplines who can handle the creativity and communication of any project.
Epic Made has created commercials, key art, social content, and more for leading entertainment brands such as the SYFY Network and Nickelodeon.
To learn more, go to www.epic-made.com or send an email to hey@getepicmade.com.