I Created an Emergency Kit Brand That’s Funny On Purpose — Here’s What That’s Teaching Me About Marketing

I sell emergency kits for people who overthink but under-prepare.
They’re called Mildly Prepared.

No, I’m not kidding. And yes, that name was a decision.

What started as a mildly unhinged idea in a Notes app has now spiraled into a brand with:

• real kits you can buy,
• a semi-professional website I built myself,
• and people, actual strangers, asking to be affiliates.

And the wildest part? I still haven’t spent a dollar on ads. I just leaned way too far into the voice, the chaos, and the honest reality that most of us are doing our best (which is… barely).

Here’s how it started, and what it’s taught me about branding and marketing as a solo founder.

The Kits That Aren’t Trying to Save Your Life:

A while back, I noticed a gap in the emergency kit market. Everything was either:

• hyper-militarized, tactical prepper gear (with camo and chest rigs), or
• Pinterest-y “mom kits” full of glittery labels and matching Ziploc bags.

And I thought, “Wait...where’s the version for people like me?” You know, the kind of person who starts five to-do lists but forgets the groceries. Who fully intends to keep jumper cables in the car but instead has 2 half-melted protein bars and one shoe.

So I built a kit for that person: with real supplies, a sense of humor, and packaging that looks like it was made by a tired design major who found joy again. Thus: Mildly Prepared was born.

3 Risky Branding Choices (That Turned Out Surprisingly Well):

Here are three brand choices I made that felt like a gamble, and what I learned:

1. I leaned all the way into the chaos. Instead of trying to sound like a “real” emergency supply company, I went full goblin mode. Product labels say things like:

• “For when everything is on fire (figuratively or literally).”
• “Slightly less useless than you think you’ll be in a crisis.”
• “Congratulations: you opened the kit in time.”

Honestly, I was worried it’d turn people off. But instead, it made the brand feel personal. People didn’t just laugh, they remembered it. They shared it. They sent it to friends.

Takeaway: Humor builds memorability. Especially in niches that take themselves too seriously.

2. I gave the kits weirdly specific names. Rather than the typical “72-Hour Survival Kit,” I launched editions like:

• The Awkward Teen Conversation Survival Kit
• How to Be The Favorite Grandparent (Probably)

It felt niche. It felt risky. But naming something in a way that’s instantly recognizable to a personality type? That’s been powerful.

Takeaway: Naming is positioning. Don’t name the product, name the person it’s for.

3. I focused on tone over polish. My site isn’t perfect. My packaging isn’t perfect. But the brand voice? Dialed in.

And that’s what people are responding to. I’ve had people email me just to say: “I love the way you wrote this. It sounds like my inner monologue.”

Takeaway: Voice makes you sticky. It’s okay to be a little messy if you’re unmistakably you.

How I’m Growing It (Without Ads or a Following):

I decided to test a theory: What happens if I grow this entirely through voice-first marketing, community, and affiliate partnerships?

Right now I’m:

• recruiting affiliate marketers who vibe with the tone
• building affiliate resource pages with prewritten memes, captions, and talking points
• using no ads, no influencers, no “perfect launch”, just scrappy energy

The coolest part? Some people are asking to promote the kits before I’ve made a single sale. (That says something about brand affinity)

I’m also experimenting with hiring other people, on commission only, to help me recruit even more affiliates. (It’s like a pyramid scheme, but ethical and funny)

What This Is Teaching Me About Marketing:

People don’t always want more utility. They want more identity. Humor reduces friction. Especially in “serious” categories.

If you build something genuinely useful, and pair it with a voice people actually want to hear, then you don’t need to be loud. You just need to be consistent.

What’s Next:

In the next 3–6 months, I’ll be:

• releasing new bundles/packages (like “The Car Edition” and “The Mildly Responsible Parent Pack”)
• continuing to grow via affiliate marketers only
• testing whether a brand built on inside jokes can actually support a whole ecosystem of products

If nothing else, it’s proof you can be slightly prepared… and still move forward. And isn't that kind of the whole point?

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Want to help me break the emergency kit mold? Just follow along, or mildly cheer from the sidelines.

Either way, I’ll still be here. Probably labeling granola bars.