From Orvis to Dinosaurs: A Conversation with Dave Finnegan on the Future of Brand Building
Update: 2025-08-03
Description
This week on The Watson Weekend, we sit down with brand-building veteran Dave "Finn" Finnegan, former CMO of Orvis and Build-A-Bear. Finn shares his unique perspective on marketing, drawing from his experiences in retail and as a budding anthropologist. We dive into the importance of authentic connections, the balance between data and storytelling, and how to create brands that truly resonate with customers. Plus, Finn tells us about his latest adventure: a dinosaur dig in Portugal!
In this episode, we discuss:
- How studying anthropology provides a new lens for brand building.
- The critical difference between personalization and fostering a sense of community and belonging.
- The "one-two punch" of combining performance marketing with authentic storytelling.
- Why brands must focus on solving human problems, not just selling solutions.
- How brands can connect with Gen Z, who are "collectors of experiences, not collectors of stuff."
- The shift in retail from "square foot sales" to creating in-store "content studios."
- Finn's fascinating work with the Explorers Club and his recent dinosaur dig.
Don't miss this insightful conversation that goes beyond the usual marketing metrics to explore the heart and soul of what makes a brand great.
Chapters:
- Welcome to The Watson Weekend - 0:00:00
- Headline Hangover Sponsored by CSTRL - 0:01:43
- Introducing Dave "Finn" Finnegan - 0:16:53
- Anthropology and Marketing - 0:19:37
- The Balance Between Performance Marketing and Storytelling - 0:21:46
- From CMO to Dinosaur Digs: Finn's Anthropology Journey - 1:05:11
- The End of the Show - 1:15:10
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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