What’s In Your Cart?: Oura’s Doug Sweeny is all about live music, vinyl and a really good backpack
Welcome to “What’s In Your Cart,” a new series from Modern Retail where executives at some of the world’s biggest brands and retail companies tell us about their personal shopping habits — from their favorite finds and guilty shopping pleasures to most regrettable buys and impulse purchases. First up: Doug Sweeny, chief marketing officer at Oura Health, a Finnish consumer tech startup.
As Chief Marketing Officer of Oura Health, maker of smart rings, Doug Sweeny oversees marketing, growth and brand at the company from his home base in Marin, California. But when he’s not busy translating biometric data into consumer insights, he’s skiing in the mountains north of San Francisco or scoping out concerts.
“I’ve been focused for the last couple of years on experiences,” Sweeny said, citing live music — especially punk and folk — as his current obsession. “I was in New York two weeks ago and I saw Fontaines D.C., an Irish punk-slash-pop band out of Dublin, who I just think are fantastic.”
These days, his purchases often reflect a post-pandemic craving for real-world connection. For example, Sweeny’s love for live music has sparked a passion for collecting vinyl records, especially limited releases. The latest additions to his collection include Arcade Fire’s “We” and the anniversary edition of U2’s “Joshua Tree.” The collectible records, he said, are “as much about the album as it is the artwork and the experience.”
Like the smart rings Oura manufactures, Sweeny’s own shopping habits blend utility with a little indulgence. Here’s a rundown of some of the things he has bought recently:
Most recent splurge
Apparel — and specifically, menswear brand Faherty. “It’s just a good quality product and their design sense I find wonderful,” he said. “I go into the store, I come out with something.”
Faherty has become Sweeny’s go-to for business casual occasions and weekend wear to the point that he finds much of his wardrobe now comes from the brand. Most recently, he picked up a “really cool, contemporary sport coat” for a business dinner.
Another brand that has earned Sweeny’s loyalty for its stylish practicality is Rains, a Scandinavian label known for waterproof gear. His latest acquisition includes a modern rust-colored rucksack that retails for $125. “It’s functional and stylish,” Sweeny said. “Anytime I’m walking around, I can’t tell you how many people are like, ‘What is that? Where can I get that?’”
Repeat buys
Away suitcases, hands down.
“We have, like, eight Away bags in our family,” said Sweeny said, who has been purchasing them consistently for years. What keeps him coming back isn’t just the sleek design, but also the brand’s ironclad lifetime guarantee. “If your zipper breaks, or the pocket breaks, or a wheel breaks, or whatever, you just bring it into a store and they hand you a new one right then and there.”
Shopping strategy
Sweeny, who previously held marketing roles at Nest and One Medical, said he gravitates toward brands with a clear mission and functional value. “I love mission-oriented companies that solve problems for people,” he said.
While Sweeny admits he’s not much of a shopper — “more on the minimalist side,” as he puts it — when he does buy, he does his research.
“There are the ratings themselves,” he said, “and then there is any advice from somebody who knows the category and understands the benefits of the product. Ideally, I want to hear it from an expert.”