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OP #292: Balancing Digital & Analog: My Shoptalk Themes & Burgeoning Watch Obsession

Using watches as an example of how I'm putting more analog back into my life and trying to find ways to slow down and de-stress. Selfishly, it's working.

Author

Darren Herman
March 25, 2025

Happy Tuesday.

I was all set to be at Shoptalk this week—flights booked, meetings lined up—but my body had other plans. Something was brewing, and not in the exciting, new-retail-trends kind of way. So, instead of swapping insights in Vegas, I spent my time sending cancellation notes and clearing calendars. Not exactly the week I envisioned.

Still, I’d already done the thinking. I always like to break down a conference’s key themes before attending to sharpen my perspective. So, while I won’t be there in person, my take on what matters most at Shoptalk is just below.

I also had some fun thinking about my gradual shift to putting more analog back into my life… I also wrote about that below. I feel that I was not balancing the amount of digital in my life and it was much needed. Read more about that below.

Thanks to those OP subscribers who bought a raffle ticket to Tremont School or purchased a pass to our forthcoming Silicon Alley Sports event. It’s not often that both of these hit at the same time so apologies for all the asks! Our May 5 Silicon Alley Sports event is close to 70% sold out and would love to see many of you there - whether you participate and play or come and schmooze.

On a completely different topic, we’re starting to see the rise of marketing for GTA VI, which I predict will take over American cultural zeitgeist later this year. My son, a huge gamer and burgeoning student marketer, began sending me social posts of Domino’s pizza starting to play into GTA VI. Dominos is no stranger to cultural marketing and resonance, most recently went pretty deep with Squid Game.

OK, lets kick off with some fun reading links:

Thanks again for subscribing to the OP. If this was forwarded to you and you are not yet a subscriber, you can do so here. If you happen to be at Shoptalk, I look forward to bumping into you around the show floor or in the hallways.

Darren

⌚ Analog Adventures: My Journey Back to Traditional Timepieces

As I've mentioned in previous editions, I've been diving deeper into the watch world lately. Why this sudden horological obsession? Well, it started with a gradual breakup with my Apple Watch, which I now reserved exclusively for gym and workout sessions.

This transition began years ago when I found myself setting my Apple Watch to do-not-disturb mode almost permanently and disabling all notifications. Despite my best efforts to fine-tune the settings, it was becoming a source of stress and distraction rather than convenience.

🧘‍♂️ As I've grown older, simplifying and reducing stress has become increasingly important to me. These days, you'll find me sporting an analog timepiece outside the gym, reconnecting with my longtime love for watches. Even back in high school, I expressed my personality through colorful Fossil watches! Now, I appreciate both the personal expression watches offer and their incredible mechanical craftsmanship.

The stress piece is particularly interesting here. I really do not like high volumes of notifications: Slack, Discord, and even text in some cases. I also find myself shutting down Outlook so I can focus on the task at hand. I much prefer asynchronous communication vs. synchronous and email generally works for me, as I can focus on it when I have the time to do so. I realize this take is more old-school than new, but I believe that as we age, we learn how we work best, and try to optimize for that. I’m in that optimization phase.

Discovering Microbrands: The Hidden Gems of Horology

One fascinating rabbit hole I've tumbled down is the world of watch microbrands. These lesser-known, small-batch watchmakers deliver incredible quality without the astronomical price tags of luxury brands. While most fall under the $1,000 mark (not exactly cheap, I know), they seem remarkably accessible when compared to AP and Rolex pieces that can fetch $100,000+.

For those curious about exploring this space, Teddy Baldassarre (one of my trusted watch gurus) recently published his "70 Best" microbrand watch guide for 2025. His recommendations align perfectly with many of my personal favorites.

My Microbrand Collection Highlights:

As you might have noticed, I've developed quite the fondness for Farer – an independent British watch company launched in 2015. Their bold use of color and modern design language speaks to me on a personal level.

I know we have several watch enthusiasts in our Operating Partner community – I'd love to hear about any microbrands you think should be on my radar! Drop your recommendations in the comments below.

What's your relationship with wearable tech vs. traditional timepieces? Has anyone else made a similar transition? In a world going so digital, I’m looking to balance it with a bunch of analog.

Key Themes Going Into Shoptalk 2025 That I’m Tracking

I’ve been attending Shoptalk since its early days—back when it was an under-the-radar industry event. Then it got acquired, scaled up, and became one of the biggest retail conferences out there. Despite its size, I still make it a priority because, with the right focus, it’s a highly productive use of time.

Heading into this year’s event, I mapped out the key themes shaping discussions—pulled from executive conversations, agenda topics, and sneak previews from select speakers.

Many of these themes are familiar, resurfacing with fresh angles and new urgency. But there are also a few emerging topics worth noting, offering a glimpse into where the industry is headed next.

1. Customer-Centricity Reimagined

  • Retailers are doubling down on hospitality, value, inspiration, and brand purpose.

  • Tech is reshaping both digital and in-store experiences to better serve customers.

2. The New Market: The Attention Economy

  • Retail media is exploding—think Connected TV, social marketing, in-store innovations.

  • The traditional purchase funnel is evolving into a more dynamic, content-driven journey.

3. Retail Media Networks: The Next Big Ad Channel

  • Brands are leveraging first-party data for hyper-targeted campaigns.

  • Growth in video content, in-store ads, and measurement-focused media.

  • Best Buy Ads and other retail media leaders will showcase how ad dollars are shifting.

4. Content & Commerce: The New Power Duo

  • Storytelling is blurring the lines between entertainment and shopping.

  • Media companies are integrating commerce directly into content experiences.

  • Sessions like “The Marriage of Content and Shopping” highlight how brands can win.

5. AI & Tech: The Game Changers

  • AI is powering personalization, automation, and customer engagement at scale.

  • Brands need to adapt to fast-moving digital innovation to stay ahead.

As mentioned above, some of these themes have been around for a while. However, #5 above, is starting to get “real” case studies behind it and I’m looking forward to learning what’s working for others and sharing what I’ve seen work as well.

Below are a few articles I came across this past week that I found interesting. While I may not agree with everything in each one, I think they're worth a read. If you stumble upon an article you think I or the Operating Partner community would enjoy, feel free to share it with me. Of course, I reserve the right to decide what gets featured in the OP.

I hope you enjoyed this OP! If you are not yet a subscriber, you can subscribe to receive these weekly in your inbox. Thank you again for your time and attention.

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