Othership is mastering intentional branding

GOOD THINKING

0:00

-56:14

Othership is mastering intentional branding

Plus: 5 takeaways from the GOOD THINKING NYC TOUR

Chris Danton

May 01, 2025

Transcript

Hi all,

Welcome back to our weekly companion podcast to the Sunday letter.

This special edition unpacks the 5 big lessons we learned on our inaugural live experience, the GOOD THINKING NYC TOUR. If you haven’t read the letter, it’s a good one. But rather than recapping the letter, we unpack our most important takeaways from the day.

5 lessons:

INTENTIONAL WORLDBUILDING // The best brands are taking ‘intentional’ to the next level. And doing some major worldbuilding in the process. Othership, Telfar, and Tiny Zaps offered great lessons.
EXPERIENTIAL MOVES INTO RETAIL // The ‘Instagram wall’ is dead. And Printemps is the perfect example. Every space should be a content-worthy opportunity. Gap needs to give Printemps a visit (though the beginnings of the Gap comeback are evident).
AI IS CHANGING RETAIL NEEDS // The retail renaissance is here. Chat GPT released a new shopping experience this week. In this AI-driven world, ‘Brand’ with a capital B will matter more than ever. And some old-school Retail 101 tactics work perfectly in this new world. Alex Mill is a great case study of the basics.
CONSUMERS DESERVE RESPECT // Many brands aren’t valuing their consumers enough. Respect the consumer and they’ll surprise you.
PEOPLE ARE CRAVING EXPERIENCES // People are craving being with other humans in person. The tour was the perfect example of why. The Floss, McNally’s Bookstore, and Senti Senti gave us so much to connect over. And every brand should be thinking about how to tap into this craving.

Enjoy!

Hit the links to skip to what strikes your fancy!

05:58 — The biggest themes from the tour—what kept showing up.
12:06 — Intentionality is the new baseline. The best brands are doing more.
18:07 — Why the consumer journey still matters—and where most brands miss.
23:56 — Retail as an experience lab: who’s getting creative, and how.
28:08 — From tiny touches to full-on immersion: experience wins.
30:13 — What today’s consumers expect (hint: it’s not just convenience).
32:30 — Pop-ups, collabs, and why they still work when done right.
36:20 — Retail’s AI era is here. It’s not about automation—it’s about brand.
43:27 — Respect your consumer. If you don’t, someone else will.
54:45 — IRL is having a moment. Smart brands are showing up in person.