In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Adam Schoenberg, Chief Marketing and Operations Officer at Hodinkee, the premier editorial destination for watch enthusiasts worldwide. With over 2.5 million monthly unique visitors, Hodinkee has established itself as the “New York Times for wristwatches.” Adam shares how the company evolved from a trusted editorial voice to an explosive commerce business during the pandemic, and then strategically pivoted back to its media roots after acquisition by the Watches of Switzerland Group. As a career founder turned executive, Schoenberg offers a unique perspective on brand building, community development, and the pitfalls of over-commercializing content platforms.

Topics Discussed:

• Transitioning from a founder to an executive role and applying entrepreneurial skills in a corporate environment

• The evolution of Hodinkee’s business model from pure content to commerce and back to a media-focused approach

• Building and maintaining trust with a passionate, high-income niche audience

• Navigating the rise of social media personalities and influencers in the watch space

• The crucial balancing act between monetization and maintaining editorial integrity

• Managing a strategic business model shift without alienating core community members

• The limitations of AI in creating specialized, high-quality editorial content

• Rebuilding brand foundations after periods of rapid, capital-fueled growth

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Trust First, Monetize Second

Hodinkee’s initial commerce success came from being the most trusted voice in watches. They differentiated by highlighting both positive and negative aspects of vintage watches they sold (“here’s what we like about this watch and here’s what we don’t”), establishing unprecedented transparency in a market plagued by authenticity issues. This foundation of trust made selling effortless because they weren’t “selling” – they were helping their community.

Recognize When Scaling Compromises Your Core Value

When external capital pushed for aggressive commerce growth, Hodinkee’s authentic connection with their audience began to fray. As Adam explains: “When you’re forced to sell watches… you start to make really poor decisions. The community that looked at you as a great resource starts to say, ‘stop selling me stuff.'” Knowing when to pull back on commercialization can be as important as knowing when to scale.

Leverage Community Platforms Beyond Content Consumption

Hodinkee’s app serves multiple functions: commenting on articles, building personal watch collections, managing insurance policies, and accessing shop exclusives. This multi-functional approach creates deeper engagement than content alone and provides natural incentives for community members to download and regularly use the platform.

Execute Transparent Transitions During Business Model Shifts

When pivoting away from commerce, Hodinkee’s leadership openly communicated the changes to their community. This transparency maintained trust through a potentially disruptive transition. As Adam notes, “You have to be very open and transparent to them… and not be afraid of negative feedback.”

Recognize Where AI Can’t Replace Human Expertise

Despite AI’s capabilities, Hodinkee maintains a strict policy against using it for editorial content. Their value comes from investigative journalism, insider knowledge, and specialized expertise that AI cannot replicate. They reserve AI for analytical tasks like reviewing P&Ls, contracts, and marketing A/B tests, while preserving the human element in their core product.

Preserve Brand Identity Through Acquisitions

Following acquisition by Watches of Switzerland Group, Hodinkee maintained editorial independence while leveraging new distribution channels. As Adam explains, “There is a massive separation of church and state,” allowing them to maintain credibility while accessing retail networks for their magazine and limited editions.

Build Marketing Foundations on Audience Value, Not Sales Tactics

Adam’s forecast for the future of consumer marketing is refreshingly straightforward: “Stop selling. Just be a solution, be there to help.” This approach – focusing on authentically engaging audiences rather than pushing transactions – represents a return to fundamentals that many brands lose sight of during growth phases.