Soul & Science: Fast Forward Your Marketing Mind #99: Oura CMO Doug Sweeny | Turning Wellness Into a Movement
Sep 29, 2025
36:38
How do you scale a wellness brand without losing the mission?
Doug Sweeny, CMO of Oura, joins Jason Harris to unpack the playbook behind Oura’s evolution—from a sleep device born in Finland to a holistic health platform used by pro teams, biohackers, and everyday members. Doug shares why the internal reset comes first (“align the company, then tell the world”), how revenue ownership changes the CMO seat, and what it takes to balance brand campaigns with hard-nosed performance.
Key Takeaways:
✅ Revenue responsibility sharpens marketing judgment and earns a bigger seat at the table
✅ Use brand at the top, precision stories in the mid/lower funnel; measure each tier with distinct KPIs
✅ Prioritize ruthlessly: global expansion and product velocity require explicit tradeoffs
✅ When CAC is upside-down, pause and reset—efficiency first, then scale
Memorable Moments:
💡 “I was getting much different answers… we had to reset it and embed it in the company—then you can tell the story externally.”
💡 “Fifty percent of new members hear about Oura from a family member, friend, or coworker.”
💡 “Give Us the Finger was about longevity and empowerment—and it became some of our highest-engagement social.”
💡 “We’re here to do the best work of our lives.”
Brought to you by Mekanism.
Doug Sweeny, CMO of Oura, joins Jason Harris to unpack the playbook behind Oura’s evolution—from a sleep device born in Finland to a holistic health platform used by pro teams, biohackers, and everyday members. Doug shares why the internal reset comes first (“align the company, then tell the world”), how revenue ownership changes the CMO seat, and what it takes to balance brand campaigns with hard-nosed performance.
Key Takeaways:
✅ Revenue responsibility sharpens marketing judgment and earns a bigger seat at the table
✅ Use brand at the top, precision stories in the mid/lower funnel; measure each tier with distinct KPIs
✅ Prioritize ruthlessly: global expansion and product velocity require explicit tradeoffs
✅ When CAC is upside-down, pause and reset—efficiency first, then scale
Memorable Moments:
💡 “I was getting much different answers… we had to reset it and embed it in the company—then you can tell the story externally.”
💡 “Fifty percent of new members hear about Oura from a family member, friend, or coworker.”
💡 “Give Us the Finger was about longevity and empowerment—and it became some of our highest-engagement social.”
💡 “We’re here to do the best work of our lives.”
Brought to you by Mekanism.