Since its founding eight years ago, Away has evolved beyond its e-commerce startup roots to a luggage brand of choice for many seasoned travelers. The company is in the process of expanding its retail locations and switching up its marketing strategy, now under the purview of new Chief Marketing Officer Carla Dunham. She joined the New York-based direct-to-consumer brand earlier this year after working at delivery company Foxtrot.
Marketing News & Strategy
Away’s new CMO on TV strategy, travel trends and Pride Month
Carla Dunham joined the DTC brand earlier this year and is already making marketing changes
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Away has a new CMO this year.
Credit:
Away Luggage
In the months since Dunham’s arrival, Away has examined its marketing processes and is aligning its plans with current and future travel trends in a post-pandemic landscape.
“We’re thinking about where we’ve been and then thinking about where our customer is currently post-pandemic,” said Dunham, speaking on the most recent episode of the Marketer’s Brief podcast. “We’ve all entered into a new realm of travel and the need to have these compelling visceral experiences is just critical.” She said because of this, Away has been emphasizing more storytelling and photography on location in order to better connect with customers and lean into the emotional aspects of travel.
Carla Dunham
Credit:
Away Luggage
The brand did a comprehensive audit of its marketing channels to get a better sense of the media strategy moving forward. To that end, Away plans to grow its TV investment this year, particularly with a focus on streaming.
“We see there’s just tremendous net new creative opportunities that are emerging in streaming,” said Dunham, noting the channel’s targeting capabilities.
Away is also focusing on Pride Month at a time when many brands are staying quieter amid fear of backlash. The company has maintained a relationship with the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association and its foundation, which works to create safe travel spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Away worked with designer Willie Norris, a Brooklyn-based LGBTQ+ activist, on a special collection of luggage that it gifted to LGBTQ+ influencers.
“Our mission is rooted in the belief that the more we travel, the better we all become,” said Dunham. “And part of our responsibility is through our social impact work to make travel accessible and welcome for everyone.”
On the podcast, Dunham also talks about tapping into cultural moments such as HBO’s “Succession” and how Away’s 14 brick-and-mortar stores can function as another marketing channel for the brand.
