• by Larissa Faw , October 25, 2016

Samsonite is launching the "We Carry The World" campaign that serves as an evolution for traditional Samsonite advertising that typically focuses on the features and benefits of Samsonite products. 

Developed with agency Connelly Partners, the creative shows the contents of three travelers' bags, but the bag itself is invisible. Samsonite selected to feature a chef, filmmaker, and long distance runner as a way to broaden its typical core buyer. The campaign is also a nod toward the Maker Movement and plays up the trend of storytelling in travel. The voiceover ends with the statement "The people who carry the world carry Samsonite." 

"We opted for a non-traditional approach of telling each person's story from the point of view of the luggage by showcasing the objects they carry in their bags," says Sid Murlidhar, copywriter/creative director, Connelly Partners. "Business is so much more than a traditional office worker. Each of our heroes is a business person in their own right. An entrepreneur, a film maker, a chef or an adventurer are each running their own business or ultimately contributing to a bottom line. 

The multi-year campaign will initially appear where the travel journey begins: online via social media and in a major travel hub, New York’s Penn Station. 

Samsonite spent $65.9 million, or about 5.5% of net sales, on marketing during the first six months of 2016, down 6.8% year over year. This drop was designed to help mitigate the effects of certain economic challenges and foreign currency pressures in key parts of the world, according to the company. Sales of Samsonite increased 2.7% during the first six months of 2016 to $734.6 million.