• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer, 4 hours ago

 
Away, the luggage brand, likes to think it competes in a category of one. So it’s tapped Colman Domingo -- a star on stage, film, TV and the style pages -- to front the new “1 of 1” campaign.

The ads land as the company celebrates its 10^th anniversary -- no small feat compared to other D2C businesses. And in keeping with its community-centric approach, the company is finding new ways to inspire a customer base that prefers the messy side of travel to that perfect Instagram sunset.

Sarah Amidi, Away’s senior vice president of brand, tells Retail Insider about the new campaign.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Retail Insider: Let’s start with the news. What does “1 of 1” mean? And why Colman Domingo?

Sarah Amidi: We think both Colman and Away are in a category of one. Colman is the kind of performer who is often imitated, but his style can’t be replicated by anybody else, because it is earned. He has spent decades mastering his career, and we spent a decade obsessing over travel. Copying the look is not the same as knowing the job, and so while you may see a number of brands bringing out similar styles to ours or playing on color trends, our products are truly exceptional.

We pay attention to what matters most when you're traveling. And that comes from a decade of listening closely to our community.

Retail Insider: When you first launched, Away products -- with that modern hardshell design -- were so distinctive. But so many brands copied the look that you quickly lost that edge. How have you maintained brand differentiation amid all the me-too products?

Amidi: We don’t just make a pink suitcase. It's a suitcase that's built to navigate the realities of travel, in a color that expresses your sense of style, your sense of self.

Retail Insider: The launch will show up across Reddit, YouTube and TikTok Shop, with TV and streaming advertising and paid social. But the Reddit component is especially big. Why?

Amidi: Intimacy and authenticity are so important to us. Our marketing has always addressed messy travel, which is what makes travel worth it. Plans that go off-track somehow have always been the richest with our community. And Reddit is a place where we've always received candid feedback, which deeply informs our products.

So we launched the new collection with a Reddit AMA, showing it to that audience first. And we hosted a different kind of creator trip: First, we sent people the bags, so they could bring them to New York. Then we showed them our design studio, and took them to a Harry Styles show. They had a real travel experience, and you see that red thread of authenticity throughout this campaign.

Retail Insider: What's new in the Series 3?

Amidi: We only add features that earn their place: protecting what you carry, moving through the journey more seamlessly, and making the most of the space you have. There’s a new stop-lock brake, which prevents a bag from rolling away on a slight incline. A hands-free hideaway hook in the trolley gives you a place to hang your bag. There’s a new infinite height trolley so people like me -- I’m 5’6” -- can share a suitcase with my husband, who is 6’4”. People don't come in only two or three sizes.

We’ve also added customized handles and wheels and an expanded collection of charms, so people can further personalize their bags.

Retail Insider: A decade ago, your core customers were flying off to Tulum, Austin or Coachella. Have they changed?

Amidi: Someone who got a suitcase at 25 may now be traveling with two kids. They're carrying more. They're taking different trips. They're juggling more. Their lives are more multifaceted than they were when we first came to market.

Retail Insider: You’ve outlasted many D2C competitors. Casper, Outdoor Voices, and Allbirds are shadows of their former selves. Why do you think you survived that brutal D2C shakeout?

Amidi: Because brick-and-mortar stores have been part of our brand from day one. That’s not just because it gives the customer the opportunity to touch and feel and explore the product in real life. It also gives us the opportunity to connect one-on-one with that customer. Are they hyper-organized? Do they just want space to pack as much as they can? We’ve got 16 stores, and have expanded into additional retail partners, including Nordstrom and Dick’s, which lets us meet customers in more places and show up where it's convenient for them.

Retail Insider: What's next?

Amidi: We’re working on a new episodic social storytelling project called Actually Away, a standalone channel that brings true travel stories from our community to life. People like that we’re not pushing a commercial agenda. And we’ve got Reclaimed, a new recommerce platform offering used bags, which underscores our focus on quality and longevity. We can give those bags a second life and offer customers a new way to come to the brand.