DTC Luggage Brand Away Uses AI to Inspire Real Vacations

DTC luggage brand Away has joined the growing list of companies integrating AI in their marketing, but the goal of its new campaign is to point out the limitations of the technology.

Created by AI artist Ulises and experiential agency Superfly, the “Extraordinary Is Out There” campaign demonstrates that no matter how wild an AI dreamscape may be, there’s a real-world destination that’s just as incredible.

“While many brands have experimented with AI in various ways, at Away, we felt it was important to share our perspective on AI in a way that reinforces our core belief—that the more you travel, the better we all become,” Away chief marketing officer Carla Dunham told Adweek. “This campaign was inspired by the fascinating intersection of travel, imagination and how cutting-edge technology facilitated by AI has the power to change our experiences. We wanted to put the power of discovery back in the hands of our community, pushing their imaginations beyond their limits.”

During a two-day activation at The Brig in Venice Beach, Calif., consumers were able to fill out questionnaires to create an AI-generated world. The immersive experience also showed off postcards depicting visually spectacular destinations, such as the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park and the northern lights in Iceland.

“AI possesses the power to create dreamscapes you’d think are unimaginable,” Dunham said. “In this case, Away has deliberately disrupted AI as we know it—blurring the lines between AI and reality to show our audience that extraordinary is out there, in the real world.”

The world is not AI-generated

The event kicked off a 360-degree marketing campaign that also features a full-page print ad in The New York Times using the tagline “the world is not AI generated,” a dedicated landing page on AwayTravel.com, and out-of-home activity near Away’s New York and Los Angeles retail locations meant to drive store traffic.

All attendees at the L.A. event received an email that included photos of real destinations as a way to encourage them to plan a trip. The goal was to reach Away’s core audience of curious travelers who value unique experiences.

“They are individuals who appreciate the beauty of our world, want the freedom to imagine without limits, and are inspired by the potential of the future,” Dunham said. “For them, technology is a conduit that enables a more visceral experience. It is not the endgame.”

The campaign’s success will be measured based on response to the activation, the social media buzz generated, website traffic driven by ads and QR codes and email responses. Away will be monitoring changes in brand sentiment, product sales and inquiries that can be linked to the effort.

“This activation allows us to drive a new conversation and make a statement that our world’s beauty is unparalleled,” Dunham said. “We hope it sparks wanderlust and curiosity to get away and explore the incredible, otherworldly locales that actually exist in our world today.”