Running out of packing space? Away has an 8-foot replica of its iconic suitcase to address the problem

Today’s consumers are hard to impress, but a massive installation in the middle of New York City certainly helps. That’s what luggage brand Away leaned on over the past few weeks.

As part of its “Get Away With More” holiday campaign, Away set up an 8-foot version of its classic suitcase in SoHo—an unmistakable, larger-than-life replica. Created in collaboration with visual artist Gab Bois, the giant suitcase was hard to miss, to say the least.

“We really wanted to flip the script on traditional holiday advertising and show up in unexpected ways,” Christine Gallagher, VP of marketing at Away, told Retail Brew. “Our holiday campaign…really taps into that universal sentiment of the season, the craving for more joy, more connection, [and] more time together; it’s also about having a little bit of fun and embracing the audacity of what more can really mean.”

The SoHo location was a natural fit, Gallagher added, because the brand wanted to plant the installation right where people already are.

Experiential moments like this aren’t new, but they’ve gained traction in recent years. Per a 2019 Business Insider report, retail pop-ups were instrumental in creating buzz around brands, improving market visibility (51%), increased sales (46%), and more social media engagement (46%).

For Away, the huge suitcase also served as a statement against purely AI-driven brand experiences and a reminder that real-world touchpoints still matter.

“A lot of what we’re seeing in the world and so much storytelling is becoming synthetic,” Gallagher said. “The power of AI is undeniable, but it’s increasingly blurring those lines between what’s real and what’s fabricated. We believe in that emotional connection and the power of human connection, and that it can’t be replicated.”

But if you missed the supersized suitcase in New York, there’s more where that came from. As the brand enters its 10th year, Gallagher said Away is committed to doubling down on experiential and other IRL activations.

“We’re really focused on building that next decade of innovation and growth,” she said. “For us, that means expanding our product assortment, our distribution, as well as our brand storytelling, including more partnerships, activations, and connecting with our customers in deeper ways.”