Picture a suitcase. Does it have wheels? 

Okay you might call me out for asking you that. It’s obvious, right?

Sadly, that wasn't a given until an American luggage executive unscrewed four castors from a wardrobe and fixed them to a suitcase in 1970. With wheels on bags, suddenly, traveling became less of a hassle. More travel, less pain.

And with the same spirit, Away introduces a range of suitcases, bags, and accessories designed by travelers, for travelers to make carrying luggage a less of a nightmare and traveling more enjoyable. 

How do they transform travel through products and stories to inspire people to get Away more? Let's explore.

*This analysis is from June to Mid-December.

Overall Theme

Away is all about celebrating travel with fellow adventurers in mind, speaking the travelers language - they talk about traveling to new places, packing suitcases, having extra storage and other traveling concerns. 

Their tone of voice is that of someone who knows what it's like to lug a heavy bag through an airport or scramble to find their passport before a flight. It's the voice of someone who understands the frustrations and joys of travel because they've lived them.

With every post, they reaffirm their commitment to their audience - who they're for and who they're by.

Profile Features

• They post 3-5 times a week.

• They use real human photos and shots from around the world, making their content more authentic and relatable.

• They engage with viral music reel trends.

• And, of course, they make sure to highlight their products with interesting captions.

Content Formats

• Reels

• Written notes

• Photographs

• Carousels

• Moodboards

• Product shots & reels

Now, let’s take a closer look at their content buckets:

Relatable & Entertaining

They poke fun at the little quirks of travel and share a laugh over the universal experiences we all go through.They zero in on the moments that happen to all of us, like setting an alarm — simple, yet something we've all experienced. 

Their content includes snappy one-liners and memes that'll have you nodding your head in agreement. They often ask questions to interact with their followers.

• POVs

• Travel rule 

• Setting an alarm 

• Early morning flight 

• Type A vs Type B travelers

• Soothing sounds of unpacking a bag

Product-focused  

From tackling the tiniest tucked-away issue to the common travel hiccups, they're on a mission to smooth out your journey for better travel experiences with their products. Away is always improving their products to bring the best to their customers; and they highlight these features and new designs.

They'll talk about everything from colors and sizes to styles and quality, ensuring you know exactly what makes their products stand out and getting Away a no-brainer choice. For example, a reel about underside grab handles which makes pulling your bag out of an overhead compartment a breeze. 

• Gift Guide

• Underside grab handle 

• Sizes: A suitcase for every trip

• Redesigned suitcases 

Promotional

They announce new products, upcoming releases, limited editions, offers, sales, store launches, and more—all with high-quality product shots and reels that make you want to buy.

Some of their offers are pretty sweet too:

• Free shipping

• Black Friday blowouts

• Hunt for hidden gift cards

• Score matching tote bags

• Snag a free bouquet

• Pack more, save more 

They've set up their Instagram Shop and use shopping features in videos and photos, enabling people to shop directly in the moments of discovery—resulting in more sales with less effort!

Personal/Brand Side

This is where they shine right Away. They're all about quality, and what better way to connect than by introducing you to the team firsthand? 

They pull back the curtain and let you meet the faces behind the fantastic designs they offer, who are not just designers; but travelers too, so they get it—they understand the struggles and desires of their customers, making it easy for any traveler to relate to Away.

You'll meet the VP of design and the Away team, get a glimpse behind the scenes and inside the Away store, celebrate their featured moments and much more.

• Meet the VP of design

• VP of Design answers questions

• Meet the design team

• Away in Times square 

• Bringing Suitcase on Subway  

• At Away store 

UGC Content

They regularly repost user-generated content (UGC) - pictures, reels, and other relevant content, always giving proper credit to the original creators. From scenic travel destinations to airport snapshots with Away suitcases, they share it all. So, when people engage with such content, they also engage with the brand.

Inspirational

Away shares aspirational content featuring travel locations and destinations to inspire their audience to embark on new adventures. From hidden gems to well-known destinations, they inspire travelers seeking new experiences. They also share short travel guides for destinations such as 

• December winter destinations

• Hutt Lagoon

• Gingko Tree

• Fall Foliage

• Copenhagen

• Mexico

• Lisbon

…enhancing their audience's travel experiences.

Brands & Creator Collaborations 

Away partners with creators and influencers to create engaging content like comics or guide to the best holiday gifts list for travelers. A few of these include:

• Loopyline [collaborates on comics]

• Shopwgoogle [ "GRWM to go to the airport," holiday gift list, and recommendations for travelers]

• Laurabrown [interview about what travel means to her]

Away teams up with brands like Autocramp and @willienorrisreworkshop, among others, to host giveaways to increase visibility and expand their reach. These partnerships help Away engage with a broader audience and improve brand awareness.

Initiatives & Campaigns 

Away stands out for not just talking about their support for non-profits and travel initiatives but also for showing the real impact they're making.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Mho42rJ4w/?img_index=3

Campaigns & Trends

Every now and then, Away hops on trends to keep things fresh and engaging.

During the AI craze, they launched a campaign with the tagline 'The world is not AI generated’ #extraordinaryisoutthere. They ran a full-fledged campaign with a giveaway asking their community to share extraordinary destinations they've visited or dream of visiting on their Instagram story and tag @away.

Another time, they launched the #awaycore memories campaign to celebrate the redesign of their Classic suitcases. Throughout a month, they shared core memories that shaped their journey, encouraging customers to share photos of their first Away luggage, which were then reposted on their page.

Away also organizes offline events and showcases them on their platforms.

Pride celebration.

Final Thoughts

Away consistently ranks among the top Instagram brands for a good reason. They've effectively positioned themselves as promoters of easy and convenient travel experiences.

The brand understands its audience well and delivers exactly what they're looking for. They justify their claims with interesting content. For example, they back up their claims about bag durability by sharing a reel of Away bags enduring falls unscathed.

Startups in India, such as Assembly and Nasher Miles, could certainly draw inspiration from Away's content strategy.