A short dip:
- According to Retail Dive, consumer-focused travel brand Away has named Carla Dunham as its new head of marketing.
- According to LinkedIn, Dunham will replace Melissa Weiss, who left the Away role in July 2022 after taking over in November 2021.
- Prior to becoming CMO of Away, Dunham was director of merchandising and marketing at Foxtrot, joining the company in 2019. She was previously vice president of marketing at Equinox Fitness Center and vice president of global brand strategy at Kate Spade. LinkedIn.
Deep down
For Away, a return to pre-pandemic travel patterns should be a welcome change in consumer behavior.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the company's decision to lay off employees, with the company's sales plummeting by 90 percent in a matter of weeks. Brand name April 2020.
By the end of 2022, however, buyers appear very ready to buy. According to a company spokesperson, between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, the luggage company's productivity doubled compared to 2021 and was up 60 percent from 2019 levels.
Dunham's appointment follows a series of other changes in the brand's top management. In November, Away's chief financial officer resigned to become the company's president, but a replacement was not immediately available. A year ago, the brand appointed its first Chief Digital Officer and Chief Operating Officer.
In his absence, the CEO job has changed several times in recent years: co-founder Steph Corey left as CEO, former Lululemon COO Stuart Haseldon took over, Corey returned to CEO with Hazelden, Corey & Hazeldon. She left the company and was replaced by co-founder Jane Rubio.
Looking ahead, Dunham talked about how the brand will connect with retail and the company in 2023, from dynamic marketing to multi-channel experiences.