The business of brand trips
The business of brand tripsHow much do they cost? Are the influencers paid to post? What's the impact on sales?
Two weeks ago I watched as some of my favorite follows attended the WNBA All-Star Game with Nike and Kallmeyer. Designer Daniella Kallmeyer has been dressing New York Liberty’s head coach Sandy Brondello for the past few seasons so the trip felt like a natural extension for the fashion brand. This came on the heels of luxury sock company Comme Si hosting a crew in the Austrian Alps, Matteau traveling to Côte d'Azur with friends, and DÔEN bringing Substackers to Nantucket. For a long time, the brand trip felt like an activation reserved for the Tartes and Poppis of the world. That’s changing.
As the types of brands that pull this marketing lever expand, so do the teams that plan them. Care of Chan, the agency behind J.Crew’s recent Puglia trip, originally started as a PR and talent management agency. A few years ago, they pivoted their focus to events—which now also includes brand trips. Studio BOUM is the design and production agency behind the Rhode Summer Club in Mallorca. A headline just last year described the agency as being behind “fashion’s most memorable runway shows”. Their services are growing. STUDIO SANTOS, started by two former employees of luxury travel brand Prior, have broken off to start their own company that will “distill your brand into experiences grounded in the idea of place”. When I asked Sue Chan, founder of Care of Chan, if brand trip requests have increased, she told me, “Yes, inquiries have increased—not just for influencer trips, but for in-person events overall.” She goes on to say, “In an increasingly remote world, shared, real-life experiences hold lasting magic. In this digital era, I believe the most effective path forward is rooted in grassroots marketing and immersive, in-person events.” These brand trips aren’t just for the people invited though—they are for the hundreds of thousands of people who follow the guests too. Two weeks ago I had never heard of the brand “Hotel Lobby Candle”, but thanks to a recent trip to Montauk with influencers like Hannah Chody and Barbarah William, I now know that they have a tomato-scented candle. I reached out to Hotel Lobby Candle founder Lindsay Silberman to understand if the trip had an impact on sales. She shared that the brand saw a 50% increase in all sales compared to an average week YTD and that sales of the seasonal candle the trip was themed around (the Hamptons candle) saw a 419% increase in sales vs. this week last year.
When it comes to curating who gets to attend these trips, Sue from Care of Chan said, “Guest dynamics can make or break the experience. Avoid cliques by inviting people who don’t know each other yet but should. And always include a few big personalities to keep the energy high and conversation flowing.” Brands like Topicals have done such an impressive job at selecting influencers for their trips that they’ve inspired people to make viral TikToks praising them. ROI can be top of mind too. One marketer who has planned brand trips told me that they will select people who already do well through affiliate because they know they will post their links without being asked. Then there’s the cost. I spoke with a handful of marketers who are familiar with the economics of brand trips to find out just how much is being spent. I learned that trips can range from $100K all of the way up to $700K. Obviously a lot of this is dependent on the location, length, and the size of the trip. Another factor is if the hotel is discounting rooms or if other brands are paying to have their products also be included. Sue from Care of Chan shared, “Like anything in life, there’s a Mini Cooper version and a Rolls-Royce version. If you're working with a limited budget, focus on one standout moment. Or keep it local. With the right guests, you can still make a lasting impact. But success isn’t about how much you spend—it’s about how purposeful you make it.”
And what about the influencer fees? From conversations that I’ve had with both marketers and influencers, it seems like the majority of brands do not pay influencers to attend or post. It’s sort of an “unspoken contract”—because the brand is covering all other costs, it’s assumed the influencer will document the trip. One influencer I spoke with said that they avoid attending trips that don’t pay them to post. They said that their fee for a video or post far exceeds what the brand is likely paying for them to be there. This can be true. A marketer I talked to shared that the amount of posts the influencers share often exceeds what the brand could afford with standard sponsored rates. Still, some brands make trips so desirable that an influencer will pitch themselves to get an invite, like creator Serena Kerrigan did in this post about the Rhode trip.  Finally, as consumers see more brand trips pop up across their feeds—usually mixed in between current events and breaking news—it’s important that they understand the why behind the trip. Earlier this year, hydration company Waterboy received criticism that their trip to Tulum had zero connection to their product. This TikTok breaking down why the trip didn’t resonate has 2.4M views. One comment reads, “No like wtf is going on with the videos of all of them looking extremely hungover and tired yet the brand is known for reviving you.” In contrast, when Kerrygold brought influencers to Ireland on a “butter brand trip” to see how their product is made, audiences reacted positively. Among the guests was Katie Zukhovich, creator at @babytamagooo and writer of the sunday stack. Her video documenting the experience has over 1M views across platforms and spurred other viral posts from creators hoping to get noticed by Kerrygold. When I asked Katie why the trip was received so well by her audience, she told me, “I think the typical brand trips can often feel kind of disconnected from the product. They’re definitely lavish and beautiful but it’s rare to see the actual home of a brand, see how it’s made, packed, etc. Everything was just integrated so naturally, it wasn’t so in your face like some can be.” As more brands inevitably plan their own trips, it’ll be imperative that they make the purpose of the trip clear to consumers. The line between “this is out of touch” and “invite me next time” is thin. If you enjoy free essays like this one, you can upgrade to a paid Link in Bio subscription. You’ll get access to the very active and very helpful Discord. It’s likely an educational expense at your company—here’s a template for you to use when asking your manager. Finally, I’ll be donating a portion of this month’s subscriber revenue to World Central Kitchen. If you want to learn more about their important work, I recommend reading this op-ed from founder José Andrés. You’re currently a free subscriber to Link in Bio. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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