For the second year in a row, Victorinox Swiss Army (VSA, Monroe, Conn.) is taking it to the streets by sending its brand-themed Airstream travel trailer on an eight-month sojourn across North America. “The trailer gives consumers the opportunity to experience the full breadth of the Swiss Army brand,” says Scott Swaebe, VSA’s director of visual merchandising. However, consumers can’t make actual purchases in the Airstream; to do that, they’re directed to the nearest retail outlet selling the company’s wares.
Working in tandem with Airstream’s engineering team, Swaebe sought to maximize traffic flow within the trailer’s 140-square-foot interior by placing more than 100 products – many encased in glass display cases – in clusters around the perimeter of the space. “We placed the Swiss Army knives and travel gear in the garage area at the rear of the space; cutlery in the kitchen galley; fragrances in the lavatory area and watches and apparel at the front, where the bedroom is normally housed,” he explains.
At most stops, the trailer is visited by between 200 and 500 people a day. To help move the crowds in and out, designers supplemented the trailer’s standard two doors (one on a side and another at the rear) with a second side door. Inside and out, the 34-foot trailer also sports Swiss Army’s signature color palette, which features metallics and grays with red and white accents.
VSA first sent out the custom Airstream last year as part of its 125th anniversary celebration. The two companies also collaborated to create 125 special edition VSA-Airstream trailers outfitted for consumer use, priced at $59,000 and up.