Building demand is one challenge. Building demand for a product that customers may not purchase for years is another.

In this episode, Kyler and John sit down with Carey Walley, Director of Marketing at Airstream, to explore how one of America's most iconic brands balances serving today's buyers while preparing for future audiences. From managing product launches and dealer relationships to building long-term brand affinity, Carey shares how Airstream approaches marketing in a category where the customer journey often begins long before the purchase decision.

Carey discusses the role of Airstream's Core and Explore marketing teams, how partnerships with brands like Frank Lloyd Wright and Pottery Barn help expand awareness, and why dealer relationships remain critical despite the strength of the consumer brand. She also shares lessons from launching a new website, managing a small marketing team behind a globally recognized brand, and creating demand in a market where used inventory is often one of the strongest competitors.

For OEM leaders navigating the complexities of a B2B2X model—where your success depends on empowering dealers to own the customer experience—this episode offers a blueprint for building demand, supporting channel partners, and protecting brand value.

Key Takeaways:

• Build Future Demand Before Customers Enter The Market: Invest in audiences years before they are ready to purchase to create a stronger pipeline later
• Turn Customer Behavior Into Product Innovation: Monitor how owners modify and use products to guide future development decisions
• Create Consistency Across Every Customer Touchpoint: Standardized information, training, and digital experiences improve dealer effectiveness and customer confidence

Timestamps:

(00:00) Meet Carey Walley

(03:02) Inside Airstream's Core and Explore marketing strategy

(07:06) Marketing to customers with a years-long buying journey

(08:02) Balancing product innovation with an iconic brand

(11:17) Competing against the used market while driving new sales

(12:58) Behind the Frank Lloyd Wright collaboration

(17:30) Launching special edition products that create demand

(21:10) How customers choose the right Airstream model

(25:05) Training dealers to deliver a consistent brand experience

(27:59) Building a mobile-first website for a long purchase journey

(31:36) Managing dealer relationships across different business models

(35:27) Why community remains one of Airstream's strongest advantages

(37:17) What surprised Carey most after joining Airstream

(38:32) Growing commercial and non-traditional Airstream use cases