Airstream CMO Mollie Hansen and Nomadics founder Chris Pendl built Camp Airstream as a product owners pay to attend, not a campaign — then had to prove to the business what that community is actually worth.
An experience becomes a product when people come back to it. Camp Airstream runs as an ongoing program rather than a campaign moment, which changes who owns it, how it’s staffed, and what “finished” means.
The hard part is internal. Hansen and Pendl on the people, processes, and technology behind a consistent experience, and on making the investment case when the return doesn’t land on a quarterly dashboard.
Trust has real economics behind it. How brand affinity and community connect to loyalty, lifetime value, and acquisition — and what the team decided was a credible stand-in for community health.
About Mollie Hansen
Mollie Hansen is CMO at Airstream, where she leads the brand’s approach to marketing, experience and community. Since joining Airstream’s executive team in 2011, Mollie has helped guide the brand through a period of sustained growth and renewed cultural relevance by focusing on the complete customer journey from inspiration to ownership. Her work emphasizes experience as a driver of loyalty and long-term value, while staying grounded in Airstream’s enduring promise of exploration, craftsmanship and connection.
Mollie Hansen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-hansen-5678185/
About Chris Pendl
Chris Pendl is the founder and principal of Nomadics, a strategy and experience design agency working at the intersection of brand, loyalty and live experiences. He partners with premium outdoor, travel and lifestyle companies to turn experiential marketing into measurable growth, designing membership programs, experiential platforms and brand-led communities that drive retention, advocacy and revenue. Nomadics’ work combines strategic insight with real-world execution, enabling brands to move beyond one-off moments and build lasting customer relationships.
Chris Pendl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispendl/
———- Resources ———-
The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703
We’re proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 – Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658
Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873f
Chaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).
The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1
Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20
Enjoyed the show? Tell us more and give us a rating so others can find the show: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3
Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Don’t miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter, and check out Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba
The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content: https://aglbrnd.co/r/f1782ab12211f765
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
