Away is leaning into reflection over escapism with the launch of its Summer 2026 campaign, “See It Differently,” a cinematic new effort created in collaboration with The Directors Bureau and filmmaker Pennacky.
Filmed across Tokyo and the surrounding countryside, the campaign positions travel not as a luxury flex or curated social-media moment, but as an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and shift perspective. The work arrives as summer travel ramps up globally and audiences increasingly push back against the constant noise, commentary, and overstimulation of online culture.
Rather than selling wanderlust through glossy perfection, “See It Differently” embraces quieter, more intimate moments. The film follows travelers navigating Tokyo’s crowded streets, trains, side alleys, and rural landscapes, capturing fleeting observations and emotional pauses that feel more personal than performative.
The campaign marks Pennacky’s first U.S. brand collaboration following acclaimed work in Japan for brands including Uniqlo and projects with Vice Japan. Known for blending documentary intimacy with cinematic visual language, the filmmaker brings a restrained, observational tone that feels intentionally distant from traditional travel advertising. Watch below:
“There’s a quiet confidence in the way the campaign is shot,” said Matthew Wright, VP of Creative at Away. “It isn’t over-explained, it isn’t overly composed. That’s intentional. The cinematography creates space for the viewer to find their own meaning in it.”
Pennacky described the project as an opportunity to explore themes of human connection through the lens of travel in his home country. “Working with Away was a truly inspiring experience,” he said. “Shooting in my home country, exploring the themes of travel and human connection, allowed us to capture a wide range of intimate, fleeting moments.”
Running across linear television, streaming platforms including Hulu, Prime Video and Peacock, the campaign also includes behind-the-scenes content and additional creative executions planned throughout the summer.
Visually, the work balances atmospheric storytelling with subtle product integration, highlighting Away’s luggage and travel essentials without turning the film into a hard sell. That restraint is ultimately what gives the campaign its emotional weight.
In an advertising landscape dominated by hyperactive editing, algorithm-chasing energy, and endless narration, “See It Differently” succeeds largely because it feels comfortable sitting in silence for a moment. Which, fittingly, is exactly the kind of perspective shift the campaign is encouraging in the first place.
CREDITS:
BRAND: AWAY
- VP, Integrated Marketing: Christine Gallagher
- VP, Creative: Matt Wright
- VP, Brand: Quynh Dang
- Director, Creative Integration: Brendan Rosell
- Executive Creative Producer: Dustin Grant
- Senior Manager, Social Media & Branded Content: Cody Kuiper
PRODUCTION COMPANY: THE DIRECTORS BUREAU
- Director: Pennacky
- President / Executive Producer: Luke Ricci
- Head of Production: Sarah Morrison
- Producer: Luke Kancir
- Producer: Nick Lok
- Cinematographer: Yuki Maxima
- Bidding Producer: Jeanette Rulli
- Jr. Head of Production: Nico Pousette
- Sales Rep: Reprizent
STILLS PRODUCTION COMPANY: OTHER HALF
- Photographer: Alvin Kean Wong
- President / Executive Producer: Cara Scott
SERVICE COMPANY: MR. POSITIVE
- President / Executive Producer: Peter Grasse –
- Producer: Karen Egawa
- Production Coordinator: Miya Trombell
EDIT: PAPERCUT
- Editor: Zoey Peck
- Assistant Editor: Emily McDevitt
- Executive Producer: Brandee Probasco
- Senior Producer: Chandler Raub
- Associate Producer: Siggy Chojnacki
COLOR x VFX: ETHOS STUDIOS & IMPOSSIBLE OBJECTS
- Colorist: Kaitlyn Battistelli
- Color Assist: Greyson Sawyer
- Color Producer + Finish Producer: Bugs Russell
- Conform Artist: Nick Morgan
- HOP: Sasha Pace
- EP/MD: Eliana Carrazana: Pitcher
- EP/Founder: James Drew
- EP/Founder: Jerad Anderson
- Executive Producer: Kim A Bifulco
- Producer: Dillard Brown
- Head of VFX: Morgan McDermott
- Sr. VFX Artist: Laychin Lee
SOUND DESIGN x MIX: BARKING OWL
- Sound Designer & Mixer: Stuart Welch & Mikayla Petersen
- Mix Assistant: Henry Gilchrist
- Associate Producer: Andrea Bovard
- Executive Producer: Ashley Benton
- Head of Production: KC Dosset
- Managing Director: Carol Dunn
- VO Talent: Rudy Schultz
- VO Casting: Matthew Messinger
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