In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Fabio Bin, CMO of WeRoad, one of Italy’s fastest-growing travel startups. WeRoad organizes group trips for millennials who don’t know each other, creating a unique solution to modern social isolation while revolutionizing travel experiences. Fabio shares how WeRoad grew from 250 travelers to 100,000 annually by building a distinctive brand personality, leveraging content-first marketing strategies, and creating authentic offline communities. The conversation reveals how WeRoad has built a passionate fan base by solving deeper socialization needs rather than just travel logistics, and demonstrates how authentic brand storytelling can drive organic growth across European markets.

Topics Discussed:

• Building a travel brand focused on millennial socialization needs
• Scaling from 250 to 100,000 annual travelers while maintaining experience quality
• Leveraging Instagram as a publisher rather than traditional brand
• Creating self-sustaining local communities through events and travel coordinators
• Developing a distinctive brand voice that breaks industry conventions
• Balancing product standardization with experience quality at scale
• Driving organic growth through authentic storytelling and fan creation

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Focus on Deeper Consumer Needs Beyond the Obvious

WeRoad initially thought they were solving a practical problem (finding travel companions with matching schedules), but discovered they were addressing a much more profound societal issue: the loneliness epidemic. Recognizing that 80% of their customers are single, they positioned their product around safe social connection rather than just travel logistics.

Build Brand Personality That Breaks Industry Norms

WeRoad deliberately broke travel industry visual conventions, adopting black and red brand colors instead of typical blues and greens, and employing bold, ironic messaging that speaks directly to their millennial audience. This distinctive approach helped them stand out in a crowded market dominated by traditional travel messaging.

Approach Social Media as a Publisher, Not a Brand

Instead of using Instagram solely for destination marketing, WeRoad treats it as a publishing platform to address broader lifestyle concerns of their audience—from making new friends to navigating life when peers are getting married. This content-first approach drove impressive organic growth and established deeper audience connections.

Create Real Communities, Not Just Followers

Fabio distinguishes between followers and genuine communities: “Followers are not a community. Community should have something in common.” WeRoad cultivates actual communities through their 3,000 travel coordinators across Europe and facilitates ongoing connections between travelers who organize their own reunion events after trips.

Leverage Offline Events as Marketing Strategy

WeRoad runs approximately 40 events per month in Italy alone, creating touchpoints beyond digital campaigns. These events serve as natural marketing channels where past travelers bring friends, expanding their community organically while providing authentic brand experiences outside the digital realm.

Build a Brand People Love Rather Than Just Acquire Customers

Inspired by BrewDog’s philosophy, Fabio emphasizes: “We don’t want customers, we want fans, we want lovers.” This focus on emotional connection over transaction drives their marketing decisions, prioritizing authentic community building and storytelling over traditional lead generation tactics.

Share Your Company Journey Transparently

By openly sharing WeRoad’s evolution on social platforms, Fabio and his co-founder generated over 5 million organic LinkedIn impressions in a year. This transparency created empathy and stronger bonds with potential customers who followed their journey before becoming clients.

Bring Marketing In-House for Authenticity

Fabio advocates for insourcing marketing teams rather than relying on agencies. He argues that marketers should “live and breathe the company” to create authentic messaging—especially important for youth-oriented brands where credibility and cultural relevance are crucial.