Photo courtesy of adweek.com
“Every traveler deserves a home.” That’s the tagline for a new advertising campaign for rental service Airbnb which “connects people to unique travel experiences.” Launched in 2008, the service allows people to rent rooms or their homes to travelers and other guests online. Rates are set by the host who has the option to accept or deny a reservation request for a prospective guest.
On the flip side, travelers can read reviews left by previous guests of a particular host. Airbnb, which serves as a connector and provides guidance for hosts and guests, receives a transaction fee for bookings. Currently, the site lists over 500,000 rental properties in over 190 countries and 34,000 cities worldwide.
Up to this point, the San Francisco-based business has done little advertising but that will soon change as the company prepares to launch its “first, major, integrated national effort,” according to a recent article in the New York Times. Created by ad agency Pereira & O’Dell, the new campaign uses a metaphor of migratory birds and birdhouses created by a team of five commissioned artists. The birdhouses are inspired by 50 rental accommodations found on Airbnb from across the globe.
The campaign, according to Airbnb’s chief marketing officer, is aimed at people who are “youthful, adventurous, very social and big travelers” and its goal is to build awareness for the brand among hosts and guests. The birds and birdhouses are also said to appeal to both adults and children. As part of the campaign, Pereira & O’Dell created a film featuring the artists and their birdhouses and well as a microsite for the film at www.birdbnb.com.
A two-minute version of the film will be shown in theaters in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and several other large cities in the U.S. and in select suburban markets through December and in early January. The full-length film will be shown on the Travel Channel during “Mysteries at the Museum” on December 19.
Have you ever used Airbnb to find a rental while you’re away? If so, how was your experience?
