How did Airbnb mix digital with a historical event to promote its positioning through an engaging storytelling?

How did Airbnb mix digital with a historical
event to promote its positioning through an
engaging storytelling?
mbasdevant@gmail.com MARTIN BASDEVANT

2007, Airbnb offers a strictly functional promise
“Forget hotels, save money with
Airbnb.”
AIRBNB. A CHEAP AFFORDABLE
ALTERNATIVE TO HOTELS

Then, it adds some emotion and started building its
Putting human contact at the center of
the experience. “You are welcome by
people like you”.
AIRBNB. TRAVEL LIKE A HUMAN.
community

2013, Airbnb starts redefining its brand mission.
People think Airbnb is about renting
houses. But really, this is about HOME.
House is just a space,
when home is where you BELONG.

Over the time, tourism behaviors has been
Airbnb travelers. They are people of different
backgrounds and beliefs but all thrilled by the curiosity to
discover new places. They travel far away from their
home, even over a short period. They fly on low cost
companies and looking for a good plan to stay. They
reject mass tourism behaviors. A travel is an opportunity
to experiment local life. They live in global village. The
modern backpackers
changing…

1994
Mass tourism
2014
Local life

Free Opportunity to travel around 190 countries
Adventurer Travel encourages connections
Independent Do business between particulars
Resourceful The cheapest way to travel
They are…

What makes the new traveller community
For the very first time,
people can belong anywhere. That is the
idea at the core of Airbnb: belonging.
so special?

mbasdevant@gmail.com MARTIN BASDEVANT mbasdevant@gmail.com MARTIN BASDEVANT

2014, Airbnb’s mission is to make people
feel like they…

What actions to communicate
this new positioning?

#1 - A new identity

Mixing four values to create one symbol of belonging

2008 2014
Travel like a human WELCOME HOME

#2 - A new storytelling website capturing “moment of
life”, and focused on travel experiences.

#3 - BelongAnywhere
A digital platform launched on November 7th,
3 days before the 25th anniversary
of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

BelongAnywhere.com a small but complete microsite
promoting a major viral video + 3 minor contents: behind the scenes,
History facts, upcoming events marking the celebration of the Fall.

Wall and chain. A viral video based on an amazing true story
between two guards from East & West Berlin who
serendipitously meet again 30 years later thanks to Airbnb.

From Nov. 7th to Nov. 10th,
Airbnb drove social conversation
around reunification, freedom and Berlin Wall.

Earned media Owned media
Paid media
Booking on airbnb.com
Direct link
?
Mostly marketing influencers
No interaction
FB, TW, LinkedIn, G+

A 4 days activation to become a trending topic
2. Create the buzz with
PR plan and CM
activation
3. Boost a consistent conversation by leveraging on community
management and the mediatic impact of 25th Fall anniversary
July 14 Nov 7th Nov 8th Nov 9th Nov 10th
C O N V E R S A T I O N
MICROSITE
VIDEO
NEW
LOGO
Consumers
NEW
WEBSITE
Sponsored FB Consumers / Influencers
Community Management
25th Fall
anniversary
Online PR Influencers
1. Set the groundwork

Ongoing Conversation Social
Video
2,2 millions views
in 3 days
2,970,590 impress
2,019,145 reach
Did Airbnb broke the wall?
3,5 in 1 week
Associated keywords Universal story

Did Airbnb broke the wall?
Moderate buzz No momentum for Airbnb Weak SMO
763 tweets

KEYS OF SUCCESS
• An universal positive message: “Make the world a better place”. UNIVERSALITY
• Leveraging a sensitive event to engage even more emotion. EMOTION
• An attractive emotional message beyond the strictly functional aspect of Airbnb RELIEF
• 4 days before the 25th Fall of Wall. AUDIENCE ATTENTION
• An unusual graphic design to emerge among daily worldwide buzz STRATEGIC CREATIVIY
• By solving a problem rooted in the Past, Airbnb can claim to play a key role in the future of
lodging BRAND VISION
IMPROVEMENTS
• Add a visible link to Airbnb.com to provide Airbnb attribution and generate bookings
• Improve natural referencement
• Establish a UGC tactic to generate virality and maximize engagement

How did Airbnb mix digital with a historical event to promote its positioning through an engaging storytelling?

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How did Airbnb mix digital with a historical event to promote its positioning through an engaging storytelling?

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