🎈 AN ICONIC PLACE TO BE

Reminding travelers that Airbnb has always been more than just traditional accommodation, the brand has launched Icons – 11 experiences that promise an out-of-the-ordinary vacation. The line-up includes Disney and Pixar’s Up house, a stay at the X-Men mansion, a living room session with Doja Cat, and the chance to game with Khaby Lame. Most Icon experiences are free or are priced below US$ 100 per person. To score a stay, fans need to request to book via the app, with more than 4,000 tickets available this year 🎟️.     

💡 OUR TAKE

Free stays might not sound like a viable business venture at first glance neither was Icons meant to be one (In a recent interview with Skift, Brian Chesky, the CEO of Airbnb, revealed that it was ‘a cool thing that we are doing’ to help the brand move beyond its core business of short-term rental, a move the brand’s had their eye on for quite some time now). 

Yet what this campaign inadvertently does is reach – and appeal to – an emerging travel audience: fandoms. We’ve previously discussed Millennials and Gen Z zeroing in experiences over possessions, and how they are willing to use their culture wallet to spend on new ways to enjoy more of what they love. Gig tripping often renders accommodation an afterthought, with fans simply opting for the best choice in their budget or submitting to group consensus. By making Icons available for free (or at a very affordable price point), Airbnb turns the stay into a fandom-relevant experience in its own right.  

Beyond positioning Airbnb as culturally-relevant, Icons is also a savvy PR move. The concept builds on previous high-profile activations, such as the Barbie Malibu DreamHouse (which coincided with the launch of the Barbie movie last year and generated over 250M social media impressions) and Shrek’s Swamp (more than 200M listing views) – reinforcing their role as a curator of experiences, rather than a platform enabling travelers to find the cheapest accommodation. Promotions like Icons – which are accessible to a broader audience – could help make the platform top of mind for even the most casual bookers. 

It’s not clear exactly where Airbnb is going, but more Icons will be added ‘on a regular basis’, giving the brand a way to stay ahead of cultural changes and give more people (both fans and hosts) the opportunity to participate. That will include consumers in APAC: Icons is offering an overnight stay at the family home of Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor. In India, nights booked grew by almost 30% YoY between 2022 and 2023. 

As a brand operating in a price-driven category, their decision to sit at the intersection of entertainment and travel is what ultimately helps them speak to the more emotional aspects of traveling. Booking platforms particularly often focus on giving travelers the best price – making the process feel highly cerebral in an otherwise emotional journey. Sometimes, it pays to not stay in your lane.

What can your brand learn from Airbnb’s pivot to pop culture, and what does it mean for experiences in the region?

For those of you born before 1997, ‘fax, no printer‘ is Gen Z speak for ‘undeniable facts I agree with’