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The Drum
thedrum.com › news › airbnb-cmo-ditching-performance-marketing-big-bold-brand-campaigns
Airbnb CMO on ditching performance marketing for big, bold brand campaigns | The Drum
December 15, 2025 - Instead, Asai says, the plan was to “go back to the core of what Airbnb was about – which is about core hosts, primary homes and guests.” The brand poured marketing dollars into communicating this message with big, bold brand campaigns instead of performance-driven buys.
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Behaviolabs
behaviolabs.com › blog › how-airbnb-used-brand-marketing-to-triumph-over-performance
How Airbnb used brand marketing to triumph over performance | Behavio
April 22, 2025 - In what might seem like a baffling move, Airbnb cut down its overall marketing spend two years ago, swapped out their performance channels, and instead, launched a large-scale brand marketing campaign, ‘Made Possible by Hosts’. What happened ...
People also ask

What strategies are included in Airbnb marketing to build brand trust?
User-Generated Content (UGC): Showcasing real guest and host stories adds authenticity and fosters emotional engagement. Storytelling & Content Marketing: Bringing the human side of travel to the forefront, Airbnb emphasizes narratives over listings, reinforcing credibility. Strategic Positioning: Campaigns like “Some trips are just better in an Airbnb” clearly differentiate Airbnb from hotels, reinforcing trust through clarity. Experiential Marketing (“Icons”): Curated experiences (like celebrity-hosted or culturally iconic) show Airbnb’s aspiration beyond commerce, underpinning trust
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digitalagencynetwork.com
digitalagencynetwork.com › home › airbnb marketing strategy: top campaigns that captivated travelers
Airbnb Marketing Strategy: Top Campaigns That Captivated Travelers
Which Airbnb marketing campaigns have been the most effective globally?
“Live There” / “Live Like a Local”: Globally, these campaigns anchored Airbnb’s emotional appeal and cultural differentiation. “Icons” Program: Featuring culturally resonant and celebrity-curated experiences, that campaign appealed to new user segments and regions including India and Latin America. “#WeAccept” (Super Bowl Ad): Launched back in 2017, during the Super Bowl, this campaign stood for inclusivity and diversity, reinforcing Airbnb’s values on a global stage.
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digitalagencynetwork.com
digitalagencynetwork.com › home › airbnb marketing strategy: top campaigns that captivated travelers
Airbnb Marketing Strategy: Top Campaigns That Captivated Travelers
How does an Airbnb advertising campaign attract new hosts and travelers?
Storytelling and Branding: Travel marketing campaigns focus on connection and local narratives that appeal to both travelers seeking experiences and hosts wanting to share their homes. Experiential Campaigns (“Icons” Program): By offering exclusive stays or experiences (often celebrity or pop-culture-themed) creates buzz and drives interest from new users. Performance & Retargeting Marketing: Airbnb uses targeted ads and email campaigns to re-engage users; these efforts show them properties they’ve viewed or recommending new destinations.
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digitalagencynetwork.com
digitalagencynetwork.com › home › airbnb marketing strategy: top campaigns that captivated travelers
Airbnb Marketing Strategy: Top Campaigns That Captivated Travelers
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Tracksuit
gotracksuit.com › us › blog › posts › how-airbnb-proves-the-power-of-brand
How Airbnb proves the power of brand
March 6, 2025 - Brian Chesky, Airbnb’s CEO, compares performance marketing to a “laser”, telling Lenny’s Podcast, opens in new tab that performance clearly has its place. “We used to have this metaphor of lasers, flash bulbs and chandeliers. If you want to light up a room, performance marketing is a laser.
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Houst
houst.com › blog › airbnb hosting › decoding airbnb's marketing mastery: strategies and tactics for market domination
Airbnb Marketing Strategies: How to Get More Bookings
May 8, 2026 - 3. Performance Marketing - Airbnb hosts can use performance marketing techniques, such as SEO and pay-per-click advertising, to increase visibility, attract potential guests to their listings, and optimize marketing funnel.
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Digiday
digiday.com › home › airbnb doubles down on brand over performance for campaign to draw more hosts
Airbnb doubles down on brand over performance for campaign to draw more hosts - Digiday
October 18, 2024 - “Sometimes it just feels like a little bit too much work and if you’re new to the whole idea, it may seem a little bit overwhelming,” said Hiroki Asai, global chief marketing officer at Airbnb. Previously reliant on performance marketing techniques, Airbnb returned to bigger, brand-focused campaigns after hiring Asai in 2020.
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Blankboard
blankboard.studio › blankboard originals™ › blog › marketing › airbnb marketing strategy: how a travel startup built a global brand
Airbnb Marketing Strategy (2025) | Full Analysis
This move has helped Airbnb grow more sustainably and profitably. In the early days, Airbnb spent a lot on performance marketing—things like Google ads and social media campaigns—to get new users.
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Marketing Week
marketingweek.com › airbnb-advertising-tv-social
Airbnb shifts ad focus ‘from TV to social’ as marketing investment grows 19%
August 7, 2025 - “We know a lot more about the customers. We know if they’re Airbnb customers. When they watch an ad, we can link it to inventory and get them to go directly to the app. So it’s actually, we think, very, very performative. So this is what we’re going to be doing with marketing.”
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Digital Agency Network
digitalagencynetwork.com › home › airbnb marketing strategy: top campaigns that captivated travelers
Airbnb Marketing Strategy: Top Campaigns That Captivated Travelers
2 weeks ago - Airbnb’s ads can be found on various platforms, employing performance-based marketing tactics. This means their advertising spend is strategically targeted to reach potential travelers actively searching for accommodations.
Find elsewhere
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Most Studios
moststudios.com › learn › airbnbs-pivot-embracing-brand-over-performance-marketing
Brand over performance marketing, learnings from airbnb's ...
December 17, 2025 - Additionally, airbnb’s emphasis on its AirCover policy In its marketing narratives, which provides extensive protection for travelers and hosts, illustrates a strategy aimed not just at Increasing visibility, but at educating and engaging customers on unique value propositions. Ceo brian chesky articulated a vision where Performance marketing Was used judiciously to balance supply and demand dynamics, instead of solely driving customer acquisitions.
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TRG
therelevance.group › home › how airbnb cut marketing spend by 28% with a brand-first strategy
Insights how Airbnb cuts marketing spend by 28%
October 23, 2025 - In 2021, the company made a bold strategic shift, reducing its reliance on performance marketing in favor of long-term brand building. The result? A 28% drop in total marketing spend, while continuing to grow. It’s a clear example of how long-term relevance, the kind we at TRG believe brands ...
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Marketing Week
marketingweek.com › airbnb-cfo-performance-brand
Airbnb CFO: We were right to shift spend from performance to brand-building
February 16, 2022 - Last year, CEO Brian Chesky said Airbnb now looks at the role of marketing as one of “education”, not “to buy customers”. Reaffirming that position this week, Chesky added that performance marketing is thought of as a “laser” to home in on balancing supply and demand.
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Marketing Week
marketingweek.com › airbnb-cfo-disciplined-marketing
Airbnb CFO: ‘Disciplined’ marketing strategy is paying off
May 9, 2024 - Mertz explained Airbnb is investing ... towards brand rather than performance in recent years, Airbnb reported “very high ROIs in performance marketing” during the first quarter....
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Performancemarketingworld
performancemarketingworld.com › article › 1804517 › airbnbs-anti-search-strategy-pays-off-best-ever-quarter
Airbnb’s 'anti-search' strategy pays off with best-ever quarter
November 8, 2022 - Much-hyped move towards brand building drives success as CEO says performance marketing function is to “laser focus” supply and demand rather than “just purchase a large amount of customers.”
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WARC
warc.com › home › the feed
Brand marketing pays off for Airbnb | WARC | The Feed
Focusing on its brand is paying off for Airbnb, the digital accommodation platform, which is now using performance marketing as a “laser-focused” strategy.
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Single Grain
singlegrain.com › single grain › branding › airbnb performance marketing shift: long-term strategy
Airbnb Performance Marketing Shift: Long-Term Strategy
This included brand storytelling, community building and establishing a unique brand voice and identity. The goal was to create an emotional connection with customers, turning them into brand advocates.
Published   September 4, 2024
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Driving-growth
driving-growth.com › why-for-airbnb-brand-building-beats-performance-marketing
Why sonic branding is critical to building brand equity. - Driving Growth
One thing is for sure, Airbnb has attained such a high level of brand awareness and relevance that it no longer requires performance marketing to drive traffic. Instead, it needs to remind travellers of what the Airbnb brand has to offer, while continuing to optimise its digital offering to ensure it stays ahead of the competition.
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MarcomCentral
marcom.com › home › airbnb branding strategy: the idea that caught fire in the travel industry
Airbnb Branding Strategy: An Airbnb Case Study - MarcomCentral
February 19, 2026 - From its early trailblazing history to its global expansion since, Airbnb has built trust by elevating user-generated content, leveraging social media, and deploying campaigns that highlight belonging, community, and authentic travel experiences.
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Getkard
getkard.com › blog › airbnb-ad-campaigns-from-traditional-to-user-generated-content-that-drives-roi
Airbnb ad campaigns: from traditional to user-generated content that drives ROI | Kard
April 1, 2026 - Airbnb’s 2020 brand pivot proves that performance comes from authenticity, not production spend. Before 2020, Airbnb’s ad campaigns followed the industry standard - high production value, polished narratives, and big budgets.