TBWA, the Omnicom owned global advertising agency, has been named the global agency of record for Airbnb, the San Francisco-based hospitality website, which effectively acts as a social networking site for lodgers and landlords looking for short-term rentals. The agency was selected following a review, which singled out a “Rigorous and inventive strategy, provocative creativity and understanding of the brand's purpose and its potential.” The pitch was led by TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles, but there were also contributions from TBWA offices in Paris, Brazil, London and Singapore, which had already been working with the brand in the European and Asian Pacific regions.
Airbnb – Views
Just after CMO Jonathan Mildenhall joined the company, it began its first global marketing efforts, placing ads from Pereira & O'Dell in nine markets. The campaign, which was dubbed “Views,” depicted scenes from the windows of hosts' homes around the world, and was based around a 60-second spot that you can view above. The TBWA work, which is expected to break towards the end of the year and will focus on the US, Asia, Latin American and Western Europe, is likely to be a more ambitious affair. Stephen Butler, CCO at TBWA in LA said he believes "Airbnb is at the forefront of a social revolution," and that as a brand, they are “Not only changing the way we travel, but also the way we relate to one another."
The agency was selected following a review, which singled out a “Rigorous and inventive strategy, provocative creativity and understanding of the brand's purpose and its potential.”
Mildenhall said the start-up company was “Delighted to be working with TBWA/Chiat/Day, one of the truly great global agencies,” at what he called one of the most exciting points in the short history (the website opened in 2008). He believes the TBWA team rose to the challenge in finding “Incredibly creative and authentic ways” to connect with the Airbnb community around the world, and they “Can't wait to see what the future holds." Mildenhall left Coca-Cola, taking over from Amy Curtis-McIntyre, who herself joined the company in March 2013 and left in June to “Travel with her family and explore her true passion, writing,” according to a statement from Airbnb at the time.
Jimmy Dead – Food Court
In related news; TBWA\Chiat\Day also recently unveiled a new campaign for Jimmy Dean, the American food chain famous for its breakfast sausages. The campaign is based around the fact that Americans are eating more frozen food and pits a frozen dinner against a fresh dinner, attempting to dispel the notion that frozen dinners are somehow inferior. The ad (above) stars the brand's “Sun Guy” mascot, who creative director Brett Anderson, says represents “A natural evolution for the sun to keep shining all day long, and to go from owning morning to owning noon and owning night as well.” The agency also recently added casual dining chain Buffalo Wild Wings to its roster.
Official TBWA\Chiat\Day Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who wishes he knew Airbnb existed before booking his holiday to Turkey earlier this month.
