Airbnb’s New Campaign Gives Hosts $10 to Be Brand Evangelists

Airbnb launched its latest ad campaign on New Year’s Eve with a YouTube message from founder and CEO Brian Chesky that asks users to spread hospitality among strangers.

As part of the#OneLessStranger campaign, the company says that it is giving 100,000 Airbnb hosts $10 each to use towards a random act of hospitality.

Chesky asks participants to to take a photo or video of the experience and share it across social media with the hashtag #OneLessStranger. Airbnb kickstarts the campaign with a series of videos — embedded below — following musicians, sports stars and comedians in their own act of hospitality.

Airbnb has significantly increased its marketing efforts in the past year. It used Instagram to crowdsource a video campaign last January, launched its first global ad campaign in May, unveiled a new logo in July, and  introduced a quarterly print magazine in November.

Its marketing campaigns aimed to spread a message of hospitality and camaraderie are part of its larger efforts to gain legitimacy and attract new users in major markets like New York City.

Airbnb founder and CEO Brian Chesky introduces the campaign and invites the community to participate in the video below.

Rapper Schwayze uses walkie-talkies to connect with strangers passing a park bench.

Former football quarterback Matt Leinart asks strangers to join him for a game of catch.

American comedy writer and performer Erin Foster writes motivational notes on one-dollar bills and asks strangers for change.