Airbnb Debuts Olympics Ad: ‘Why Stay in a Hotel on the Touristy Side of Paris?’
Skift Take
Key Points
- Airbnb's new 'Paris' commercial promotes staying in an Airbnb to experience the true essence of Paris.
- The company has seen a significant increase in listings and bookings in Paris since becoming an Olympic sponsor.
- The ad has received nearly 200 million impressions and higher consumer sentiment compared to other travel ads.
Summary
Airbnb has launched a new commercial promoting its listings in Paris as part of its 'Get an Airbnb' campaign, encouraging travelers to choose Airbnb over traditional hotels to experience the city's authentic side. The ad, which debuted on June 6, features a family opting for an Airbnb over a hotel, showcasing a more genuine Parisian experience. Since becoming an Olympic sponsor in 2019, Airbnb has seen significant growth in the Paris region, with a 40% increase in active listings and a 400% rise in nights booked. The ad has garnered nearly 200 million impressions in the U.S. and has been well-received, with higher consumer sentiment than typical travel ads.
With its number of hosts and bookings in the Paris region booming ahead of the start of the Olympics this month, a new Airbnb commercial is advising travelers to avoid hotels if they want to discover the essence of the city.
Airbnb’s “Paris” ad debuted June 6 and is part of its 11-month-old “Get an Airbnb” campaign.
In the ad, a family of four visiting Paris stands outside a hotel and is subjected to typical tourist come-ons such as a performing mime, a souvenir kiosk, and an Eiffel Tower caricature hawking brochures.
Then the hotel collapses and gives way to a charming Airbnb. The family views an artist painting on a canvas, a couple dining casually, and a retro street lamp. A girl on a bike tosses a heart to the son, which hits him on the head, and he collapses lovestruck into into his dad’s arms.
Here’s the narrator’s pitch.
“If it’s always been a dream to go to Paris,
“Why stay in a hotel on the touristy side of Paris?
“Get an Airbnb on the Paris-y side of Paris.”
The ad culminates in text: “Some trips are better in an Airbnb.”
Airbnb Olympic Sponsorship
Airbnb has been a premier sponsor of the Olympics since 2019. It reported last month that as of the end of March, its active listings in the Paris area jumped 40% year-over-year. Nights booked in the Paris region were up 400% compared to a year earlier.
In addition to its marketing stays during the Olympics via the Paris ad, Airbnb is touting one of its Icon experiences at the Museé D’Orsay.
As for the Paris ad, iSpot.Tv reported that it has attracted close to 200 million ad impressions in the U.S. on national TV since it debuted a little more than a month ago, and that Airbnb has spent roughly $3.5 million on the spot.
“Consumer sentiment indicated that the ad was 1.2% higher for the spot than the norm for travel ads in the last 90 days, and was 2.3% more likable than the travel norm,” an iSpot.TV spokesperson said Monday. “It also had 83% brand recognition (well above the 70% travel industry norm).”
The three top networks (by impressions/share of voice) were ABC (26.5%), HGTV (13.5%), and Fox (10.1%), according to iSpot.TV.
Here’s the ad:
Photo Credit: A screenshot of Airbnb's 'Paris ad' ahead of the Olympics. Airbnb/Youtube
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