Joshua Nweze’s Post

Airbnb’s 2016 "Live There" campaign had investors go from laughing in the face of Brian Chesky, to asking themselves "how did the company grow to $72 Billion by having people rent their couches out to strangers?". Up until 2016, Airbnb established its position in the hospitality industry by being a cheaper alternative for travelers globally. However, just like the idea of founding Airbnb in the first place, Brian, the founder, launched a ‘weird’ "Live There" campaign which pivoted the company from selling towards the 'price-selling point', to an ‘experience it like the locals-selling point'. The marketing campaign proved itself to be wildly successful, for 2 primary reasons. I) "Live like the locals" was a creative marketing angle that challenged a common consumer behavior, while playing on an uncontested desire of the mass market. Context: Airbnb allows travelers to experience the destination for longer and closer to the local reality. (1-2 weeks instead of 2 days in a generic hotel) II) While hotels competed on price, AirBNB and AirBNB-hosts were able to generate the same (and even more) amount of attention without compromising their margins, allowing the company to aggressively allocate more capital to the viral advertising campaign. In any business, when you combine viral selling points with high margins, you end up with a marketing-upwards spiral that allows a company to experience true profitable scale. This shows the outsized returns the top 1% of marketers achieve by being creative at scale. Yet, the simple (not easy) market research and value proposition-repositioning principles used by Airbnb can, and are already universally applicable. The 37% marketing document, shows exactly how marketing savvy founders can replicate the process used by top 1% marketers to gain a genuine competitive edge. https://lnkd.in/d_SGT4zT It breaks down clickfunnels.com’s strategy, how DTC principles (eCOM) ties to online B2B sales, and the exact strategy ownmedia.io used with Nick at NK.com (sells $15,000 coaching program) to book out his closers calendar 2 weeks in advance from a single sales letter getting 2 million views. Read: https://lnkd.in/dfy3pnBb

Positioning should be specific and set to buying groups. You go deep, not wide. I get these ads and think they are on point, as long as, these are the buying groups that Airbnb have identified as seeing high value. Thanks for posting and commenting Jenna Alburger 🎯 🙌 #heyfounders #startups #positioning #messaging

Why is Airbnb ditching performance marketing and favouring brand building to drive growth ? One of the core goals of any product is to build top of mind recall for the product when the need/desire state arises. You would have seen this in TV ads of famous FMCG products Thanda Matlab Coca Cola. Have A Break Have A Kit Kat. But why brand building ? Two reasons ☝️Marketing costs. CAC is the new rent. Companies spend disproportionate amount of revenue on marketing to acquire & retain customers. Performance based platforms like Google & Meta by virtue of the bidding wars only make costs go up over time. Along with employee costs marketing costs are one of the highest for consumer tech companies. ✌️Category of need/desire state. AirBnB is inherently a low frequency category. Probably used 1-3 times a year. This makes performance marketing rather ineffective. You can at best capitalise on only converting super high intent users. But what about the entire audience base that has plans to travel sometime in the future. How do you shape their preferences ? Also AirBnB is an incredible experiential product, not a functional one. You need to have a medium that best sells this story. That’s where brand marketing kicks in. To attack the problem at the absolute top of funnel - when need/desire get triggered. And brand campaigns have the ability of selling stories and experiences for you to passively experience the product. When the need/desire arises, your emotions should pull you towards AirBnb. TLDR - Your growth strategy is heavily influenced by the category you play in. #growth #growthstrategy #brandbuilding

Exciting news from Airbnb! The company has unveiled its latest marketing strategy aimed at enticing new customers through unique experiences. Check out the details in this insightful article by Doyinsola Oladipo: [Airbnb launches new global marketing strategy geared around experiences](https://lnkd.in/epA2j6bp) #Airbnb #MarketingStrategy #CustomerExperience #data #analytics #strategy #digitalmarketing

"Customer data has become an invaluable currency for travel brands seeking to increase their revenues through direct bookings." - Skift's take on Wunderkind’s recent report makes for a very interesting read. It's no surprise that Airbnb and Expedia Group have followed Joyned in implementing innovative group travel features. Vendors using Joyned have seen conversion rates of up to 4x their baseline. Get in touch to learn more about how Joyned can benefit you. #customerdata #ai #traveltech #travelvendors #vendors

Airbnb’s turnaround post-pandemic is truly a marketing masterclass. The genesis of their journey was marked by changing their path from focusing too much on performance to brand marketing. While effective in acquiring customers, performance marketing somehow lacked the emotional depth and differentiation required to cultivate long-term brand loyalty in an increasingly saturated market. Recognising this critical gap, Airbnb, in 2021, embarked on a bold strategic pivot. CEO Brian Chesky declared a decisive shift from mere customer acquisition to brand education, prioritising “hearts and minds over beds and nights.” This marked a fundamental departure from the traditional ads playbook, opting to forge emotional connections and foster community instead of solely chasing bookings. The essence of the new approach lay in crafting a narrative that resonated with a generation yearning for more than just tourist snapshots and fleeting souvenirs. Airbnb began to paint itself not merely as a platform for finding a place to stay, but as a gateway to authentic experiences and profound cultural immersion. Campaigns like “Live There” and “Made Possible by Hosts” showcased the warmth and generosity of local communities, inviting travellers to transcend the role of tourists and live like global citizens, immersing themselves in the fabric of each destination. User-generated content, from breathtaking Instagram moments to heartwarming blog entries, further enriched this narrative, weaving diverse experiences and genuine connections. Read on.

🚀 *Marketing Myth Busted: "You Need a Big Budget to Make a Big Impact"* 🚀 Think you need a massive budget to achieve marketing success? Let's bust this myth with an example from Airbnb. Airbnb started with a shoestring budget and relied heavily on creative, low-cost strategies. Instead of splurging on traditional advertising, they leveraged the power of community and storytelling. Their initial marketing efforts included engaging with early adopters, encouraging user-generated content, and creating compelling narratives around unique stays. By focusing on authenticity and word-of-mouth, Airbnb disrupted the hospitality industry without breaking the bank. Their story proves that innovative, strategic thinking can often outshine big budgets. In today's digital age, creativity and understanding your audience can take you further than you might imagine. Remember, it's not about how much you spend, but how wisely you spend it. #MarketingMyth #AirbnbSuccess #CreativeMarketing #SmartSpending #MarketingStrategy

Airbnb's growth has been fuelled by a clear, consistent marketing strategy of being more mentally and physically available. Airbnb stands out in the Kantar BrandZ Global Top 100 not only for its strong brand value growth, but also for how that growth has been fuelled by a clear, consistent #marketing strategy of being more mentally and physically available. Being available means being present at the purchase moments, with the optimal range of products to meet consumer needs at the right price at the right time. With a website optimised for user engagement and supported by a robust #SEO strategy, Airbnb ensures it remains a top search result, translating into higher organic traffic and bookings. This demonstrates an acute awareness of the importance of being digitally present when travel purchase decisions are being made. Meanwhile, the brand’s global presence in over 220 countries is a testament to its strategic innovation and expansion. This diversified presence ensures that a wide variety of destinations and accommodation are available to users, contributing significantly to Airbnb’s market share. By localising products and catering to regional preferences, Airbnb continues to expand its availability and offer, driving its share growth. Airbnb’s pivot from performance marketing to brand building has also been critical in its growth trajectory. By educating customers about the Airbnb difference, the company has shifted from purchasing customer traffic to building a brand that is Meaningfully Different. CMO Hiroki Asai recently explained why Airbnb dialed back its investment in performance marketing: "Coming out of the pandemic, the decision was to really focus on the core business and to focus on creating experiences, creating features and creating a product … to differentiate ourselves – and then to use brand to actually communicate and teach people what those differences are.” Since the strategy is proving effective, Asai and his team are only digging deeper into ways to communicate product differentiators through a brand-first approach.

For many new small businesses, marketing is often considered an afterthought. It's tempting as a new business to ignore marketing until more customers arrive. However, waiting passively for customers to discover your business will delay your growth. Take Airbnb for example: At its inception, the company didn't just wait for customers to come knocking. Instead, it went door-to-door, taking professional photos of listings and crafting engaging narratives about locations. Its proactive approach helped Airbnb stand out and builid brand recognition and trust. Here's why initiating marketing from Day 1 is crucial: >>Brand Positioning: Early marketing efforts shape how potential customers perceive your brand. You’re crafting a compelling story that not only resonates but also differentiates you from the competition. >>Building Trust: Effective marketing ensures your brand is consistent across all platforms. This brand consistency — from your logo and colors to your messaging and tone — creates a recognizable identity. Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity breeds trust, which is essential in attracting and retaining customers. >>Market Feedback: Implementing your marketing strategy early on provides valuable insights from your target market. This feedback lets you fine-tune and adapt your offerings to better meet customer needs and expectations. View marketing not just as a promotional tool, but as a fundamental investment in your business's future. It’s communicating a belief and creating a connection with your audience. Remember, the saying "you have to spend money to make money" isn’t just a cliché — it's a proven strategy for your long-term success. #branding #marketing #smallbusiness