By 2018, the Airbnb Host Community had grown to over 4.5 million accommodations around the world. While the inventory was becoming increasingly diverse, guests could only choose from 3 options – Shared Space, Private Room and Entire Home. This not only made it hard for guests to find what they were looking for, it also made it hard for hosts to stand out.
To address this, Airbnb launched a new tier of homes that were verified for quality and comfort. They called it Airbnb Plus, and it catered to guests looking for beautiful homes, exceptional hosts and peace of mind. Every Plus home was inspected and verified for cleanliness, comfort and design. Qualifying hosts received top search placement, design consultation, expert photography, and premium support.
Airbnb Plus was announced at a live event in San Francisco called Airbnb for Everyone. Thousands of hosts, guests and journalists attended, and it was live-streamed across the world. The creative team led by Naz Arandi worked across a sweeping range of mediums to bring this product launch to life, and the Plus brand continues to differentiate Airbnb inventory to this day.
Film
The creative team worked alongside product, design and marketing teams early in the development process giving us all a clear heading on the strategy and structure of the new tier. Design, photography and production styles would all need briefing, alignment and documentation to create a consistent brand experience.
Photography emphasized elevated home decor, color cohesion, balance, detail and geometry. Documentary interviews included vibrant host personalities with a unique passion for hospitality. We screened thousands of hosts and homes before landing on the finalists who would become the subject matter of all the photography and film across the launch. Below is a sampling of the first round of design and film work.
Brand Identity
The creative team worked alongside brand design firm, Koto, to develop and define the logo and the overall brand design for Launch.
Airbnb for Everyone
Plus was announced on stage at the Masonic Theater in San Francisco. Thousands of hosts, guests and journalists gathered to hear the yearly product updates and millions more viewed the live stream and recap. Nearly two thousand articles were written about the event, and news about Plus traveled far and wide.
