Sweden on Airbnb
Visit Sweden AB
Issue 45 | December 2017
Agency
Forsman & Bodenfors Gothenburg
Creative Team
Art Directors Johan Eghammer, Johanna Hofman-Bang, Ted Mellström, Josefin Roxeheim Copywriters Marcus Hägglöf, Pontus Levahn, Agnes Uggla Writer Lycke Ramel Designer Johan Fredriksson
Production Team
Agency producer Jens Odelbring Digital producer Peter Gaudiano Clients
Other Credits
Visit Sweden Jennie Skogsborn Missuna, Peter Holmberg, Jonas Overödder, Lotta Thiringer Airbnb Marketing Manager Jeanne Salvanès Account Supervisors Ann Spennare Bengtsson, Olle Victorin Account Executive Johanna Bringefält PR Robert Johnsson Planner Daniel Sjöstrand Creative Producer Zoe Russell Turner
Date
May 2017
Background
Today, travellers actively avoid tourist destinations and prefer to search for authentic experiences.
While Sweden did not have an Eiffel Tower or a Big Ben or a Niagara Falls of its own, what it did have was Allemansrätten, or the freedom to roam. This was their monument, a constitutional principle that allowed people to sleep on mountaintops, beside lakes, in meadows and woods and other beautiful places, completely free of charge.
On a limited budget, the task was to raise awareness of Sweden's great outdoors.
Idea
How could American visitors, people who were accustomed to seeing signs that said 'Private Property. Keep Out.' learn about Sweden's 'Open To All' philosophy?
Through Airbnb.
Nine beautiful spots in Sweden were listed on Airbnb and each described as if it was typical Airbnb accommodation.
"Welcome to my home. It has roughly 100 million acres of land. This is the relaxation area. It is very spacious."
The lake was described as an infinity pool, a mountaintop scene was a granite terrace with breathtaking views and a tree became a rustic bathroom in 15th century oak, Swedish minimalistic style.
Results
The campaign generated earned media to the value of around €8 million through
1,691 articles in 71 different countries about 'Freedom to roam' and the collaboration between VisitSweden and Airbnb.
There were 1.7 million unique engagments, video views and visits to VisitSweden's core assets for this campaign.
During the campaign period there were 8.7 billion impressions
There was a 57% lift in ad recall and 16% in brand awareness and in July, a 45% increase in guest nights booked by the American market.
Our Thoughts
How interesting that the big, category-busting, digital brands like Airbnb and Uber have become media platforms in their own right.
It's because they offer the sort of reach that small advertisers like Visit Sweden could never have been able to afford if they had to rely on traditional media.
But this is a collaboration that does good things for both partners. The Swedes get to reach a whole group of well-to-do Americans, who would normally never have even considered Sweden as a destination, while Airbnb's own values of 'belong anywhere', get an endorsement.
Okay, other brands have buddied up with Airbnb before (the Chicago Art Institute, for one) but this symmetry between advertiser and host looks perfect.