Airbnb has roped in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor for their last campaign which focuses on the couple planning a holiday in the United Kingdom, to eventually showcasing their experience in the city of Windsor in the latest video. We have been following the couple’s journey of planning this trip, right from the very beginning. The previous releases showed the couple picking an Airbnb from a variety of homes, interacting with the host and also reading rave reviews about the property, but you’ve got to say the latest one hits the spot.
What stands out in these videos is the fact that it is unscripted, and Saif and Kareena aren’t playing any characters, they are just being themselves. The video takes us through moments of their Airbnb experience and gives the audience a very honest depiction of what the experience can be like for them. (Oh, and Taimur gets a mention too!)
By roping in Saif and Kareena, the brand is particularly targeting couples who love to travel together. For couples who have a busy working life, holidays are a getaway from the daily chaos of excel sheets and deadlines. In such a case, to be able to spend quality time with each other on a holiday whilst exploring a city at their own pace becomes a top priority. The comfort of staying at a home really adds to that experience, instead of just having a bedroom in a hotel.
Through this series of videos, the brand is also able to influence users who are slow adopters with the concept of home stays as opposed to hotel stays. It’s a no-brainer that Saif and Kareena can afford the fanciest hotels in the world, but Airbnb was able to give them an authentic, relaxed and non-templatized travel experience which is difficult to get when you are living with a thousand other tourists in a swanky building.
The latest video shows the couple relaxing at their Airbnb home, meet the locals, get some alone time at a picnic and most importantly ‘experience the city’.
Airbnb has been advocating the concept of a deeper travel experience and has pegged that as their unique selling point. The brand encourages travellers (see how we didn’t use the word ‘tourists’) to not treat cities and countries as a check list but to treat it as a place in which they can immerse themselves, get to know the culture, get to know the people and most importantly – have a relaxed vacation.
We truly relate to Airbnb’s proposition. In an increasingly interconnected world, why stay content being a plain vanilla ‘tourist’. While you are taking those selfies, and checking off the ‘must-see’ lists, you are missing out on the actual experiences that every place has to offer. It’s so much better to experience life like a local when you’re living in the right home, the right neighbourhood, with friendly insider tips from your host. Choose the lesser-known coffee shop, take some time to cook, to read, to basically do just one thing – chill!
