Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.ai

#31: Airbnb—The Brilliant Strategy Behind Their New Messaging Campaign (RE-RELEASE)

10 snips

Aug 4, 2025

The discussion delves into Airbnb's innovative messaging campaign, highlighting how it cleverly addresses the frustrations of cramped hotel stays. It emphasizes the importance of clarity in marketing and the need for businesses to pinpoint the specific problems their customers face. The speakers unpack strategies for effectively communicating with diverse audiences, from hosts to travelers. They also explore the significance of impactful taglines and innovative tools for enhancing storytelling in marketing, ensuring brands connect meaningfully with their target customers.

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ANECDOTE

Hotel Room Space Problem

Donald Miller shares a personal hotel room experience highlighting cramped spaces common in hotels.
This illustrates why Airbnb's messaging focused on "space" resonates broadly with travelers.

INSIGHT

Elusive Messaging Loses Customers

"Travel like a local" is an elusive, clever tagline that confuses customers rather than clarifies value.
Clear, direct messaging is more effective for attracting customers than trying to sound smart.

ADVICE

Favor Clarity Over Cleverness

Avoid clever, vague taglines unless your brand is a household name like Airbnb.
Small businesses should focus on clear, straightforward messaging that customers immediately understand.

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Hopefully you're getting a chance to recharge this summer—but that doesn’t mean you have to lose momentum. Fall is just around the corner, and before you know it we’ll be heading into the final stretch of the year. That’s exactly why we’re rereleasing several of our high-impact episodes—designed to give you clarity, sharpen your message, attract the right customers, and ultimately drive more revenue, so you’re not stuck playing catch-up when it matters most! -- If your marketing isn’t working, it’s probably because you’re not talking about the right problem. Most businesses struggle to identify the most compelling issue their customer is trying to solve. They either talk about too many things or pick a problem that’s too vague. When that happens, customers stop listening. But when you finally address the problem that makes your customers say “yep, that’s me!”, sales start to climb. That's what Airbnb just nailed with their new messaging campaign. So, how do you figure out the exact problem your business solves in a way that drives real results?

In this episode, Don and Kyle break down Airbnb’s latest messaging campaign and why it hits the mark so effectively. They unpack the brilliance behind how Airbnb redefined the problem it solves and how you can apply the same strategy to your own business. You’ll learn a simple way to clarify the problem your customer actually cares about and how to build an effective messaging campaign around it. Listen in for strategic tips on how to get sharper messaging and more customer engagement.

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Learn how to make your marketing and messaging work using a proven framework in the updated book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0. Order it now on Amazon or wherever you buy books!