Experiential marketing is going from strength to strength as brands seek to connect with consumers in a world overflowing with content. Today Airbnb is taking this trend one step further with the launch of Icons, a new category of extraordinary experiences hosted by the greatest names in music, film, television, art, sport, and more.
Icons let you step into worlds you’ve only ever dreamed of. Drift off in the Up house. Spend the night in the Ferrari Museum. Hang out with Kevin Hart. Today, we’re unveiling the first 11 Icons on Airbnb, with new experiences dropping around the world throughout the year.
“Icons take you inside worlds that only existed in your imagination—until now,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO. “As life becomes increasingly digital, we’re focused on bringing more magic into the real world. With Icons, we’ve created the most extraordinary experiences on Earth.”
Here are the first 11 Icons Airbnb is unveiling:
● Drift off in the Up house – Sleep inside one of Disney and Pixar’s most iconic homes—and yes, it floats. You’ll explore Carl’s world in this detailed re-creation of his home, complete with more than 8,000 balloons, and located in the scenic red rocks of Abiquiu, New Mexico.
● Spend the night in the Ferrari Museum – Immerse yourself in the world of racing with a stay at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy. You’ll sleep on a bed crafted from the same leather as Ferrari seats, take a lap with Scuderia Ferrari ambassador driver Marc Gené, and head to Emilia-Romagna’s premier race as a VIP.
● Step into X-Men ‘97 – Live like the X-Men as you stay in a 2D animated re-creation of Marvel Animation’s X-Mansion in Westchester, New York. You’ll discover your mutant abilities and even train in the Danger Room.
Other experiences iclude:
● Go VIP with Kevin Hart – Kevin Hart is taking you inside his members-only Coramino Live Lounge for an A-list evening. You’ll join Kevin and his friends in this secret speakeasy, where they’ll treat you to a tequila tasting and live stand-up by the best comedians in the game.
● Wake up in the Musée d’Orsay – Stay in the Paris art museum’s iconic clock room, which has been transformed into a luxurious bedroom by Mathieu Lehanneur, designer of the Paris 2024 Games torch and cauldron. From the terrace, you’ll witness the historic Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games along the River Seine.
● Join a living room session with Doja Cat – Fresh off a tour performing on the world’s biggest stages, Doja is hosting you for a much more intimate experience. You’ll enjoy an unforgettable living room performance from the Grammy-winning artist, including her favorite songs and tracks from her latest album.
● Stay in Prince’s Purple Rain house – Prince purchased the Minneapolis, Minnesota home featured in
the legendary film Purple Rain, but it’s never been available to the public until now. Explore the home
and go crazy for rare and special tracks from Prince’s world in an exclusive studio session.
● Game with Khaby Lame – TikTok sensation Khaby Lame invites you to his hometown of Milan, Italy
for an epic, overnight gaming experience. You’ll stay in a one-of-a-kind gaming loft that Khaby
designed himself, where you’ll #learnfromkhaby and face off with him in a Fortnite Battle Royale.
● Go on tour with Feid – Join the reggaeton superstar on his FERXXOCALIPSIS World Tour for an entire
week. You’ll join the crew for rehearsals, ride along on the tour bus, and get backstage access for
every show.
● Live like Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor – Janhvi Kapoor is inviting you into the legendary,
never-before-seen Kapoor family home in Chennai, India. From learning her Bollywood beauty secrets
to tasting her favorite southern Indian dishes, Janhvi will host you personally on this ultimate overnight
stay.
● Make core memories with Inside Out 2 – In anticipation of the June 14 release of Disney and Pixar’s
new movie Inside Out 2, you’re invited to an overnight stay at Headquarters, the control center of
Riley’s emotions. Your host, Joy, will welcome you into her vibrant world to witness the emotions in
action and help keep things in balance.
Icons are featured in their own category right on the homepage. Most Icons are free, and all are priced under $100 USD per guest. A countdown displays the time until each Icon goes live, and guests can request to
book through the app. The guests who are selected will receive a digital golden ticket, and more than 4,000 tickets will be available in 2024.
New features for group trips
More than 80 per cent of bookings on Airbnb are group trips, but the app wasn’t designed for groups. That’s why Airbnb is introducing new features that make planning group trips easier than ever. These include:
● Shared wishlists – You can now easily share your wishlists with others on your trip, inviting them to
add homes, write notes and vote on listings. When you share listings with others, the app creates a
wishlist with these homes.
● New Messages tab – A redesigned Messages tab now allows everyone on a trip to message with the
host in a group thread. The simplified design consolidates all guest, host, and customer support
messages in one place, making it easy to search across messages. Reactions allow guests and Hosts
to respond with emojis, and AI-suggested quick replies help Hosts instantly answer common
questions.
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● Trip invitations – Once you book a trip, you can invite others to join you with digital postcards of your
destination, illustrated by artists from around the world. Everyone joining the trip will get all reservation
details including the full address, Wi-Fi password, and check-in instructions.
