Airbnb's Global Ad Aims to Appease Your Doubts About Staying in a Stranger's Home

In a new global ad campaign -- its biggest to date, Airbnb does a bold, but clever thing; it addresses any concerns you had about staying in a stranger's home, and sets out to make you feel totally relaxed about it. The ad, by TBWA/Chiat/Day, features a real Airbnb traveler, Ellie, voicing a letter to her hosts that starts off: "Dear Stranger, when I booked this trip my friends said I was crazy." She goes on to explain how the neighborhood was friendly, the home was perfect -- even the host's friends reminded her of her own friends -- and eventually became her own.

As she recounts her travels, we see her entering a variety of welcoming situations in different countries -- going to karaoke with young Japanese locals, and joining a family gathering in Rio de Janeiro. As she steps into what seems like the host's shoes, to the more skeptical it might feel a little bit "Single White Female." To others, it will read like a totally warm and fuzzy experience that makes Airbnb feel less about lodging than the people you meet during your travels.

The spot, directed by Us via Reset, will be featured across the U.S., U.K. and Australia with media buys in broadcast, digital and cinema. The campaign also includes a microsite where you can find out more about the the Airbnb hosts and local business owners within the five cities Ellie visited: New York, Paris, Tulum, Tokyo and Rio.