Airbnb’s first Christmas ad plays to its strengths

Airbnb has unveiled its first Christmas commercial, ‘Santastrophe’ as part of its ongoing ‘Get an Airbnb’ campaign and the results capture the cosier appeal of the brand.

Animated by global creative agency BUCK, Airbnb’s ad reimagines Christmas Eve through Santa Claus’s perspective, promoting the perks of Airbnb stays over traditional hotels.

Set to a playful rhyme inspired by the classic poem A Visit from St. Nicholas and accompanied by Run-D.M.C.'s festive hit Christmas in Hollis, the animated ad opens on a bustling hotel rooftop on Christmas Eve. Santa encounters a series of comical challenges: crawling through narrow air vents, waiting at a crowded front desk, squeezing into a cramped elevator, and battling a hotel key card.

Santa arrives feeling more at home in an Airbnb, of course, and the ad transitions to a cosy, welcoming home complete with a chimney. Here, Santa effortlessly delivers gifts under a decorated tree. As a child awakens to find the presents, Santa makes a swift exit up the chimney and flies into the night sky. The tagline “Some trips are merrier in an Airbnb” caps off the seasonal offering.

The ad includes some subtle details, such as Santa’s coat featuring Airbnb’s Belo logo in gold embroidery and a bellhop’s scarf and hat reappearing as parts of a snowman.

Our take

Unless you’re staying at the New York Plaza from Home Alone 2, there really is nothing particularly Christmassy about hotel dwelling. The comfort and familiarity of a home are far more stocking-friendly, we reckon, and Airbnb smartly plays to this brand's USP here.

Using animated layouts of real homes throughout is a smart way to hone the viewer in on the central message of the ad, and the swipes at the perils of hotel stays land well.

The ad joins a lineup of imaginative campaigns from Airbnb that put ‘the home’ at the centre, including promotions for pop-culture-inspired stays like Pixar’s Up house and Marvel’s X-Men mansion.