#WeAccept
Airbnb did exactly what was
anticipated, which was getting political. The company aired a wonderfully
visual commercial that featured people from all walks of life. The main message
stated that all types of people are welcome not only with their company but in
this country as a whole. The dialogue was quite straightforward and contained
simple texting reading: “We believe no matter who you are, where you’re from,
who you love or who you worship, we all belong. The world is more beautiful the
more you accept.” The commercial itself is quite simple as far as visuals.
Faces of people are the main focus throughout the thirty one second video. It
is quite obvious what the creative director of Airbnb’s intention were.
Especially in the midst of a much divided country due to certain political
issues and of course this caused some controversy. “Airbnb, one of the most
aggressive corporate critics of Mr. Trump’s policy, took its opposition to the
Super Bowl,” (The New York Times). Many of the millions of super bowl viewers felt
that it was “too political” and even went as far as saying it was “un-American.”
The video highlights many of the issues that are happening right now in
America, such as racism.
“The ad’s
message is of course politically charged in the context of Silicon Valley’s
response to President Trump’s immigration ban, but Airbnb itself also has its
reasons for wanting to portray an image of diversity — research has suggested
that some Airbnb hosts discriminate by not accepting black guests based on
their names, and that non-black hosts are able to charge more on average,” (The
Verge).
Although the commercial did stir
up some, it did have a very positive effect on numerous viewers.
“The company
garnered widespread support for the Super Bowl spot on social media during the
game. Former Secretary of State John Kerry called it “leadership that’s
needed!” and former Attorney General Eric Holder said it represented “who we
truly are,” (Huffington Post).
Sources:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/05/technology/airbnb-super-bowl-ad-trump-travel-ban.html?_r=0
- http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/5/14517708/airbnb-super-bowl-ad-donation-aid
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/airbnb-super-bowl-commercial_us_5897d6b9e4b09bd304bbf23d
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