Airbnb break down the wall and chain and do their bit for world reconciliation and their brand by telling a remarkable story about the Berlin Wall.
In the week that saw 25 years since the Berlin Wall came down and East and West Germany once again re-united as one, Airbnb have created an animated video that tells a remarkable story of fate helping two men find each other again.
The story was sent in to Airbnb by ‘Cathrin’ and centres around her father ‘Jorg’, a former guard on the west side of Berlin during the occupation and his struggling to deal with the unchained memories of his service there through the terrible years.
Cathrin decided in 2012 that she would take her father back to Berlin to show him the beautiful place it had become and hopefully help break down some of the barriers he was dealing with.
What happened next was so amazing that Cathrin felt it just had to be shared.
Watch the magical story here
The animation has been wonderfully created and tells the story with a dreamy aura of magic and wonder and should be a reminder for all of us in the power of travel. And of what is often ‘the impossible becoming possible’.
The campaign also includes a microsite which features interviews and more information on how the story came to light.
Watch the behind the scenes to get the back story
“Each and very weekend, Airbnb breaks the Guinness book of world records for putting more strangers in other people’s homes than ever before in history. I believe in the value of travel to genuinely break down borders and break down prejudice”.
Jonathan Mildenhall (CMO, Airbnb)
Naturally, some critics have responded to this campaign with angst stating that Airbnb are jumping on the Berlin bandwagon and trying to cash in on the celebration and hype.
My response. Get over it. This is a beautiful, authentic story that goes way beyond traditional marketing and is one that will resonate with many people as a heartfelt story of positivity through adversity.
Question is, which wall will come down next?