AirNYC
Campaign Name & Strategy | D&AD Shift Brief-in-a-Day | Winner
New Yorkers don't use Airbnb. That was the problem. We had 5 hours to change that. I named the campaign, built the subway sign concept, and helped develop a platform that connects people with space to people with ideas across the city. Airbnb watched four teams pitch and chose ours. Their feedback: we were the most clear. They could actually see it happening.
AirNYC
Role: Strategist & Copywriter
Team: BnB Avengers
Program: D&AD Shift, Brief-in-a-Day
Result: Winner (selected by Airbnb)
The Problem
Airbnb is seen as something you only use out of town. But the product is nothing without hosts and community. How do we make Airbnb relevant locally?
The Insight
Airbnb can connect Gen Z New Yorkers who want to create communal spaces with locals who have untapped space. Those with a space (backyard, cafe, rooftop) meet those with an idea (creatives, artists, entrepreneurs).
The Campaign
AirNYC is a platform for hosting and discovering local community events in underutilized spaces. The name plays on NYC's subway system, with subway line colors woven through the logo. It signals how New Yorkers actually move through their city.
The app features activity filters, a live event gallery with community ratings, and a map of upcoming events. Hosts earn badges and points. Guests discover experiences they'd never find otherwise.
What I Contributed:
Campaign name: "AirNYC"
Subway sign cover design concept
Tagline (collaborative): "From the block to the spot airbnb New York doesn't pull up, we link up"
Product refinement and examples
Why It Won:
We had 5 hours. Airbnb watched all four teams pitch and chose ours. Their feedback: "This is the most clear. We can actually see this happening."