DDB North America was invited to pitch for the AirBnb advertising business. I was part of the select strike-team and was responsible for technology feasibility and pitch theater prototypes. Wieden+Kennedy Portland won the account but DDB North America was regarded as a close runner-up with the winning CCO commenting that “In the end it came down to us and one of the best creative agencies in the world”.

With my studio artist partner Bryan Sears, we built LEGO homes to sell the idea of a lightbulb that would light up when the renter approached. We didn’t win the business but AirBNB’s CEO, Brian Chesky, liked these so much that he kept them in their office. I also concepted two additional ideas. One involving a partnership with Lyft, when you arrive at your destination location, and also a feature using Apple’s ARKit. Where you be able to “portal”, using AR, and walk-around in a new location before visiting it.

I chose a California bungalow, American Craftsman-style home for its classic, simple architecture, perfect for translating into LEGO. Bryan elevated the idea with three unique homes. We used the LEGO Architecture Studio, which includes only white pieces for small-scale architectural models, and lit the houses with trimmed Philips Hue Lightstrips.

Pitch theater is an art form. The first impression in your pitch room can make or break a deal. Our setup, designed to fit in a Pelican case, was easy to assemble and connect. During the pitch, we demonstrated how an Airbnb guest would identify a house by changing its light from white to red, creating a memorable and impactful presentation.

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