They have 447 million nights booked per year and this is only one house!

And compare that to Google Ad Spend

Earned media is when you get free publicity from the press or social media.

Remembering that there is only so many keywords you can bid on, and that there is only so much you can spend on Google Ads, earned media is a great way to get free publicity.

So how much was all of this worth? Well in an interview Brain Chesky mentioned the following:

Brian goes on to say that an IPO is worth tens of millions of dollars in marketing.

So just think, if you can get twice as much coverage as an IPO, that is a lot of free publicity.

But after just two weeks of Icons, there was almost 10,000 articles written about it!

Look at this video, it has 24 million views! This is a lot of free publicity for Airbnb. And think, this is just one video.

To estimate how much Airbnb would have paid for this exposure, we can use industry-standard YouTube CPM (Cost Per Mille) rates. These typically range between $4 and $20 per 1,000 views.

First, let's calculate the lower range at $4 CPM. For 24 million views: 24 million views ÷ 1,000 = 24,000 (thousands of views) 24,000 × $4 = $96,000.

Now, let's consider the higher range at $20 CPM: 24 million views ÷ 1,000 = 24,000 (thousands of views) 24,000 × $20 = $480,000.

Therefore, if Airbnb were paying for advertising, the cost for this 24 million-view video would range between $96,000 and $480,000! For this one video alone!

So, let's break this down. Airbnb could have spent millions more on Google Ads to get the same amount of exposure. But instead, they invested $5 million in building the iconic UP house.

If we estimate the video value alone at $96,000 to $480,000 for just 24 million views, and consider that the house itself generated countless articles, interviews, and social media buzz, it's clear that the return on investment from the earned media is far greater than just the value of ads.

In fact, with multiple videos, articles, and social media posts still being shared, the ROI on this investment could easily be valued in the tens of millions of dollars, making this strategy not only creative but also a smart financial move.

Brian Chesky described the Icons project as something completely unscalable, a pure magic experience. He mentioned starting with the craziest of ideas, knowing that there would be around 4,000 tickets sold each year, and those would be guaranteed to sell out at a low price.

So the UP house is actually a strategic move to keep Airbnb "top of mind." It allowed the company to reach a broad range of segments and become more than just a place for rentals.

Brian talks about this is actually just setting the stage for the future and how they want to make Airbnb experiences a key focus.

Airbnb's decision to build the UP house goes beyond a quirky marketing stunt. It's a powerful investment in earned media. By creating something visually and emotionally compelling, they garnered extensive media coverage, worth tens of millions in advertising dollars at a fraction of the cost.

While companies like Booking.com spend billions on Google Ads, Airbnb shows earned media's value. They've proven that significant returns can be achieved without spending on expensive ads. The UP house is part of Airbnb's long-term strategy, creating experiences people want to talk about, positioning them as more than just a rental platform.

This campaign highlights that sometimes the most impactful moves don't scale. Offering something magical, memorable, and shareable can generate immense attention and earned media. Airbnb has set the stage for future success, reinforcing their ability to capture both hearts and headlines.