{"id":43785,"date":"2023-10-20T15:31:08","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/we-failed-you-airbnb-forced-to-apologise-for-offensive-ads-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:31:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:31:08","slug":"we-failed-you-airbnb-forced-to-apologise-for-offensive-ads-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/we-failed-you-airbnb-forced-to-apologise-for-offensive-ads-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe failed you\u201d \u2013 Airbnb forced to apologise for \u201coffensive\u201d ads – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/div>\n

Airbnb has been forced to apologise for an ad campaign it ran in San Francisco that set out to instruct the city on how to spend the taxes it now collects from the startup.<\/p>\n

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It all started when it was ruled that the house-sharing startup would have to pay back-dated hotel taxes of $US12 million in the state earlier this year.<\/p>\n

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Recently a number of Airbnb ads popped up around the city with various instructions for public institutions on how this money should be spent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDear Parking Enforcement, please us the $12 million in hotel taxes to feed all expired parking meters,\u201d one read.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDear Public Library System, we hope you use some of the $12 million in hotel taxes to keep the library open later.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The ads prompted a near-immediate backlash, with many saying the campaign was offensive and extremely tone deaf. The ads annoyed people so much that many thought they were actually just an elaborate hoax art installations.<\/p>\n

In what is probably not a coincidence, the ads appeared only two weeks before California is set to vote on a Proposition F that could greatly restrict short-term rentals at Airbnb facilitates.<\/p>\n

The startup has spent a whole heap of money on a campaign for people to vote against this, and many social media users suggested this money could have also kept the library open a bit later.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Dear Airbnb: if it’s worth $8m to you to beat Prop F, please contribute as much to help build SF affordable housing. pic.twitter.com\/hEoWDVQ0er<\/p>\n

\u2014 Martha Bridegam (@MBridegam) October 21, 2015<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

The people who thought this sign was a good idea want you to vote no on F, I wouldn’t trust their judgement… pic.twitter.com\/WJ5mI6sJLZ<\/p>\n

\u2014 Urvi Nagrani (@theurv) October 22, 2015<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

@juliacarriew @khuey_ @njudah Wonder if they’re going to take down these giant billboards above Union Sq. too pic.twitter.com\/cr79pdbDgm<\/p>\n

\u2014 Adam N. Mayer (@AdamNMayer) October 22, 2015<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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 <\/p>\n

\u201cHad you donated that $8 million you spent fighting Proposition F directly to the public libraries you love so much, that could have made a bigger difference,\u201d San Francisco resident Martha Kenney said on Facebook.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Airbnb quickly came to its senses and retracted the ads, sending around a company-wide email apologising for the campaign that CNet got its hands on.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday I heard from so many of you about how embarrassed and deeply disappointed you were in us,\u201d the email from Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou were right to feel this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Yesterday, we failed you, our community, our brand and our hometown.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The company also publicly apologised for the campaign on Twitter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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We apologize for Wednesday\u2019s SF ads. They displayed poor judgment and do not live up to the values and humanity of our global community.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Airbnb (@Airbnb) October 22, 2015<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

Airbnb has said that it is now working with the institutions it \u201cwronged to make this right\u201d, while marketing chief Jonathan Mildenhall also voiced his dismay at how it all went down on Twitter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe messed up badly yesterday,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m kicking myself today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Want to grow your business<\/i> with Instagram?<\/i><\/a> <\/i>StartupSmart School can help.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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