Airbnb had an impressive presence at this year’s Cannes Lions 2025 Festival of Creativity, where it won four Bronze Lions for its innovative “Airbnb Icons” campaign. The global recognition capped an outstanding year for the company, which garnered 11 accolades across all major creativity awards globally and in North America.
The Icons campaign, unveiled in May 2024, aspires to bring visitors closer to the most iconic experiences of global culture and pop culture by leveraging the platform’s model of unique experiences. Through original partnerships and immersive experiences, Airbnb is transforming the traditional concept of hospitality into an immersive, experiential proposition for travelers and fans around the world.
Four awards at Cannes Lions 2025
At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Airbnb was awarded Bronze Lions in the following categories:
- Media Lions (Large Scale Media) – Bronze
- Media Lions (Use of Digital Platforms) – Bronze
- PR Lions (Sponsorship & Brand Partnership) – Bronze
- Brand Experience & Activation Lions (Sponsorship & Brand Partnership) – Bronze
These awards reflect the effectiveness of the campaign both in terms of media and public relations, and in the way it activates audiences through authentic experiences.
International recognition in all major events
The success was not limited to Cannes; the “Icons” campaign won awards at four other leading global and American festivals:
North American SABRE Awards:
Diamond SABRE Award for Superior Achievement in Brand-Building
REGGIE Awards:
- Gold in the New Product/Service Launch category
- Silver for Experiential Marketing
- Silver for Entertainment Marketing
Clio Awards:
- Silver for Creative Effectiveness: Multi-Country
The One Show:
- Silver Pencil for Creative Effectiveness in Tourism/Transportation
- Silver Pencil for Integrated/Omnichannel – Customer Experience (CX)
The award-winning campaign proves that the combination of inspired creativity, communication strategy and user experience can significantly enhance a brand’s visibility and emotional connection with its audience.
Airbnb Icons: when travel becomes a life experience
The Airbnb Icons initiative was introduced as a series of exclusive experiences designed around world-renowned celebrities, films and cultural phenomena. Among them, the opportunity to stay overnight on the sets of iconic films or enjoy backstage moments with famous filmmakers.
This approach reinforces Airbnb’s philosophy of authentic experiences that connect travelers to culture and community in a meaningful way. As the company itself points out, the goal is to inspire, motivate and empower its community of users, turning every trip into a unique narrative.
