“Here comes the Hotstepper…”—and apparently, here comes a brand new Airbnb. The unmistakable rhythm of Ini Kamoze’s 1994 Billboard No. 1 song sets the tone for Airbnb’s latest commercial.
In 2023, the Salam Remi produced track scored a Starbucks ad titled “We’re On Summer Time,” which caused it to shot up to No. on the the U.S. reggae iTunes chart.
The new AirBNB ad marks the arrival of a bold new chapter for the travel platform—one where homes are just the beginning.
In its most ambitious move yet, Airbnb has rebranded itself as more than a short-term rental service. Now, it wants to be the Airbnb of everything—offering access to personal chefs, massage therapists, trainers, beauticians, and curated local experiences in over 30 countries.
The commercial, which blends urban cool with a playful luxury aesthetic, introduces this overhaul with Kamoze’s iconic line echoing in the background—delivering a sense of swagger that mirrors the company’s expansive vision. As the campaign puts it: “Now you can Airbnb more than an Airbnb.”
This new direction is spearheaded by CEO Brian Chesky, who’s been on a media blitz, talking about a Silicon Valley-style manifesto about the future of Airbnb. Per WSJ, Chesky claims the idea came to him in a stream-of-consciousness burst of creativity—likening his process to Jack Kerouac writing On the Road. In a Wall Street Journal interview, he doubled down, calling himself a disciple of Steve Jobs and a “painter who studies Michelangelo.”
According to Wired, Airbnb’s updated app now features three icons: Homes, Experiences, and Services. The company has already signed up over 10,000 service providers across 260 cities, and relaunched its previously scrapped “Experiences” model with a more robust lineup of 22,000 local-led activities, including celebrity encounters like sitting in with Conan O’Brien on his podcast.
To manage all of this, the company plans to introduce an AI-powered concierge—essentially a virtual trip planner that combines accommodations, services, and activities into one seamless itinerary.
Critics, however, have noted the irony: Airbnb’s attempt to be “everything” comes as it struggles with long-standing issues such as housing market disruption, fluctuating trust among users, and backlash over rising fees. And while Chesky is busy shaping his legacy as a visionary, some feel this pivot reflects more about tech founder ego than real innovation.
Still, the decision to use “Hotstepper” as the soundtrack for this campaign feels intentional: bold, genre-defining, and instantly recognizable—just like Airbnb hopes this next era will be.
Whether the world is ready to “na na na na na” their way into booking a deep-tissue massage alongside a weekend rental remains to be seen. But if the vibes are right, and the soundtrack hits, Airbnb might just pull it off.
