Airbnb - D&AD Awards
Visual Design
“Fanbase', a community feature that transformed user engagement by creating a sense of belonging through shared spaces, activity-driven interactions, pre-event anticipation building, and enhanced meet-and-greet experiences."
Brief:
“Create a digital tool or experience that capitalises on Gen Z’s online connectivity to deliver meaningful IRL experiences through Airbnb. Whilst you should consider and include existing Airbnb products”
Roles:
Product Development, UI Design, User Flow
Timeline:
Mar 2024
Team
Dhanajay Khanna & Vama Gosrani
The Journey in a nutshell.
Challenge
Airbnb tasked us with creating a digital tool leveraging Gen Z's online connectivity to deliver meaningful in-person experiences. The core challenge: 80% of Gen Z report feeling lonely despite their growing involvement in fanbase communities that provide instant connections through shared interests.
Process
Research revealed that while Gen Z experiences high loneliness rates, their involvement in passionate communities has increased, providing belonging through shared interests. This insight led to developing fanbase- a new feature offering themed accommodations aligned with popular events. My role included conducting user research, defining the product concept, UI design, user flow mapping, targeted display to ticket purchasers, and homepage integration.
Insights
Gen Z's participation in passionate communities creates natural connections that can transform digital relationships into real-life experiences. The solution enables fans to stay with fellow enthusiasts in themed accommodations, bridging online communities with offline experiences through existing Airbnb infrastructure.
Outcome
Fanbase a new feature in Aiirbnb, enabling themed stays for events like Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Establishes foundation for strategic partnerships with event organizers, new branded revenue streams, VIP opportunities, and global expansion. Creates new business value while addressing Gen Z's social connection needs.
