Skift Take

While Vrbo's new ad campaign to attract hosts doesn't mention its competitor Airbnb by name, Expedia’s smaller short-term rental platform keeps poking at what makes it different from the industry juggernaut.

James Farrell

Expedia’s short-term rental platform Vrbo is trying to attract hosts with a new line of ads that offer the same promise it advertises to renters: a stress-free alternative to competitors like Airbnb. The short-term rental platform has expanded its “Relax, you booked a Vrbo” branding campaign into a new line of ads appealing to hosts, centered around the slogan: “Relax, you host on Vrbo.” And while none of the new spots explicitly mention industry titan Airbnb, Vrbo continues to take veiled shots at its biggest competitor, poking at key differences between the two platforms – like Vrbo’s stated tendency to attract longer-term guests and its fledgling OneKey rewards program. One ad features a man and a boy relaxing in a fishing boat on a lake and invites hosts to “sit back and attract repeat guests” at their properties, thanks to Vrbo’s rewards program for travelers, OneKey, “a rewards program you won’t find