Brian Chesky’s latest idea could send Airbnb to new heights, quite literally.
The short-term rental company launched its “Icons” category this week, the New York Times reported. The series is beginning with a handful of promotional listings, split between brand and celebrity partnerships.
The most notable of these listings is a one-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Abiquiu, New Mexico. It draws its inspiration from the “Up,” the 2009 Pixar animated classic that sees grumpy old man Carl Fredricksen — who will host the Airbnb — go sky high in his house tethered to a cluster of balloons.
Airbnb won’t play out that scenario — the liability is unquestionably too high — but its replica of the home in the film will be hoisted airborne by a crane over the New Mexico desert. The property will be “fully functional,” connected and disconnected when necessary to a generator and other utilities.
Other notable listings for the “Icons” launch include Prince’s house from “Purple Rain,” the Ferrari Museum and a replica of the mansion from the popular “X-Men ‘97” cartoon series. Airbnb will dip back into the Pixar well over the summer with a listing connected to the forthcoming “Inside Out 2.”
Airbnb has dabbled in unique offerings before, recreating the Malibu Barbie DreamHouse ahead of last year’s blockbuster film and hosting a nostalgia-filled space in the last Blockbuster. The short-term rental company is also leaning into experiences and drawing celebrities into the fold; Christina Aguilera hosted an Airbnb, while Kevin Hart and Doja Cat are part of the initial “Icons” experiences.
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Based on the buzz the Barbie DreamHouse generated last year, the establishment of a more permanent category could be an attempt to restore some of Airbnb’s early magic, before community resistance and ugly scams took over the company’s conversation.
In the fourth quarter, Airbnb posted $2.22 billion in revenue, beating analysts’ forecasts and improving the metric by 17 percent year-over-year. But the company also lost $349 million over the three-month period.