Twitter gets spooked by Airbnb’s unwittingly sinister ‘Is Mankind?’ ad
Airbnb’s new ad ‘Is Mankind?’ has raised more questions than it answered on social media.
The slot, portraying a baby walking towards a window aspiring to see more of the world is backed by the dulcet philosophical musings of actor and director Angela Basset. She asks “Is mankind? Are we good?”
Quotes from the epic voiceover were shared out of context on social media by the accommodation booking app.
Are we good? Go see.
— Airbnb (@Airbnb) July 14, 2015
Go look through their windows, so you can understand their views.
— Airbnb (@Airbnb) July 14, 2015
Sit at their tables, so you can know their tastes.
— Airbnb (@Airbnb) July 14, 2015
Sleep in their beds, so you may know their dreams.
— Airbnb (@Airbnb) July 14, 2015
Go find out just how kind the he's and she's of this mankind are.
— Airbnb (@Airbnb) July 14, 2015
Twitter was on top form in its response.
@Airbnb everyone gets a little down sometimes. you'll be fine.
— Adam Schweigert (@aschweig) July 15, 2015
@Airbnb Go through their underwear, see if it fits.
— Oh no, it's Steve! (@OhNoItsSteve) July 15, 2015
.@Airbnb Wear their skin, so you can know their soul.
— Richard Cook (@RichardCook2) July 15, 2015
@Airbnb Read their mail, so you can steal their credit cards.
— Patrick McCarthy (@patdmc) July 15, 2015
@Airbnb Go look through their medicine cabinets....go on, you know you want to.
— Gina Panettieri (@ginapanettieri) July 15, 2015
@airbnb @tomcoates Are they serious about this campaign or is there an 'empathic quotes' engine / room full of monkeys churning it out?
— dan phillips (@dannyboy) July 15, 2015
@Airbnb who else read this in a Freddy Krueger voice?
— Routeselector (@Routeselector) July 14, 2015
.@TatianaKing @Airbnb no sarcasm: this sounds like the plot of an upcoming sci-fi fantasy series. The Pillow P.I. #netflixoriginals
— Always a Jillian. (@OneJillian) July 14, 2015
.@Airbnb Sniff their pillows. Get in real deep. Smell their fears and nightmares.
— Chuck Cotterman (@MrCott) July 14, 2015
@Airbnb “Try on the disposable contacts from their medicine cabinet so that you might know the world through their eyes.”
— Extruded Egg Snake (@jerrykuch) July 14, 2015
@Airbnb "Rummage through their recycling bin so you may know their carbon footprint.."
— TK-422 (@TrooperTK422) July 15, 2015
In a better world, the campaign from TBWA\Chiat\Day would have been heralded as an aspirational and inspirational slot.
Check it out below.