Vrbo | HomeAway B2B
Multi-channel digital & print asset creation, creative ideation & strategy.
My Vrbo | HomeAway Story.
From May 2016 to October 2019, I’ve worked within Vrbo’s in house agency, The Creative Department.
Vrbo is an online marketplace for short-term holiday rentals, specifically targeting families and groups who are drawn to the whole-home-only offering.
The Vrbo marketplace is two-sided: B2C (people booking holidays and short trips) and B2B (people with second or primary homes to rent short-term).
Vrbo is part of a global family of brands that includes HomeAway(UK, ES, IT, NL, PT), Fewo-Direkt(DE) and Abritel(FR), all owned by Expedia Group. In 2019, Vrbo underwent a rebrand, as part of the longer-term initiative roll out Vrbo worldwide.
My Role: In my time at Vrbo, I’ve worked on a huge range of projects covering various marketing channels and initiatives for the US and EU markets. From large scale production and localisation to creative strategy, concepting and implementation for multi-channel campaigns, I’ve done it all. I worked alongside a team of copywriters, developers and marketers across global offices.
‘In a Home Like Yours’
Concept and Art Direction
This concept was developed for supply acquisition. The ask was for an umbrella concept that could be used globally and on any channel, ensuring consistency and speaking to the universal partner experience.
The concept started from the human truth that we know people feel good when they do good. What better way to do good than to open your home to travellers, inviting them to see a new destination and experience a new culture. We know how proud our partners are of their properties and how much love they put into creating a warm, enjoyable environment for their guests.
In this concept, we capture the moments that make a vacation truly memorable - moments that have a real feel of energy, spontaneity and human connection. The rental property will feature, but it is not the main focus, enabling prospective partners to focus on the human experience being enjoyed, and to imagine being responsible for such experiences being had in their own property.
‘This is Why’ [London Urban Market]
Storyboarding and Art Direction for Paid Social, Direct Mail Assets
An umbrella concept for supply acquisition that speaks to the universal experience of Vrbo partners.
This concept was developed for supply acquisition. The ask was for an umbrella concept that could be used globally and on any channel, ensuring consistency and speaking to the universal partner experience.
‘This is Why’ was the winner concept that was put into production. The concept was based on the idea that deciding to rent your home is personal, and the reasons to do so are virtually endless. We have a network of partners to share their reasons to rent, and why they rent with us in particular, so we should use them.
Execution requires an intimate editorial perspective of a partner to convey their unique home and experience renting.
Our first market test was in London. I worked on the photoshoot and storyboarding for paid social video and direct mail assets.
‘How Much Can Your Home Earn?’
Motion Design
An educational and persuasive Youtube video advert targeting homeowners.
The kinetic type motion graphic had to grab people's attention in the first five seconds, and then take them on a journey to discover how easy it is to set up on HomeAway. I worked on this video with a voiceover production company and an internal copywriter.
Email Communications
Vrbo’s typical customer is highly engaged with email, making this an important channel.
Email is a key channel to communicate with our partners. For a consistent brand look and to be scaled globally, we developed new emails in a templated format. Below are just a few of the many I worked on.
Rezfest Stage Design
Motion Design. Stage Design
Vrbo has partners all over the world. Every year they’re invited to attend a conference on how to maximise their revenue at Rezfest. Rezfest has its own graphic language that feels connected to Vrbo look and feel.
I was brought on to the project to design the graphics for the screens that display on the main stage. A static version for when a presenter is speaking and an animated version to play during intervals. Below are two concepts that made it into production. The first is the basic graphic elements at scale floating through the screen in motion. A second was the Las Vegas skyline built from the graphic elements.
