Airbnb, the popular online marketplace that connects people looking to rent out their homes with those seeking short-term stays, underwent a significant logo redesign in 2014. A video currently circulating online, posted by marketing page Reputeforge on Instagram, offers a behind-the-scenes look at how CEO Brian Chesky led the transformation. In the clip, Chesky uses a series of printouts to walk viewers through the design evolution of Airbnb's now-iconic red-and-white "Belo" logo - described as a "universal symbol of belonging". He explains that the logo consists of two key elements: the icon (Belo) and the wordmark (Airbnb).
According to Chesky, the original wordmark appeared "too thick", while the icon was "too thin". To address this imbalance, the design team refined the proportions, aligning the curvature radius of both elements and resolving spacing inconsistencies. Their goal was to ensure that the icon and wordmark fit harmoniously within a visual triangle.
The redesign process involved meticulous attention to detail - from adjusting letter weights and correcting angles to refining the dot on the letter "i" for better visual appeal. After outlining the design challenges, Chesky proudly revealed the final result: a logo that feels balanced, modern, and deeply connected to Airbnb's brand ethos.
However, the rebranding seemingly failed to impress social media users, who noticed little difference between the old and new versions. Here's how they reacted.
“Is this what my booking fees are going toward?” asked one user.
“So they spent 30 minutes adjusting the height and 4 months creating this presentation right after,” noted another.
“As a graphic designer, you got played,” pointed out an individual.
“So what business problem did you solve?” asked one person sarcastically.
“They did 25 minutes of obvious common-sense design work, then spent 2 months creating fake versions of why they did it,” read a harsh remark.
“OCD on different levels,” commented a critic.
“99% of people can't tell a difference,” wrote another user.
So far, the video has garnered more than 2 million views.
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