Why Airbnb’s marketing leadership think in-housing and cross-functionality are best for brand  

Fans of in-housing argue it allows more autonomy, a streamlined process and speedier timelines, while critics say it can lead to skills gaps and less exciting work.

In-housing isn’t a new trend, but it’s certainly ramped up in the last five years – Covid-19 and remote working, tighter budgets, the need for digital transformation and responsiveness are just some of the factors at play.  

When Hiroki Asai joined Airbnb as its top marketer in 2020, he quickly switched things up in the brand’s marketing function. One of the first things he did to grow Airbnb’s marketing power was to move advertising in-house.