What Is The Song In Airbnb's Skiing Category Commercial?
Say what you will about Airbnb: Sure, it's probably contributing to the housing crisis (via NBC 10 Boston). Okay, it doles out millions, according to Bloomberg, to put out fires and pay settlements. Fine, it's grossly unregulated and riddled with scammers (per Vice). But the game-changing rental company can sure make a good commercial. Airbnb's warm, lived-in ads hew closely to its original mission: that everyone, no matter the group size or budget, deserves a headache-free vacation filled with friends and family.
Airbnb's greatest advertising ploy was the idea to feature real-life, accessible rentals. Why, after all, invent a vacation when the real thing is one click away? In ads like "The River Lodge" and "Mashed Potato Time," Airbnb highlights some of its greatest hits, whether it's an airy riverside escape or a potato hotel. In the latest Airbnb commercial, the hospitality giant puts a spotlight on a cozy, modern cabin in Corralco, Chile. Like its other ads, this one is a minimalist affair, containing only the guest's photos and a single song on the soundtrack. But what's the tune that's featured in the skiing commercial?
Shaggy's Boombastic soundtracks a memorable ski trip
When someone pictures a snowy ski slope, they might not necessarily associate it with the reggae-inflected grooves of the Jamaican-American artist Shaggy. Then again, Shaggy's music knows no bounds. His best-known track, "It Wasn't Me," became a worldwide phenomenon upon its release in 2000 (via Complex). Before that, "Boombastic" made waves when it was released in 1995. Writing for Billboard, Larry Flick called the track's "hypnotic groove" equally indebted to hip hop and traditional island music.
And yet, the minds at Airbnb recognized that that same groove would feel right at home on a snow-covered mountain, especially when the lyrics "Smooth, just like a silk" echo in the background. When Shaggy sings, "Baby hand me the keys, and I'll take you to a place, and set your mind at ease," you could have sworn he wrote the song about renting a cabin.
This isn't the first time "Boombastic" has been used in a commercial. The track also got a boost from its use in a 1990s Levi's ad. With Airbnb's latest, the Shaggy song should evoke some new memories.