Who says branded content can’t sell hard? The story of Hostelworld’s Unexpected Guests

Hostelworld, a hostel-focused online booking platform, changed the perception of hostels among young travellers by launching branded video content in the UK that documented celebrities staying in hostels.

Introduction

We're often told that 'Content' needs to feel like the opposite of advertising. It can't overtly sell, because selling is incompatible with generating engagement.

This is the story of a campaign that challenges that assumption.

Introducing Hostelworld - 'The Booking.com of Hostels'

You might not have heard of Hostelworld. We hadn't when they came to us.

Simply put, they are the booking.comof hostels. In 1999 the founders of foresaw the shift to booking online. So they built a website, signed up a load of hostels and were soon growing in leaps and bounds. By 2015...

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