Hiroki Asai on Airbnb, optimism and bringing people together.

Hiroki Asai is the head of creative and marketing at Airbnb, where he leads the company’s creative vision and brand strategy. In our conversation, we dive into his early career at Apple and  explore the significance of in-house creative teams and their influence on maintaining brand integrity in fast-paced industries. Our conversation moves into the challenges Airbnb faced during the global pandemic and Hiroki also shares insights into Airbnb’s recent launch of ICONS, a curated collection of extraordinary stays—from the whimsical house from Pixar’s Up to The X-Mansion. Beyond strategy and execution, we reflect on broader themes such as optimism, problem-solving, and the intersection of design and marketing. Hiroki offers a unique perspective on the importance of stories, emotions, and human connections. -- Discover Shillington Shillington is an online design school I highly recommend. If you’re looking to finally get your graphic design skills to the next level and enter or transition within the industry, their graphic design course is for you. To find out more, visit ShillingtonEducation.com --   Get featured in press   Get your digital copy of The Insider's Guide to PR for Creative Businesses at justynagreen.com/prguide and use code ONDESIGN at the checkout for 20% off. -- Podcast music and production: James Greenfield