November 30, 2021
:Home Is Where You Are
Taylor A. Williams, Copper Clark, Qingyi Quan, and Brijea Daniel
Annenberg School of Communication, University of Southern California PR 508
Public Relations and Advertising Fundamentals and Strategy
Professor Paul A. Gomez
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COMPANY BACKGROUND
Sonder, a company with a goal to redefine the hospitality industry, understands the
problems in both hotels and Airbnb or VRBOs services. The company was founded in 2014 and
is headquartered in San Francisco. The co-founder and CEO is Francis Davidson. Currently, the
company houses offices in over 35 cities and nine countries. They have over 5,000 listings
worldwide and over a million guests to date. (Sonder, 2021)
Sonder is backed by some of the top investors, including Fidelity, WestCap, and Inovia
Capital. The company has raised over $560 million in venture capital. (Sonder, 2021) In 2021,
Sonder agreed to become a publicly-traded company in a $2.2 million merger deal with SPAC.
(Yahoonews, 2021)
In 2020, Sonder launched its corporate responsibility and sustainability division to
measure its impact. Sonder has 1,000-5,000 employees spread across their numerous offices
worldwide. Additionally, the company currently has dozens of open positions across the world in
departments such as Human Resources, IT, Central Operations, and Customer Service. (Sonder,
2021)
Sonder specializes in hospitality, property management, travel accommodations, and
Internet and software development. (LinkedIn, 2021) Booking with the company includes a
professionally cleaned space, contact-free entry and 24/7 support, and a flexible cancellation
policy. (Sonder, 2021) The company also offers different rates for corporate bookings and group
bookings.
MISSION STATEMENT
At Sonder, we’re on a mission to redefine hospitality by bringing exceptional stays
everywhere.
BRAND POSITIONING
To: travelers who value creativity and curated design
Sonder is the: luxury hospitality service that incorporates the culture of each city and comfort of
your home into your stay
Because: we believe reliable, authentic hospitality is a priority for our travelers.
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STATEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY
Sonder is relatively new to the hospitality business but is already making big waves in the
industry. Sonder has the opportunity to move up in the industry as more consumers desire to
travel post-pandemic. As more vacations are booked, Sonder needs to position itself as a top
option for any stay. Sonder has multiple locations around the globe including Chicago, Miami,
London, New Orleans, New York, Atlanta, Barcelona, Boston, Denver, Detroit, Dubai, Huston,
Los Angeles, and much more. With an abundance of locations, Sonder has positioned itself to
accompany consumers wherever they’re looking to stay. Sonder is up against major competitors
such as Airbnb, which the company currently uses to list its current openings, but has the
opportunity to surpass the app as the top hospitality business across the globe. Sonder should
take advantage of some of the current hospitality trends such as solo travel, purposeful
experiences, insta worthy designs, personalization and “staycations.” To become a dominant
brand, Sonder will first need to increase overall brand awareness with consumers. As Sonder
begins to increase brand awareness the company can take advantage of the current culture shift
that is taking employees from in-person to fully remote work. Most of the company's current
lodgers are leisure travelers, but there is a market for those who travel for both business and
pleasure. Sonder sets itself apart from other hospitality businesses because it offers luxury to
short-term and extended stay visitors at an affordable price. Sonder has to take advantage of the
current social climate and fully embody its motto, “from a room a night to a loft for as long as
you like, there’s a Sonder for every occasion.”
RESEARCH
In order for Sonder to gain insights into our current positioning in the market the following
research was conducted:
Research Goals
• Discover insights on our consumers' attitude towards Sonder before and after the
pandemic.
• Collect data around sentiments towards hospitality services including quality, price,
accessibility, and accommodations.
• Gain insight on how Sonder can reach its desired brand perception and continue to be
competitive in the hospitality market.
Research Questions
• Do you currently use any hospitality services?
• Are you familiar with Sonder? If yes, did you discover our services before or after the
pandemic?
• What do you factor into when choosing where to stay on vacations?
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• Are you interested in hospitality companies that allow extended stays?
• Have you traveled a lot since the start of the pandemic?
• What would make you more open to travel?
• Where are some of your favorite travel destinations?
• Do you typically travel solo, with your family, or with friends?
• When traveling do you prefer lodging that feels like a hotel or lodging that reminds you
of home?
• What are your expectations of a hospitality service?
• Do you travel more for work or for personal enjoyment?
• What would make Sonder your number one lodging option for your next trip?
Sonder used the following primary and secondary research methodologies to obtain insights on
our consumers and meet our research goals:
1. Primary
a. Qualitative
i. Sonder conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups to help assist in
reaching our research goals.
b. Quantitative
i. Sonder developed and sent out a survey to current consumers and potential
consumers to gain insights on their sentiments towards the company and areas for
improvement.
2. Secondary
a. Social media data from Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to understand engagement
and brand perception.
b. Mintel for consumer research, and industry reports.
c. Media sites like AdWeek, PR Week, the Drum, Vox, to understand brand perception.
d. Statista for consumer and industry data reports.
e. Answer the Public to see what people are asking about Sonder.
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
Internal
• Strengths
o Sonder has a special brand identity which is a new type of hospitality
between traditional hotels and home rentals.
o As a new company founded in 2014, Sonder had rapidly grown and
achieved $1 billion value within six years.
o Sonder offers unique experiences along with consistent quality and safety.
• Weakness
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o Sonder is still a start-up company, but the competitors have been in the
market for a long time and generated national recognition.
o Sonder does not have a holistic campaign to promote the brand.
o The fact that the company rents apartments instead of owning those
properties leads to instability.
External
• Opportunities
o People are tired of hotels as well as home rentals. Sonder can fill the
space.
o Except for the highlight of its apartment-hotel hospitality, Sonder can be
more innovative in providing relevant experiences.
o As the pandemic makes people concerned about safety issues, Sonder can
emphasize its consistent cleaning procedure and overall regulation.
• Threats
o Pandemic hurts Sonder’s financial performance.
o The impact of the pandemic is still ongoing.
o There is strong competition in the market that makes it more difficult
for Sonder to stand out in the industry.
o Due to its special category, the company has to take a very slow and
methodical approach to enter each market in order to comply with local
regulations.
Takeaways from the SWOT analysis
1. Because of its special identity, Sonder has the potential to drive media coverage when it
launches a holistic campaign to promote its brand recognition.
2. Since people are feeling tired of traditional hotels as well as home rentals, Sonder has a
strong opportunity here to fill the empty space and attract customers.
3. Compared to home rentals, Sonder has a more thorough cleaning and sanitizing
procedure which is a selling point to consumers especially when the impact of the
pandemic is still ongoing.
STRATEGIC INSIGHTS
• Sonder should emphasize its special identity and how it differs from current
hospitality in the new campaign.
As a new type of service positioned itself between traditional hotels and home rentals,
Sonder must put an emphasis on its special identity and why it is different from current
products in the hospitality market. The identity is important because it helps Sonder
differentiate itself from its competitors.
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• Professional hospitality services that incorporate the culture of each city and the
comfort of the home should be the selling point.
Nowadays consumers complain about the lack of unique experiences in traditional hotels
and the lack of professional services in home rentals. There is an opportunity here for
Sonder to step in. By combining services and experiences, Sonder can attract a lot of
customers from its competitors.
• Sonder’s new campaign should highlight the cleaning procedure and overall
regulation that help ensure a safe staying experience.
The pandemic makes people less likely to stay outside due to safety issues; to ease
consumers’ concerns, Sonder’s new campaign should show them how the company
enforces its cleaning procedure and puts guests’ safety as a top priority.
• The new campaign should mention Sonder’s effort and commitment to comply with
local regulations.
Due to Sonder’s special category in the market, stakeholders will have concerns about
how it is going to operate under current regulations. Though it is not the most important
part of the campaign, Sonder should still explain its plan and show transparency. It is the
key to earning trust.
COMMUNICATION GOALS
• Raise overall brand awareness
o Currently, Sonder is a lesser-known hospitality platform compared to other
notable ones such as Airbnb, VRBO, and hotels. Sonder has a unique brand image
that allows the company to set itself apart from its competitors. Sonder is able to
bring hotel comfort without the formality to their guests. Utilizing their position
in the market and their distinctive business model to raise brand awareness
through a campaign will help the company expand in the market.
• Increase brand relevance for millennials
o The most likely user of the Airbnb platform is millennials (ipropertymanagement,
2021) To be competitive Sonder needs to market to this generation. By tapping
into this audience they will be able to cater toward an audience that is able to
afford their services. Increasing brand relevance for millennials through a
campaign will allow the company to show its unique edge and help them stand
out from Airbnb and VRBO.
• Generate excitement about brand and help create positive attitudes toward the
brand
o Sonder is a new and innovative company that is able to cater to a specific design-
oriented audience that values comfort and reliability. They have no strong
advertising that is currently being shared or seen by potential customers. Showing
the uniqueness of the company and how they have deviated from both the
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traditional hotel and Airbnb will be something that is exciting and new for the
media to share and for consumers to want to be a part of.
• Guide consumers to switch to Sonder versus competitors
o Sonder has the opportunity to tap into audiences that are tired of traditional hotels
and frustrated with the potentially unreliable behaviors of Airbnb or VRBO hosts.
Their reliable to comfortable options to stay will allow potential customers who
may be looking for something new to choose Sonder over a competitor.
COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES
• 20% increase in association of Sonder with booking a trip in the first quarter
following the campaign
o Within the first quarter following the campaign we expect there to be a 20%
increase in association of Sonder with booking a trip. Currently, Sonder’s direct
competitors such as Airbnb, VRBO, and hotels are more associated with the idea
of booking a trip. After creating a digital awareness campaign highlighting
Sonder’s unique capabilities such as design, comfort, corporate stays and group
stay, etc. we expect an increase in association.
• 10% increase in positive opinion in millennial generation in the first quarter
following the campaign
o Sonder’s main competitors are Airbnb, VRBO, and hotels. The largest group of
users of Airbnb are millennials. To stay competitive it is important to create an
increase among this population. Millennials have disposable income and are able
to book trips and travel. By creating a positive opinion of Sonder with millennials
we hope to see a 10% increase in positive opinion.
• 20% increase in social media engagement and increase in followers in the first
quarter after the campaign
o Social media is an essential part of developing company awareness and spreading
information about a company. With the creation of a digital campaign
highlighting Sonder’s use and high-quality design and our partnership influencers,
we hope to see an increase in social media followers and an increase in followers
after the first quarter of our awareness campaign.
• 25% increase in bookings in the year following the campaign
o Following our campaign primarily focused on creating brand awareness, we hope
to see an increase in bookings in the year following. This campaign is geared
towards millennials, people with disposable income, travelers, and young people
in corporate America. Our goal is to increase the number of bookings with Sonder
and stand out among our direct competitors (Airbnb, VRBO, and hotels.)
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TARGET AUDIENCES
• Millennials: this audience comprises those, both male and female, aged 25-40 in the
U.S. that would stand to benefit from a new version of hospitality.
o Millennials who travel
This is a subgroup of the millennial audience that makes a concerted
effort to spend quality time traveling either solo or with family, friends, or
significant others. They stand to benefit from a safe, secure hospitality
option that they can rely on for vacations and getaways.
o Middle-class millennials
Millennials who earn between $41,000 - $120,400 are another target
audience given the price range for the company’s services. Sonder tends to
be cheaper or competitive in price with its competitors, and middle-class
guests are most likely to find Sonder compatible with their budget.
o Working millennials who travel for business
Those who travel as a regular part of their occupation would benefit from
an option that allows them to feel at home in a reliable, secure location
that is cleaned and prepared to professional standards. For many, Airbnb
rentals lack security and reliability and hotels lack comfort. This audience
travels regularly for reasons beyond their control, and they would benefit
from comfortable, dependable hospitality.
• Real estate firms and property developers
o Sonder’s business model depends on signing master leases with large property
developers and real estate firms in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. Targeting firms
and developers will attract more partnerships, which will sustain the brand. Since
Sonder is the only major brand using this model, it doesn’t have to compete for
the attention or business of the firms or developers. This presents an opportunity
to attract a wider range of firms and developers to sign more long-term leases for
consumers.
• Competitors
o Sonder is a little fish in a big market. It wants to make a statement and secure
its position in the market share. By including top competitors (i.e. Airbnb, VRBO,
and top hotel chains) in its target audience, Sonder can influence competitors to
see them as competition. This will keep the company relevant and increase brand
awareness.
CURRENT AUDIENCE BRAND PERCEPTION
The current brand perception of Sonder is that the company is newer to the hospitality industry
and making itself unique through its design. They have accommodations in many cities
throughout the United States and also globally. They have the capability to cater to individual
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guests, group bookings, and corporate stays. The brand is unknown but easy to navigate as a
consumer.
DESIRED AUDIENCE BRAND PERCEPTION
The desired brand perception is that Sonder is an up-and-coming company specializing in
making hospitality more comfortable and reliable. They are a global company that offers the best
accommodations for consumers. Sonder is the best way to stay with their award-winning design
that gives guests the opportunity to experience new cities in the most comfortable way. Sonder is
the future of hospitality and will grow to be competitive with industry giants.
KEY MESSAGE MAPPING
Single-minded message
• Home is where you are. Sonder brings the comfort and safety of home to every
guest’s stay.
o The single-minded message emphasizes the important concept of home Sonder
has been trying to achieve in its service and tells the audience Sonder cares about
both comfort and safety.
Audience-specific messages
• Millennials who travel
o As a new type of hospitality, Sonder incorporates the culture of each city you visit
and the comfort of home into every stay without sacrificing safety.
o This group of audience cares about both experience and safety. As millennials
spend a lot of time traveling around the country or world, they would like to
experience different unique styles that are related to the local environment.
• Middle-class millennials
o Sonder provides luxury hospitality service and a comfortable home environment
with a cheaper price range so that more people can afford this “home is where you
are” experience.
o Except for comfort and safety, middle-class millennials also care a lot about the
price. It is important to inform them that Sonder is cheaper compared to
traditional hotels or luxurious home rentals.
• Working millennials who travel for business
o Sonder makes traveling for business an enjoyable experience by giving you a
sense of being at home in a secure location and ensuring every room is prepared
to a professional hotel standard.
o Working millennials who travel all the time, care most about safety and
reliability. The message targeting them should emphasize Sonder’s consistent
quality and security.
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• Real estate firms and property developers
o Using the innovative apartment-hotel model, Sonder along with large property
partners can redefine the future of hospitality together by bringing exceptional
stays everywhere.
o Real estate firms or property developers focus on the potential of the company.
The message needs to focus on the uniqueness of Sonder business model and the
endless possibilities it can bring to the table.
• Competitors
o Sonder may be a new addition to the hospitality industry, but it makes a powerful
impact on consumers that desire the reliability, comfort and quality that current
industry leaders lack.
o The message targeting competitors should be a strong statement that can make
competitors see Sonder as competition.
STRATEGIES
• Partner with relevant organizations and influencers to increase brand awareness
among millennials.
o Joining forces with relevant partners will increase awareness among millennials,
the target audience.
• Make use of social media and advertisements to generate excitement and
anticipation from the target audience.
o Properly placed social media posts and advertisements will build anticipation for
what Sonder has to offer.
• Illuminate the shortcomings of the competition by emphasizing the reliability,
comfort, and quality Sonder offers.
o Sonder provides more reliability and safety than Airbnb and more comfort than
traditional hotels. Emphasizing Sonder’s strengths will, by default, highlight the
competitors’ shortcomings.
• Assume a blithe, enthusiastic approach.
o It is important that the campaign remains enthusiastic and cheerful so as not to
come off as snide. This will attract new consumers without appearing to
shortchange the competition.
TACTICS
Home Is Where You Are:
• Paid
o For this campaign, we plan to use paid media for a social media campaign. Using
paid media will allow us to target the correct audience for our clients. There will
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be paid social media posts on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.
Additionally, there will be a use of out-of-home advertising such as billboards in
high traffic areas in large cities. Additionally, we will have paid partnerships with
influencers and CB2 as a way to create buzz around the company and raise
awareness. Since CB2 is already a big brand and has become very popular these
years, the collaboration can help further promote Sonder’s new campaign.
• Earned
o For earned media, Sonder will utilize its media contacts to spread awareness of
the campaign. We will leverage press releases, articles, and opinion pieces on
multiple platforms over the course of the campaign to use the media to our
advantage. We will also make use of Sonder’s blog to post these brand mentions
with our customers.
• Shared
o For shared media, we plan to collaborate with travel and lifestyle influencers to
get the campaign started. They will be given a travel package, with a free plane
ticket to a Sonder location. As they post pictures of Sonder rooms with the
hashtag #homeiswhereyouare on their social media platforms, we can raise the
awareness of the campaign and then encourage all other customers to share their
staying experience with Sonder. This campaign will rely heavily on shared media.
• Owned
o Most of this campaign will utilize our customers’ stories to help Sonder reach its
strategic communication goals. The stories will first be shared on our social media
platforms then utilized to form blog posts throughout the duration of the
campaign. The blogs will be highlighting both the campaign “home is where you
are” and sonder: the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid
and complex as your own.
KPI’S: MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION
Sonder will evaluate the following quantitative and qualitative measures as key performance
indicators:
• KPI 1: Qualitative measure of sentiment through brand mentions
o This campaign is designed to start discussions about traveling with Sonder and
increase brand awareness. Sonder should track the language being used to discuss
the campaign and the brand as a whole. The more positive sentiment that is shared
the better Sonder will be able to measure the success of the campaign or in the
event of negative feedback, adjust it along the way.
• KPI 2: Quantitative and qualitative account of how many consumers participate in
the “Home Is Where You Are” campaign
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o As a core part of this campaign, it’s important to keep track of how many
consumers participate in the campaign. It’s also important to collect data on
consumers’ sentiments towards the Sonder and all the company has to offer.
Included in this measurement is our increase in followers on all social media
accounts.
• KPI 3: Quantitative measure social media engagement and brand mentions
o This campaign is heavily reliant upon social media engagement. The increase in
brand buzz and social media engagement can be monitored from the analytics
provided by each platform. These measurements include likes, follows, shares,
comments, impressions, and mentions. Sonder should also monitor how many
users are using the hashtag #sonder and #homeiswheretheheartis.
• KPI 4: Quantitative measure of the increase in revenue through reservations made
on the Sonder app and website
o This campaign is mainly designed to increase brand awareness with our main
target audience. Sonder can monitor awareness by also measuring the increase in
revenue through reservations. Sonder should monitor this increase for the full
duration of the campaign plus an additional six months after the completion of the
campaign.
TIMELINE
Quarter Date Action(s)
1 January- -Display advertisements on billboards in designated locations
March 2022 and across all popular social media platforms (paid and shared)
-Begin the search for influencers and potential partnerships for
the campaign
2 April-June - Partner with CB2 and influencers
2022 -Start social media campaign #homeiswhereyouare on all
social media platforms and layout all details of the campaign
-Release additional advertisements through advertorials and
utilize Sonder’s personal blog for additional promotion
3 July- -Continue partnerships and share our customers’ stories using
September #homeiswhereyouare
2022 -Monitor brand buzz (adjust campaign if needed)
-Double-check Sonder is hitting all communications
objectives
4 Oct-December -Send press releases highlighting the campaign and Sonder’s
2022 performance
-Conclude campaign Dec. 1
-Announce the winner of the campaign Dec. 30
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Post- 6 January-June -Send campaign winners to the destination of their choice
months 2023 -Partner with the winner for additional promotion
-Monitor KPI’s
BUDGET
XVIII. Budget
Tactic Cost
Social media campaign $15,000
Billboards $30,000
Paid partnership with CB2 $7,500
Travel packages and payment for influencer promotion $10,000
Blog upkeep $300
Total Cost: $62,800
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