From their start in 2008 until 2019, Airbnb led the travel industry to unprecedented growth. The groundbreaking platform unlocked the potential of underused spaces, giving adventurous travellers the opportunity to stay just about anywhere—away from the usual hotels and tourist beats. That capacity for taking travellers off the beaten path and into the unknown called for a typographical direction that spoke to novelty of experience. In 2017 Airbnb took themselves the extra mile and chose two of BLKBK’s trademark fonts, Mega Fresh and Extra Mile.
Created with a gritty, neglected brush, Extra Mile exudes the kind of distressed character seasoned travellers seek when they do go that extra mile. Beyond the glitzy old towns and glassy skyscrapers, they find the interstitial spaces, the interesting spots that can fit in the frayed lines the rest of the world left to them. This is loft apartments, warehouse parties, iron bridges, and graffiti.
In contrast, Mega Fresh is a vibrant script, characteristic of all the good things travellers want to find in their journeys: delicious food, lively sidewalk cafes, cold beer, fresh coffee—the things they need anywhere; the universals that vary in character and substance but never in quality. Mega Fresh both compliments Extra Mile in its sense of spontaneity and fun, and stands in contrast to it by projecting the reliability travellers expect from accommodations, which allows them to enjoy the thrill of adventure.