For the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall we were asked by airbnb to show to celebrate this event with a local campaign that would work under the roof of their new brand idea of “belong anywhere”. We found it in a true story of two former guards that served on different sides of the Berlin Wall during the cold war and how they met for the very first time, years after the border came down. In an airbnb apartment. In Berlin.

But for us it wasn’t just a touching story. It was a metaphor about the borders in our heads and how to get rid of them. By meeting people. And we felt, the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall was the perfect time to tell that story.

We knew that we had to cut through a lot of noise of documentaries on TV and online that would cover the whole event weeks in advance. So we went for a completely different approach: An animated film. Wall and Chain was born. We collaborated with Psyop in New York to find a surprising way of telling a story that had actually happened while still creating a metaphor that everyone could relate to in their lives. And we created a website and interviews with the actual people behind the illustrations around it.

To cut a long story short: Within days it was featured by media around the world. From CNN to Time Magazine and Guardian. Ashton Kutcher shared it with his followers on twitter. Millions watched it on YouTube. And it got awarded a People’s Choice Award at the Webby Awards. “Wall and Chain” went around the world. And showed millions of people that airbnb is more than a travel website. It’s a chance to make new experiences. Across all borders and all walls.

Director: Marie Hyon, Marco Spier

Production: Psyop

Agency: VCCP

Role: Head of TV / Creative Producer