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Australia lagged behind on LGBTQI+ rights, with same-sex marriage still illegal despite two-thirds of Aussies supporting equality. The issue had stalled politically despite public support. Airbnb, with its core values of openness and belonging, faced the challenge of moving beyond corporate statements to create action.
We created an incomplete black metal ring—designed by Marc Newson—as a physical embodiment of the gap in marriage equality legislation. By transforming a symbol of marriage into a wearable protest that anyone could participate in, we converted passive support into visible public commitment, uniting corporations and individuals in a movement that put marriage equality back at the top of Australia's political agenda.
We committed Airbnb's entire 2017 brand budget to create and distribute free Acceptance Rings nationwide, with standardised postage to ensure accessibility. The campaign launched with unprecedented corporate coalition support from Qantas, Google, ANZ and eBay. A digital pledge tool allowed people to customise messages and share across social platforms.
