MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton has launched its first global brand platform that identifies what hospitality marketing has been missing: the hotel stay. “Hilton. For the Stay” places the hotel front and center, elevating the role and importance of the stay.
Hilton is launching “It Matters Where You Stay”, a new ad campaign to showcase the platform, using humor to push back some of the common but unspoken pitfalls of travel, poking fun at what can go wrong when booking or when of a trip. The campaign also has Paris Hilton, who grew up living and staying in many Hilton hotels around the world, which gave her an early exposure to the hospitality industry. In addition to Paris, actress Catherine O’Hara lends her voice to the campaign, with television ads first airing in the United States on July 25 and an audio rollout shortly thereafter.
“Today, as we write company history with Hilton’s first brand platform, we remind guests that at the heart of a great trip is a great stay and that’s just different when that stay is with Hilton,” said Mark Weinstein, Chief Marketing Officer, Hilton. “As we enter this new era of travel, it’s never been more important to consider where you’re staying – and Hilton is uniquely committed to ensuring your stay is everything you need it to be.”
Hilton and TBWAChiatDay New York, Hilton’s agency since 2017, used TBWA’s Disruption methodology to craft the vision, born out of the idea that the hospitality industry has become almost entirely destination-driven, and not on the stay itself. Consumer research found that “staying” and being looked after are the crucial elements that can make or break any trip. So Hilton is doubling down on its brand platform to prove to its guests that “where you stay matters.” The platform will span nearly every consumer touchpoint, from consumer-to-consumer advertising to the travel planning process and guests’ stay at Hilton, as well as post-stay.
“With ‘Hilton. For the stay, “we’re connecting our external customer marketing more fully to our lens, rightly asserting that Hilton owns the stay,” Weinstein said. “The idea of Stay was incredibly natural for Hilton, yet no one else was talking about it. While others extol the generic virtues of travel, downplay the role of the hotel and team members in hotel and romanticize the destination, through our platform and the campaign it inspires, we remind travelers that ‘It Matters Where You Stay’ and boldly claiming ‘Hilton. For the Stay.’”
The ad creative has a relatable tone in which Hilton breaks with the stereotypical approach, highlighting Hilton’s offerings – from service and pet-friendly travel to choices available in the Hilton Honors app to skip the front desk and personalize stay, connecting rooms confirmed by Hilton and more.
In one of the featured TV spots, “Haunted,” the brand pokes fun at what can go wrong when booking a vacation rental, depicting a family showing up at a hilariously creepy property that was never not exactly as advertised. “Confirmed Together” focuses on a Hilton offer that addresses a family travel problem and the importance of securing connected rooms at the time of booking. And in “Extra Storage”, Paris Hilton has a solution for her extra luggage.
The campaign includes TV, audio, social media, print and out-of-home media, spanning 13 ads and social runs. It will launch first in the US, followed closely by the UK and select markets in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Hilton enlisted a creative team to bring this global campaign to life, including Commercial Director Matt Aselton of Arts and Sciences.
To expand the brand platform, Hilton will leverage social media, experience and influencers. On Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, Hilton will start a conversation about travel and disaster by helping travelers have a better stay, whether it’s planning a future trip or helping save a trip that has derailed. Hilton also teamed up with familiar voices on social media to bring “Hilton. For the Stay” to life.
“When developing the campaign, we were inspired by showing the reality of travel; the tensions, the trials, the overly high expectations. It goes against convention in the hospitality category and is an exciting space for the brand to own,” said Amy Ferguson, Creative Director, TBWAChiatDay New York.
“Hilton. For the Stay” encompasses brand hospitality, from innovations such as digital key sharing, confirmed connecting rooms, early confirmation of upgraded rooms for Hilton Honors members, and service.
