Hilton is following up on the success of its first-ever celebrity-focused campaign starring Anna Kendrick with new “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” TV commercials and social content. The new creative work, which will roll out over the coming months, showcases the extra benefits that guests receive when they book directly with Hilton’s family of 17 brands.
Since the launch of Hilton’s “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” campaign in September 2018, consumers have responded to the call for them to “expect better” when booking hotel stays directly through Hilton – receiving Hilton Honors perks such as Choose Your Room, free Wi-Fi and Digital Key plus the assurance of Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee. The cheeky marketing campaign, where Anna’s personality and multi-generational appeal bring the innovative Hilton brand to life, has seen double-digit growth in brand consideration among leisure travelers who saw the TV ads, and increased consumers’ intent to book direct at Hilton.com or through the Hilton Honors app for their next trip.
Since the campaign’s launch, Hilton has seen strong success metrics showing that the message is resonating with key audiences. Booking intent has increased nearly 10 percent among people who would normally book through third-party travel companies. Recent data also show a significant increase in consumer perception that they are getting the best price when they book direct with Hilton. The hospitality company has seen a significant uptick in new guests who have not previously stayed with the brand. Membership in the free-to-join, award-winning Hilton Honors rewards program has grown to more than 94 million members, a 20 percent increase over the previous year.
Additionally, its message is resonating with younger consumers, specifically millennials and Generation Z, where Hilton has also seen a double-digit percent increase in leisure consideration among consumers ages 18 to 34. These travelers are frequent users of the Hilton Honors app, enabling Hilton to connect with them and share benefits while they are on property. In turn, millennials are actively sharing their experiences on social media as brand advocates, further amplifying the value of Hilton’s perks.
“‘Expect Better. Expect Hilton.’ is a campaign truly rooted in a singular message we heard from our customers – that we have all been conditioned to expect less when we travel. And at Hilton, we are determined to change that,” said Kellyn Smith Kenny, Hilton’s chief marketing officer. “We want this campaign to continue to give voice to the consumer. It’s all part of Hilton’s ongoing effort to be the traveler’s champion, and through developing more direct relationships with our guests, we’re able to provide more seamless, personalized and stress-free trips from the planning stage to the trip’s completion.”
Hilton launched the initial campaign in September 2018 after speaking with thousands of travelers in the U.S. and abroad and learning that many had been conditioned to expect less and approach travel planning with skepticism. Hilton wanted to address those frustrations and take a stand for consumers by educating them about how to take advantage of the best prices and perks available to them when they book direct.
This latest iteration of the “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” campaign was developed in partnership with advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day New York. It will include content for TV, radio and social-first digital content optimized for specific social media platforms. For example, for the first time Hilton’s campaign will appear in Pinterest’s new ad units.
In addition to the Price Match Guarantee, in which Hilton will match a lower qualified price* if found by consumers on another site plus an additional 25 percent off that stay, the “Expect Better. Expect Hilton.” campaign highlights the benefits of booking direct as a member of Hilton Honors, Hilton’s free-to-join loyalty program, including:
- Honors Discount: Members qualify for an additional discount on all of the nearly 5,900 Hilton hotels across the collection of 17 Hilton brands when they book directly on Hilton.com or on the Hilton Honors app.
- Choose Your Room and Digital Key: Through the Hilton Honors app, members can pre-select their room from a digital floorplan, download a digital key before arriving and unlock their room with their smartphone at select properties.
- Exclusive Offers: Hilton reserves special offers and promotions exclusively for members, accessible through the Hilton Honors Experiences Platform. There, members can bid on private concerts with their favorite artists, customized experiences with celebrities and all-access tickets to must-see concerts, sporting events, amazing culinary events and more.
- Free Wi-Fi: Members receive free in-room and lobby Wi-Fi during stays.
- Points Towards Free Nights: Members can earn Points for every night they stay.
- Order Ahead: Members can use ‘Order Ahead’ on the Hilton Honors app to order amenities, such as extra pillows or a favorite snack for their room prior to arrival.
Guests can book their stays directly with Hilton through any official Hilton website or call center, the Hilton Honors app, at a Hilton property or through an accredited travel agent.
To learn more, visit Hilton.com.