Travelers are bound to experience at least one vacation nightmare—but Hilton is trying to change that.
The hotel chain launched a three-part social media series called “Hilton Saved My Stay,” starring real travelers whose vacation stays were less than enjoyable.
Hilton’s social media team took to platforms like TikTok and Instagram to gain insight from real travelers on their recent vacation experiences. The brand used social listening to mine travelers’ vacation horror stories—from weird Airbnb hosts to tiny home rentals that were just too tiny—and saved their trips with a stay at a Hilton.
The effort aims to gain the attention of Gen Z and new audiences as consumers prepare to book their summer trips.
“This campaign is designed to demonstrate how a Hilton stay is superior and why it matters where you stay,” Dan Reynolds, Hilton’s svp of global content, media, and partnerships, told ADWEEK.
Created in partnership with TBWA\Chiat\Day NY, “Hilton Saved My Stay” is a part of Hilton’s “For the Stay” global brand platform. Launched in 2022, it aims to emphasize a hotel stay as “the crucial element that can make or break any trip.”
Reynolds said that “Hilton Saved My Stay” was specifically designed to attract “Zillennials,” or people born on the cusp of Millennial and Gen Z.
The first video, “Close Quarters,” details a couple’s awkward home-share experience and has already reached 6.97 million views and over 37,700 engagements across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, according to the exec.
