Objective

Have the courage to let others tell Hilton's story... even if it is a scrungly little kitten! 

In 2022, we distinguished ourselves as the go-to hospitality brand on social and inserted "Hilton as the Hero" by jumping in and saving stays, backed by the “Hilton. For the Stay” platform and “It Matters Where You Stay” campaign. Built on the insight that the “Stay,” and being cared for, is the crucial element that can make or break any trip, the platform and campaign place the Stay front and center and allow us to connect with travelers and new customers where they are, in the ways that are most natural for them.

In 2023, we took our engagement strategy to the next level – we didn’t just community manage and engage online, we took things a step further – we went off platform and into real life. 

We met people where they were. We showed up when they needed us. Then, they shared their experience. 

We turned potential customers into Hilton guests. 

Yes, impressions and engagement rates are great, but building brand affinity by showing up for people – or pets – is our goal.  

Strategy

One of our favorite saves in 2023 was WISP: TikTok's favorite scrungly little kitten. Through our community management efforts, our social engagement team came across @rags_to_riches_animalrescue's post about their newest medical-rescue kitten named Wisp. Once we found out that Wisp needed to travel to Sarasota for emergency surgery, we went into action.  

In order to successfully bring the stay to life we:   

• Find and Evaluate. When we identify a potential find to insert ourselves as the hero, we work internally as a team to evaluate if it makes sense to jump in. In this case, because we offer pet-friendly properties, we knew this would be the perfect opportunity to help a pawfect friend in need!  
• Communicate and Research. Next, we communicate with the potential guest and meet them in the DMs to grab personal details. This is followed up by internal research of choosing the best-fit Hilton property, what the closest Hilton properties are based on the guests’ info, and reaching out to the appropriate property hotel team. This also includes making the stay extra special by requesting custom notes and trinkets. 
• Confirm and Relay. Once everything is confirmed, we relay the information back to the guest and stay connected before, during, and after the trip to continue building an organic relationship. 

With that plan and strategy in place, Wisp’s rescuer eagerly accepted our assistance and stayed at the Home2Suites by Lakewood Ranch and then later the Homewood Suites by Hilton Sarasota Lakewood during Wisp’s surgery and follow-up care. 

Results

Our Wisp save earned us over 4.2M organic social impressions and 1.2M organic social engagements, including thousands of positive comments praising Hilton for stepping in to save Wisp. 

Once Wisp posted about their Stay, @ragstorichesanimalrescue gave us permission to post to our channels as well: 

• Hilton TikTok  - 31.8K impressions, 4.8K engagements 
• Hilton Instagram  - 28K impressions, 1.5K engagements 

Below are just a few comments we received, proving we turned potential customers into Hilton guests, and social crowds into Hilton brand loyalists: 

• “I literally just booked the Hilton in Saint Augustine because I remembered Wisp and her posts about you” 
• “Booked my wedding at a Hilton near me! Wisp approved is good enough for me and swung my vote vs a competitor” 
• “Wisp is the best Hilton Honors member” 
• “@hilton is going to be my go-to hotel because of wisp” 
• “If Wisp is a Hilton girly we all are Hilton girlies” 
• “Will be booking Hilton next trip and mentioning wisp! 
• "@hilton is so amazing for this, truly!” 
• “Yep!!! This is how companies need to market"
• "We need help for used tissues and hurt lumpy chunks. HILTON, you’re our next stay!!!! keep going and helping. You’re going to gain as you save” 
• “@hilton Thank you @hilton! Booked a nights stay for my parents at Homewood Suites in Maitland after seeing this post!"
• “staying at hilton next month bc of this we love wisp” 
• “You got me Hilton. I’ll be staying with y’all next time I need a hotel” 

And that is how here at Hilton, we have the courage to let others tell our story... even if it is a scrungly little kitten with the heart of a lion!  

Media