Hilton Garden Inn's new campaign asks "Where you are going?"

Last Thursday Hilton Garden Inn began running a new campaign titled “Where are you going?” Unlike ad campaigns of the past which focused on the hotel and its amenities, the new campaign puts its guests at the center. The concept came from research which identified how their guests combined work and leisure activites while traveling as well as from third party research about habits and needs of business travelers.

Created by DGWB based out of Orange County, the campaign includes three print ads illustrating the different sides of people, online advertising and promotions, hotel signage and decor, and internal communication.

By arranging halves of people in interesting and whimsical ways, the images convey that Hilton Garden Inn is equipped to help the “personal business” traveler with both their business and personal ambitions. Moreover, the campaign creatively illustrates how today’s traveler wears many different hats, speaking directly to the duality of life on the road. For example, one ad features the image of a man who is divided into two halves – one showing him dressed in work attire to represent his business side, and the other showing him in hockey attire to represent his leisure side. To further the idea that our business is not just work business, the final ad shows a marathoner and bride. The text accompanying each ad lets readers know that no matter what hat a guest is wearing, Hilton Garden Inn ensures that travelers have a place to help them reach their goals successfully.

To capture the reader’s attention, Hilton Garden Inn is using a technique it calls, “Interactive Print.” Each ad is designed to force the reader to go beyond just scanning. In one execution, the guest is split in half on facing pages, so the reader can join the two sides, reminiscent of magazine games of years gone by. Additionally, unlike most hotel advertising today where the actual hotel is featured as the main focal point, the new Hilton Garden Inn ads put the guest – the hotel’s most important asset – at the center.

"This is a huge departure from our previous ad campaigns, which focused heavily on the Hilton Garden Inn brand’s long list of great amenities,” said Nogal. “And it’s a reflection of where our brand is going, and where the travel industry is going. The campaign is sure to connect with consumers because the reality is that our worlds truly are blending.”