In an era when so many travel brands feature pristine beaches, soaring mountaintops and other glorious destinations, Hilton got real with its first-ever global marketing platform. The effort, called “Hilton. For the Stay,” successfully differentiated the more than 100-year-old chain from a slew of new competitors—including Airbnb—by spotlighting tangible features, such as connected hotel rooms.

The debut campaign, themed “It Matters Where You Stay,” comes from TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and has included Paris Hilton, a great-granddaughter of Hilton founder Conrad Hilton.

“Say what you will, but she’s the original influencer,” Amy Ferguson, chief creative officer of TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, told Ad Age last year.

Ads included subtle shots at Airbnb, such as one with a home rental that looked quite “different online” than in real life. 

Other rebranding elements include a three-note melody to echo “For the Stay” with a visual that depicts a hotel room door opening onto Hilton’s logo, “signifying the pivotal moment of relief that comes when beginning a stay,” according to TBWA.

They took “an old, stodgy brand” and made it “fun and fresh,” said one Creativity Awards juror.

See all the 2023 Ad Age Creativity Awards winners.