Company: Hilton Hotels & Resorts, McLean, VA
Entry Submitted By: Mitchell Communications Group
Company Description: Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide, continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow's savvy global travelers. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes 144,000 Team Mebers and more than 540 hotels in 78 countries and the brand remains synonymous with "hotel."
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Global Issues

Nomination Title: Introducing Hilton Huanying globally

Tell the story about this nominated campaign since January 1 2011 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

It is not often the number of citizens traveling abroad from a country explodes from zero to 55 million in less than a decade. That is exactly what happened in China. Hilton Hotels & Resorts responded by rolling out the Hilton “blue” carpet with Hilton Huanying, (“welcome” in Chinese).

With two decades of expertise in China, and based on quantitative and qualitative research, Hilton introduced Hilton Huanying, an offering of authentic products and services to welcome Chinese guests. The hospitality industry had never offered such a specific program.

Hilton focused on:

• Generating broad media coverage.
• Showcasing commitment to China and outbound Chinese travelers.
• Increasing brand awareness and guest loyalty.
• Demonstrating leadership with various cultures.
• Increasing business media attention.

Hilton created a robust public relations campaign establishing awareness among consumers, while reaching key influencers in the U.S., China and U.K. Because Chinese consumer travel is government regulated, Hilton faced the challenge of earning the support of travel agencies, tour operators and government officials. Events were conducted in key markets, beginning with a launch at Hilton San Francisco Union Square. Specific tactics and results were:

• Conducted launch event at Hilton San Francisco Union Square with media, agents, clients and local dignitaries, broadcasted it via the Hilton Global Media Center and provided a press release, fact sheet, photography and video.

Stories placed in The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, China Economic Times, Travel Weekly, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, with 261.2 million in circulation. The event prompted 345 press release hits and 183 photo downloads on Hilton Global Media Center.

• Executed China launches in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with media and locals before wider public relations efforts in Shanghai and Guangzhou. Activities included media breakfast, desk-side briefings and tour operator lunches. Through meetings with travel agencies, tour operators and dignitaries, Hilton efforts have paid off. Hilton also introduced www.hiltonglobalmediacenter.com.cn, a Chinese-media version of Hilton Global Media Center.

• Commissioned the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London to examine Chinese outbound tourism and its impact on Europe. That report fueled a media-focused tea at Hilton London Park Lane. Nearly 40 industry VIPs and media attended, including tourism government officials and several members of Parliament, resulting in nearly 4.5 million media impressions. Highlights included a live interview on BBC World News and stories in the Daily Telegraph and Business Traveller.

• Momentum from efforts has provided incentive for additional Hilton properties to incorporate Hilton Huanying, increasing to 51 properties in 12 countries.

• Chinese consumers are driving business for participating hotels. In the first three months, hotels experienced double-digit increases in room nights booked, room rate and revenue from consumers requesting Hilton Huanying.

• Hilton now has a strong foundation for ongoing media relations in China. China consistently ranks as one of the top three source countries for visits to the Hilton Global Media Center, and China-based reporter enrollment in the press release distribution channel has increased by 45 percent.

Upload a collection of supporting files and web addresses to our server to provide more background information to the judges. You may upload any number of attachments and URLs through the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above. (Do NOT list your URLs below.)

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that carried out this campaign:

Agencies that assisted Hilton Hotels & Resorts with the campaign include Murphy O’Brien, Ketchum Shanghai, Golley Slater and Covalent Logic.

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to develop products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow's savvy global travelers, while more than 144,000 team members shape experiences to ensure every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 540 hotels in 78 countries.