Why Hilton Chose TikTok for Brand Storytelling
In the summer of 2022, Hilton Hotels & Resorts introduced its global brand platform “Hilton. For the Stay”, which emphasized the idea that a hotel is not just a place to sleep, but a meaningful part of the entire travel experience. The new strategy countered the common perception of a hotel as a mere necessity. Hilton wanted to highlight how and where you stay shapes the essence of your journey. As part of this, they launched the campaign “It Matters Where You Stay”, using humor and cultural icons, including Paris Hilton, to illustrate how a place of stay can impact the emotional value of travel.
Following this, in February 2023, Hilton decided to test the impact of “Hilton. For the Stay” in a new format. They leveraged TikTok’s recent update, which finally allowed videos up to 10 minutes long; previously, the maximum was 3 minutes.
“Who would even watch a 10-minute TikTok?” people asked on social media and in the press. After all, TikTok’s phenomenal growth had been driven by short and fast-paced content, not slow, deliberate videos.
Hilton chose to embrace this contradiction fully. The campaign, titled “The Ad You Stay In” (or alternatively “The TikTok You Stay In”), was a commentary on the evolution of the platform itself. As TikTok changed, so did the way a brand needed to present itself there. Hilton didn’t produce another 15-second clip. They wanted to create something people would want to stay in—content you don’t scroll past but rather stay with, just like you’d stay in a great hotel.
It was a statement: if a hotel is more than just a place to sleep, its advertisement should be more than just an informational clip. It had to be a Hilton experience—even on TikTok.
Inside “The TikTok You Stay In” Featuring Paris Hilton
At the heart of Hilton’s campaign was Paris Hilton, granddaughter of Hilton’s founder, Conrad Hilton. She was joined by seven popular TikTok creators, including Chris Olsen and Boman Martinez-Reid, who each produced content in their style, engaging their respective audiences.
The actual TikTok campaign video was made up of different segments that parodied and played into TikTok culture, including food videos and lifestyle advice. Viewers were incentivized with prizes, including Hilton Honors points, if they watched the video to the end.
@hilton Unexpected & amazing things can happen when you stay, and we want you to stay with us for 10 minutes. Yup, we made a 10-minute TikTok AND we’re giving away 10M Hilton Honors Points + more. #HiltonStayFor10 #HiltonForTheStay ♬ Hilton’s 10-Minute Stay – Hilton
The Three-Phase Launch Plan: Tease, Drop, Sustain
The key challenge: could viewer attention be held for a full 10 minutes without losing the fluidity and spontaneity typical of TikTok?
To achieve this, Hilton developed a clear, three-phase media plan that prepared the audience and maintained attention throughout the campaign lifecycle:
Teaser Phase: Exactly 24 hours before the main video dropped, Paris Hilton posted a short teaser, which quickly amassed over 5.3 million views. It targeted both her own following and TikTok’s algorithm to build anticipation.
@parishilton The countdown starts NOW! @hilton and I made a 10-minute TikTok that drops in ✨2 DAYS✨ Follow @Hilton to watch it on 2/15 to see me and lots of other creators. You can even enter for a chance to win up to 1M Hilton Honors Points, experiences, swag + more! Will you stay with us? 💕 #ThatsHot 🔥 #HiltonForTheStay #ParisForTheSlay ♬ original sound – ParisHilton
Launch Phase: The full-length video was released on Hilton’s official TikTok account. It was supported with ads to ensure maximum organic and paid reach. Within the first few days, the video entered TikTok’s “For You” feed, greatly amplifying its exposure.
Sustain Phase: After the release, a network of creators posted additional clips and reaction videos, directing viewers back to the original video and encouraging participation in the giveaway. This helped keep the campaign alive.
Results: 35M+ Views and a Massive Boost in Hilton Honors Sign-Ups
The campaign exceeded virtually all expectations typically set for social media campaigns. The video “The Ad You Stay In” garnered over 2 million views in the first 24 hours. Within a week, that number had risen to 16 million. As of now, the video has over 35.7 million views—86 times more than the average brand video on TikTok.
Importantly, the focus wasn’t just on how many people clicked, but how long they stayed. In total, viewers spent over 6.5 million minutes watching Hilton’s ad. That means people didn’t drop off—they watched and stayed. In total, the campaign (including all creator collaborations) brought in over 57 million views.
Hilton’s TikTok account gained 79,000 new followers, a 35% increase. These weren’t just passive followers—click-through rates were 145% higher than TikTok’s average. That led to over 100,000 giveaway entries and 55,000 new members for the Hilton Honors program.
The campaign also gained recognition from industry professionals, with articles appearing in publications like The Drum, Contagious, and Campaign US. Social media response was positive: more than 605,000 user reactions (likes, shares, comments, reposts) and a 93.5% positive brand sentiment, showing how a bold but well-thought-out idea can transform an ad from something people ignore into something they actively share.
Additionally, traffic to the HiltonHonors.com website rose to 2.1 million unique visitors in February 2023—a 15% increase year-over-year.
Criticism: Did the Campaign Really Fit TikTok’s Format?
Despite the attention the 10-minute TikTok ad received, it was not without criticism. Some argued the video was overproduced and lacked the organic feel typical of the platform—the creators’ styles felt insincere and forced. Others noted that despite the campaign’s success, Hilton’s account overall didn’t maintain momentum or audience interest.
Critics emphasized that the success didn’t come from the video’s length alone, but from its clever structure and self-aware humor—it was seen as an exception, not a new norm.
Key Takeaways from Hilton’s TikTok Campaign
- Hilton was the first to capitalize on TikTok’s new 10-minute format, consciously breaking the platform’s unwritten rules. The campaign proved that with the right concept, even unconventional formats can succeed—if the content is engaging and shareable, duration doesn’t matter.
- Involving Paris Hilton created a strong conceptual tie with the brand. Her name carried both family and cultural significance, logically connecting the campaign to Hilton’s identity.
- Partnering with popular creators gave the campaign organic reach and helped tailor the content to fit TikTok’s platform and audience expectations.
- Professional production, multi-layered structure, and TikTok-style editing kept viewer attention throughout the video.
- Clear viewer incentive—prizes for those who watched to the end, boosted engagement, and watch time.
- A three-part media plan (teaser, launch, sustain) ensured the campaign didn’t just appear in the feed and vanish, but remained visible and relevant.
