With the growing popularity of short-form video app, Hilton Resorts leveraged TikTok with a 10-minute video, which featured Chris Olsen, KelzWright, and GirlBoss Town alongside Hilton heiress Paris Hilton.
At first look, the video seems to be a mash-up of different videos, with various styles, filters, creators and effects. It worked due to its brand power and uniqueness. And it also shows that TikTok is indeed the king of influencer marketing. The Chinese-owned short-form video has established itself as a digital advertising powerhouse.
Hilton’s video has Paris Hilton asking “Would you watch a 10-minute-long TikTok?” And Chris Olsen answers, “No”. He is sitting in the front seat of his car and Paris Hilton emerges from the backseat. “Well, you should because Hilton believes it matters where you stay. The people that say with this TikTok for the full 10 minutes are going to have a chance to win Hilton honors points, experiences, swag, and more. Is it going to be you?” That’s not all. There are comedy skits, reaction videos, and also a remix to cater to the short-form video app. It also features some familiar faces, with Hilton partnering with some of TikTok’s most celebrated and popular creators.
Thomas Walters, Europe CEO and co-founder of creator agency Billion Dollar Boy, highlighted one of the actors in Hilton’s TikTok ad says 10 minutes on TikTok is like three years in the real world. “And it certainly has felt like that in the past, as attention spans have increasingly become shorter. The hotel chain’s ad bucks a long-standing trend towards short-form video content on social media.”
But despite its success, Walters said the initial analysis would suggest that it’s an exception to the rule rather than being indicative of a broader shift in media consumption habits towards long-form content. “That’s because the length of the video alone, although undoubtedly helping it to stand out from other short-form content on TikTok isn’t what makes it a success.” The executive believes the ad’s success comes from its clever use of a combination of already tried-and-tested marketing techniques.
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Walters described the Hilton ad as “satirise marketing”. “The Hilton video pokes fun at influencers’ traditionally over promotional ad content, tapping into the de-influencing trend on TikTok. And this is evident as Baron Ryan says we don’t want ads on TikTok, people hate them.” He said this makes the ad relatable and honest which helps to support its effectiveness.
