And for the pièce de résistance, the spot ends by feeding back into itself in a seamless loop that starts back at the beginning of the video.
By treating the audience’s time as something more precious than gold, something that must be rewarded with something of equal or greater value, Hilton kept viewers engaged and entertained for literally 20-80 times longer than your average pre-roll ad.
Tapping into the zeitgeist
The spot does an incredible job leveraging conversational awareness, demonstrating a deep understanding of the cultural zeitgeist and using it to their advantage.
Over the last few months, the internet’s ever-fickle ire has turned toward vacation rental sites like Airbnb. Hundreds of memes, tweets and Reddit posts have circulated, lamenting the endless house rules and chores one has to put up with in order to stay in a vacation rental, all while paying for the privilege to do so. The prevailing opinion expressed in these conversations is that staying at a hotel is far more relaxing than having to deal with all that—but of course, there was no brand attached to this realization.
By tapping into this recent and ongoing frustration, Hilton essentially positioned itself as the beneficiary of that cultural realization, casually proposing its properties as the best option for vacationers and business travelers alike without seeming catty or combative.
This not only helps them stand out from the competition but also positions them prominently in a larger conversation many people are already engaged in—which means they’ll earn loads of free coverage and mindshare as that conversation continues to grow.
All in all, Hilton’s 10-minute TikTok ad is a masterclass in social marketing that not only went mega-viral but generated genuine enthusiasm from viewers who are usually remarkably marketing-resistant. It’s a great reminder that when it comes to social advertising, some rules are meant to be broken—but to break them just right, first you have to know your audience.
It’s the difference between roasting someone you just met and roasting your best friend since high school: The familiarity, the shared history and the deep mutual understanding of each other’s intentions make all the difference in the world. That earned intimacy allows you to communicate in a way a newcomer simply can’t, no matter how hard they try.
By the same token, only brands who are willing to invest the time and energy to develop a genuine relationship with their customer base will be able to reap the kind of rewards Hilton has with this groundbreaking spot.
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