Hilton Hotels To Activate USOC Sponsorship With New TV Spot

Watch TV Spot From Hilton's Olympic Campaign

USOC sponsor Hilton Hotels Corp. is "putting down big money on an integrated umbrella campaign -- including TV and Olympic sponsorship -- for its nine brands," according to Mike Beirne of BRANDWEEK. Part of the $15M initiative, via DraftFCB, S.F., will be a "new spot airing during" the Beijing Games. The spot "shows scenes of camaraderie among co-workers, teammates, war veterans and other relationships to suggest that the term 'family' transcends biological relationships and that Hilton welcomes different types of families as its guests." The ad will air on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC and will appear in online video recaps of the Games on NBCOlympics.com. Print ads in national newspapers will support. Hilton Senior VP/Brand Management Jeffrey Diskin said, "Part of this campaign is for the world to know that we are a sponsor. People presume that an Olympic sponsor is a category leader." Hilton has already activated its USOC sponsorship by "remodeling rooms" at the U.S. Olympic team's training facility in Colorado Springs. Hilton also has "developed a curriculum for athletes to help them understand" the Chinese language (BRANDWEEK.com, 7/11).

CHECKING OUT: In Chicago, Lewis Lazare writes Hilton has "made the ill-advised decision to debut a commercial in black and white for one of the most colorful events in all of sports." The ad, which is titled "Olympics," features "mostly a series of still photographs that don't do a very good job of conveying the energy and action" of the Olympics (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/14).