希尔顿逸林酒店社交网络宣传的成与败

    “免费曲奇！”一位行人从身穿绿色逸林酒店（DoubleTree）T恤的女士手中接过一块曲奇，欢呼道。这家连锁酒店本周正开展所谓的“小事情计划”，大搞户外营销，上述在纽约市熨斗广场引得行人欢呼的赠送曲奇活动正是其中一个环节，其他内容还包括大宣传蓬、iPad及对话气泡磁力贴。

    逸林酒店1999年被希尔顿集团纳入麾下，其主要竞争对手包括万豪与喜来登。不过，一年前该连锁酒店才开始重塑品牌，包括启用新标志和稍长一些的新名字：希尔顿逸林。逸林全球品牌营销副总裁约翰•格林里夫宣称，品牌重塑计划启动以来，该酒店的知名度已经翻了一番。逸林2011年在全球开设了40家新酒店，2012年还计划再开张50多家。（希尔顿本身隶属私募股权巨头黑石集团。）

    上世纪80年代以来，逸林酒店一直都向旅客赠送曲奇作为入住的小礼物。酒店也希望让客人牢记其员工会向他们赠送曲奇这个传统。“我们希望带回旅行中的人情味儿，曲奇只是实现该目标的方法之一。”格林里夫如是说。

    一年前，逸林员工驾着一辆运食品的卡车走遍全美，四处赠送免费美食，以庆祝启用巧克力曲奇25周年。这一次，户外帐篷活动在曼哈顿启动，随后将蔓延到美国其他地区，一直持续到11月。新宣传活动以科技与社交媒体为主题，但仍然离不开车轮子，一辆宝马Mini Cooper“愿望车”将让粉丝们用Twitter向他们发“小事”（#littlethings）消息。“我们正尝试将其从街头活动升级为整合营销事件。”格林里夫解释道。

    走近帐篷时我感到颇为惊讶。在这营造出森林感觉的帆布帐篷下面有：一张登记桌，在此你可领取曲奇和25美元的礼品卡，用于折抵逸林酒店房费；休息区；摆着可用于参加竞赛的iPad的柜台；在这一切中间，还有一棵所谓的“吐衷肠之树”。树上固定着一台小型电视显示器，展示人们用“小事”（#littlethings）标签发出来的Twitter消息。帐篷中还有免费无线网络信号。

    一位工作人员解释道：“我们邀请人们与我们分享旅行中他们喜欢那些小事！”我指出：“唔，你指的是我住在酒店时的体会吧。”她说：“不，任何与旅行有关的事情都行。”我故意和她唱反调：“要是我的小事情与飞行有关呢？你们可帮不上忙。”“嗯，”她有些沮丧地说，“我们可以，唔，尽力而为。”

    "Freeeee cookie!" squeals a pedestrian, to no one in particular, after receiving one from a woman in a green DoubleTree t-shirt. The yelp-inducing giveaways in New York City's Flatiron Plaza were part of the hotel chain's so-called "little things project," an outdoor marketing event this week involving a large tent, iPads, magnetic speech bubbles, and, of course, the cookies.

    Hilton acquired DoubleTree -- Marriott and Sheraton are among its main competitors -- in 1999. But just a year ago the chain underwent a rebranding process, including a new logo and longer name: DoubleTree by Hilton. John Greenleaf, vice president of global brand marketing, claims that awareness of DoubleTree has doubled since the rebranding took place. DoubleTree opened 40 new hotels globally in 2011 and plans to open over 50 in 2012. (Hilton is owned by private equity giant Blackstone.)

    The cookies, meanwhile, have been a staple of checking into a DoubleTree since the 1980s. The company is pushing to remind travelers that its staff gives out a warm cookie at check-in. "The cookies are just part of what we're doing, bringing the return of the human touch to travel," Greenleaf says.

    A year ago, DoubleTree drove a food truck around the country, delivering free treats to celebrate the 25-year anniversary of its chocolate chip cookie. This time, an outdoor tent event kicked off in Manhattan but will continue across the country until November. The new campaign is centered around technology and social media, though it still has wheels. A Mini Cooper "swarm car" will deliver the "little thing" fans tweet to them. "We're trying to take it more from just a street event to an integrated marketing effort," Greenleaf explains.

    It was with some trepidation I approached the tent. Under the forest-like canvas bubble was: a check-in desk where you receive your cookie and $25 gift card toward a DoubleTree stay, lounge area, counter with iPads on which people can enter a contest, and in the middle of it all, something the company is calling the "tell-me tree." Suspended in the tree, a small TV displays tweets using the #littlethings hashtag. There was also free wi-fi inside the tent.

    A greeter explained, "We're asking people to share with us the little things they like when they're traveling!" I pointed out, "Well, you mean when I'm staying at a hotel." She said, "No, anything relating to travel." I played devil's advocate: "But what if my little thing involves flying? You can't help with that." "Well," she said, a bit aggrieved, "We can, uhm, do our best."