Hilton

Helping a hospitality giant reclaim loyalty

Hilton

Industry

Hospitality

What We Did

Brand Strategy
Brand Architecture
Audience Definition
Messaging & Experience Strategy
Go-to-Market Strategy

What separates a hotel stay from an experience worth returning to?

Hilton came to us with a cannibalization problem. Guests couldn’t easily discern the differences among their brands, leading them to book the best rate at any Hilton property in the same service tier. Because Hilton wasn’t making clear choices with their brands’ positioning, guests were disappointed in the inconsistent experiences of their choices.

Thank you for your incredible thought partnership and your amazing patience with Team Hilton along the way. We are delighted to have reached this important milestone and now look forward to further developing and executing on the new brand positionings.

Martin Rinck

Former EVP & Global Head, Luxury & Lifestyle

Injecting a confident sense of distinction in  a stable of brands

Once we defined a strategic swim lane for each brand, we turned our attention to paying them off through what matters most to guests: the experience of their stay.

Based on each hotel’s individual business priorities, we created a set of unique signature experiences designed to drive differentiation and cement loyalty at key moments of truth from check-in to check-out.

Impact

A culmination of distinct brand intiatives

The work has since taken shape across Hilton's luxury properties:

Waldorf Astoria Peacock Alley
Waldorf Astoria New York reopened in July 2025 after an extensive renovation, with Peacock Alley reinstated as its anchor bar and dining destination. It is now a global standard across Waldorf Astoria properties, each expressing the brand's heritage through locally rooted F&B.

Conrad 1/3/5
Conrad launched 1/3/5, a signature global program offering guests curated itineraries connecting them to local design, culture, and culinary scenes across all 50 properties.

Conrad Art Encounters
A signature global program connecting guests to contemporary art and local culture at every property worldwide.

Status

Hilton continues to thrive with Hilton Honors surpassing 250 million members globally. Its luxury brands now span more than 500 properties worldwide. In 2025 alone, Hilton opened over 150 new luxury and lifestyle hotels, with Waldorf Astoria adding 29 new properties to its pipeline and Conrad continuing to expand across five continents.