Hilton, Discovery Team For Kids’ Summer Premiums

Hilton Hotels and Discovery Kids Channel have partnered for a new promotion to satisfy the pickiest consumer—kids. The hotel chain and the cable TV network are giving its youngest guests special treatment with a promotion that doles out a summer vacation package filled with goodies.

At participating Hilton Hotels, children 12 and under will receive a Hilton Discovery Kids Pack, a backpack filled with an activity book and a Discovery Kids DVD featuring four episodes of the series Endurance and a year-long subscription to Cosmeo, an Internet-based homework help tool. The summer package is available to kids whose parents register for the Hilton Discovery Kids package through Labor Day in the U.S, Canada and Mexico.

Hilton is dangling the backpack premium to celebrate the idea of family togetherness while giving kids branded goodies to help make their summer vacations memorable, said Abby Spartz, senior director of brand marketing/advertising for Hilton Hotels. The summer promotion is the start of a long-term relationship between Hilton Hotels and the Discovery Kids Channel.

“Anyone can offer a backpack, but it’s really about the experience [behind consumers’] travels,” Spartz said.

As part of the promotion, kids can share their vacation photos and videos to Show Us Your Summer at DiscoveryKids.com. Kids send in photos and video clips with a short description of their summer adventures for a chance to have their clip aired on the Discovery kids Channel and online.

“It really closely aligns the core message of the Hilton brand around the idea…that travels should take you places, that travels should spark discovery,” Spartz said.

Consumers can also enter the Travel Should Spark Discovery online sweepstakes for a chance to win a seven-night vacation to one of eight exotic participating Hilton Hotels worldwide. To enter, consumers can visit Hilton.com/DiscoveryKids. Discovery Kids Channel handles in-house.

Hilton joins other hotel chains, including Doubletree Hotels that have launched promotions targeting children using exclusive premiums. Doubletree this summer ramped up its kidsCarepak program with a sports focus, offering guests with kids aged three to 12 an assortment of essentials during their summer travels (PROMO P&I, June 14, 2006). The promotion runs through Sept. 4.

TV spots, print ads and online materials support the Hilton promotion.

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