Homewood Suites by Hilton has launched an online contest giving families a chance to star in an electronic billboard in New York City’s Times Square.
The hotel chain is taking advantage of the growing trend by brands to use real people in their advertising campaigns and the popularity of social communities and video-sharing Web sites.
To enter, families upload photos depicting their favorite ” simple moments” from their vacation online. A panel of judges will choose three winning photos that best represent the Homewood Suites brand.
The winning images will be placed on a Times Square billboard in September, where it will be viewed by about 1.7 million people each day. The three families will also fly to New York to see their photo live and receive $750 in spending money. Winners will also be integrated in the company’s advertising campaign.
The contest, which launched last week at HomewoodMoments.com, runs through July 15.
Homewood’s campaign is built around sharing guest experiences while traveling and pointing out that the simplest things in life matter the most. It’s the brand’s biggest campaign to date, the company said.
“It’s the simple moments that are the most memorable, and we want to remind consumers that Homewood Suites by Hilton is an ideal place to stay while traveling on leisure,” said Bill Duncan, vice president, marketing and sales, Homewood Suites by Hilton.
Print ads in USA Today, Southern Living, Family Fun, National Geographic Traveler, Real Simple and Canadian Family and online ads on Web sites including About.com, Sidestep.com, Yahoo.com support the promotion.