After earning an unprecedented eight gold medals for Team USA and setting seven world records at the 2008 Olympic Games, Michael Phelps swam one more lap in Beijing today that will leave a lasting impact on swim programs across the United States. The 16-time Olympic medalist took to the pool at the Hilton Beijing to swim the 6,250th and final lap of the “Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay,” a multi-city charitable event contributing $100,000 to the USA Swimming Foundation to fund swim education programs across the United States. — Photo by Hilton

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. | Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton brands within the Hilton Family of Hotels were recognized with 28 prestigious awards from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The official 19th Annual Adrian Awards Gala will be held in New York City, on January 26, 2009.

“We are delighted with the gratifying recognition inherent in the esteemed Adrian Awards, not only acknowledging our creative brand marketing and communications teams but more importantly, the compelling programs that resonate with our customers and peers and the results that enhance our brands and our commercial growth in powerful ways,” said Paul Brown, president, global brands and shared services, Hilton Hotels Corporation.

The largest travel-related marketing competition of its kind, the Adrian Awards embraces every segment of the industry. The following award-winning Hilton Family campaigns were selected as hotel winners from a pool of 1,300 submissions from 36 countries:

Gold Adrian Awards

HILTON HOTELS & RESORTS

  • Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay Finale (Public Relations, Special Event)

HILTON FAMILY OF HOTELS

  • Search Marketing (Online Marketing)

EMBASSY SUITES HOTELS

  • Embassy Suites Make a Difference (Public Relations, Employee Program)

HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON

  1. Extended Stay Café Newsletter (Public Relations, Employee Program)
  2. IN THE LEAD Sales Promotion (Public Relations, Employee Program)

Silver Adrian Awards

HILTON HOTELS & RESORTS

  • Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay (Public Relations, Feature Placement Online - Consumer Media)
  • Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay (Public Relations, Feature Placement Online - Trade Media)

HILTON FAMILY OF HOTELS

  • be hospitable® (Marketing Program – Consumer)

EMBASSY SUITES HOTELS

  1. Hotel F & B Cover Flying Spoons (Public Relations, Feature Placement, Print)
  2. Embassy Newsletter (Public Relations e-newsletter)
  3. Flying Spoons brochure (Advertising Brochure)
  4. Embassy Suites Do Not Disturb Contest (Web Marketing Category)

HAMPTON INN/HAMPTON INN & SUITES

  • Save-A-Landmark National Civil Rights Museum refurbishment on Entertainment Tonight (Public Relations, Feature Placement, Television)

HILTON GARDEN INN

  1. “Tomorrow’s a Big Day” campaign (Advertising, Positioning - combined use of TV spot, Boss’ Jokes radio, USA Today newspaper strip ads, and the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Big Day landing pages)
  2. “Tomorrow’s a Big Day” (Advertising, Broadcast - 30-second Spot – “Getting Ready”)

HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON

  1. NCH Partnership Video (Public Relations, Public Affairs / Public Service Announcement)
  2. Suite Selection Innovation (Public Relations, Integrated Marketing Campaign for Consumers)

Bronze Adrian Awards

HILTON HOTELS & RESORTS

  1. Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay (Public Relations - Marketing Program – Consumer)
  2. Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay Good Morning America (Public Relations - Feature Placement – Television)
  3. Latin America Campaign Launch (Advertising – Positioning)

DOUBLETREE

  • Teaching Kids to CARE program (Community Relations/Social Responsibility)

EMBASSY SUITES HOTELS

  1. Ellen DeGeneres Show (Public Relations - Marketing Program-Consumer)
  2. Businessbalance.com web site (Web Marketing Category for Website)

HAMPTON INN/HAMPTON INN & SUITES

  • Save A Landmark, Landmark Legends (Public Relations Community Service/Social Responsibility)

HILTON GARDEN INN

  • “Tomorrow’s a Big Day” campaign (Advertising – Print, USA Today on New Year’s, Super Bowl, Valentine’s, Earth Day, Mother’s Day, 4th of July)

HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON

  1. Lewis the Duck Children’s Book (Public Relations – Marketing Program, Consumer)
  2. SuiteLiving.com Web site (Web Marketing, Social Media / Social Networking)
  3. Torreon, Mexico Launch (Public Relations, New Opening/Launch)

Additionally, Bill Duncan, vice president – brand sales and marketing, Homewood Suites by Hilton, was recognized as one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing. The sixth annual list recognizes the “best of the best” in the hospitality, travel and tourism industries, and the recipients will be honored at HSMAI’s annual Adrian Awards in January. The 2008 “Top 25” recipients were judged by a panel of senior industry executives for their recent work based on the following criteria: creativity and innovation; cutting edge sales or marketing campaigns; triumph in challenging situations; and sales efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.

About Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International | HSMAI is a global organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry while operating as a leading voice for both hospitality and sales and marketing management disciplines, as well as connecting its members with customers. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprised of nearly 7,000 members from 35 countries and chapters worldwide. For more information, please visit . Awards information can be found at .

About Hilton Family of Hotels | Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 3,000 hotels and 500,000 rooms in 74 countries and territories, including 135,000 team members worldwide.

The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton®, Conrad®, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand Vacations™, Homewood Suites by Hilton®, and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection™ hotels around the world.

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton’s philosophy that, “It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitable®. The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.

For more information about the company, please visit www.hiltonfamily.com, and to learn more about the be hospitable philosophy, please visit .

Kendra Walker
Hilton Hotels Corporation Brand Communications
310/205-4545
Hilton

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