Do better Hilton Hotels!
Over the past few months, Hilton has been marketing its new/updated app; using “humor” to try and bring in new customers. I get it, put together a “funny” add and people might download and use your app. One of the adds stars Anna Kendrick as “coach”. Look, I get that they are trying to be funny and anyone who knows me will well tell you that I joke around more than the average person, but this type of ad uses dialogue that is both negative and misguided. I know the dialogue and focus wasn’t on the coach and was on the app, but the words they used are the same ones used by bad coaches all over the world, essentially giving credence (no matter how unintentional) to the idea that coaches shouldn’t be positive and motivational. A quick google search shows us that Anna didn’t appear to play sports growing up, so we can forgive her for possibly not understanding the power coaches can have for youth; but Hilton, on the other hand, has been a brand sponsor for many, many, many sports leagues/events/teams. They absolutely understand the sports world. This means one of two things:
They know that the commercials they make aren’t positive and simply don’t care, or;
They are ignorant of the impact that sports play in our community despite their involvement in the industry.
Both are dangerous. Check out the video below:
Think about the word choice the kids used.
1. Pick the starters
2. Help us score
3. Can it help us win
Follow that up with Kendrick saying “let’s go lose this soccer game” and you have a recipe for a negative youth sports environment. Again, it was meant to be in jest, but the concepts and ideas are not far off how many youth coaches and parents think about sports. They focus on who starts, who wins, who scores. If they happen to have a team that is less successful on the scoreboard, many coaches have an attitude that isn’t far off the character Kendrick plays in this commercial. So, while I know that it’s all meant to entertain…..Hilton and everyone involved could have put together a much more positive and empowering commercial than this one that they probably spent millions of dollars on that wouldn’t get someone to use the app they are trying to get them to use in the first place. I’ve never produced a commercial in my life, but could certainly put one together that would be more realistic, engaging and community positive (and subsequently more successful) than the disingenuous and minimally thought out ad they have been playing for our “enjoyment”. Every-time I’ve seen this commercial, I can only think that Hilton Hotels should do better!