Our work

Hilton: Launching the World’s First Vegan Suite

Diffusion was briefed to position Hilton London Bankside as an innovator and drive awareness of the hotel in a very crowded market, through a series of high-profile activations. Our creative campaigns needed to make an emotional connection with potential guests and reflect their changing behaviours, attitudes and purchasing preferences, in order to drive higher occupancy and sales.

Insight & Idea

Guest research conducted by Hilton London Bankside identified veganism as a growing area of interest, mirroring the rapid rise in popularity of veganism among consumers in general and the salience of environmental impact on travel purchasing decisions. Through a collaboration with the respected Vegan Society and Bompas & Parr, Hilton London Bankside created a fully vegan experience within one of its suites – a first of its kind in hospitality. Everything from the carpets to the mini-bar were reimagined to create a luxurious and welcoming experience for the ethically-conscious traveller.

Impact & Action

The suite was strategically launched in January to coincide with Veganuary in the UK. An exclusive was secured with the Sunday Times to unveil the suite as a double page spread in the travel section, ensuring maximum impact in a high circulating national newspaper. Diffusion then took the story global, to target media in key in-bound tourism markets. This was supported with a reviews programme, carefully targeting key social influencers and reporters with an interest in health, sustainability and veganism. Diffusion also secured further coverage for the campaign through inclusion in broader features on veganism and ethical travel trends.

The campaign has generated well over 100 pieces of coverage including the Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, Mail Online, ITV News, Metro, London Evening Standard, Vogue and the Financial Times. International coverage includes The South China Post, LA Times and The Wall Street Journal. The Vegan Suite campaign delivered a significant and measurable business impact, creating a halo-effect for the whole hotel, driving both greater brand awareness and consistently higher YOY room occupancy rates throughout 2019.