College move-in day: a harrowing rite of passage. Graduate by Hilton’s new back-to-school campaign, created with social-first creative agency Movers+Shakers, turns one of the year’s most chaotic family moments into an orientation for the fictional Order of the Stay, a not-so-secret club that makes college move-in more manageable.
The hero spot plays like an initiation video, complete with an oath and a narrator, played by actor, writer & social media influencer, Clayton Farris, (@claytonfarris4ever) who guides viewers through the Graduate experience while introducing the very-real absurdities of college move-in day, from exhausted parents to students confronting the reality of leaving home.
The creative also pulls directly from the Graduate by Hilton brand. Its hotels are designed around the college towns they call home, with school-specific references, local history, and unexpected design details woven throughout each property.
The campaign will run across the brand’s social channels, supported by additional short-form spots. Graduate is also extending the idea through a creator program featuring different perspectives on the college experience, from a senior reflecting on move-in day to a design-focused creator exploring Graduate’s interiors and a parent recreating the move-in experience.
