Hilton Worldwide is promoting the Hilton@PLAY concert series, an extension of the Hilton HHonors loyalty platform, by enabling fans to virtually attend a Nick Jonas concert via Periscope, proving the live-streaming mobile application's potency with hotel marketers.

The concert, which took place on April 22, asked fans to tune-in at 9:15 p.m. to watch Mr. Jonas, now a solo artist, perform some of his hit songs at the Hilton Anatole hotel. The event was the second concert rolled out by Hilton@PLAY, a global campaign with the mission to inspire consumers to get out and see the world, and enable the brand to reach a wider audience by offering members of its Hilton HHonors rewards program access to exclusive digital media, hotel concerts and ticket booking links.

?We recently launched Hilton@PLAY, which encourages our guests and travelers to get out, explore the unfamiliar and, as the name implies? play more,? said Dustin Bomar, vice president of digital acquisition at Hilton Worldwide, McLean, VA. ?So when planning tonight?s Nick Jonas concert at Hilton Anatole, which is part of our Hilton @PLAY concert series, we wanted to push ourselves to practice what we preach and try something new.

?The Hilton@PLAY concert series is set up to deliver exclusive performances from some of the world?s hottest artists to HHonors members and guests. And while we?re always looking for ways to keep the concerts intimate, we?re really excited that live streaming on Periscope allows us the opportunity to invite the world to virtually join.?

Leveraging Periscope
More brands in a variety of sectors are leveraging Periscope, widely tipped as the next big thing in social media apps.

Fans of Mr. Jonas or his previous band, The Jonas Brothers, can receive a virtual front ticket to his performance by following the brand?s handle on Twitter, @HiltonHHonors, and downloading the Periscope app for their mobile or tablet devices.

The event will mark the first time that a live concert will be broadcast via the live-streaming app and Twitter in its entirety, a tactic that will certainly ramp up buzz among music fans on social media.

Hilton?s @PLAY platform asks members of its Hilton Honors rewards program to trade in their accumulated points to attend brand-exclusive concerts or receive other offerings. Members may visit HHonors.com/auctions to view a list of available meet-and-greets, performances and sporting games that they may redeem their points for.

Current options include tickets to VIP access to music artist Meghan Trainor?s private Hilton concert in Chicago, tickets to a USA Men?s indoor volleyball game and a Paramore meet-and-greet as the band embarks on a summer tour.

Building awareness
This serves as an excellent strategy for Hilton to gain traction on social media and also augment awareness of its mobile-friendly rewards platform. Although fans who watched the Nick Jonas concert on Periscope did not have to be members of the brand?s loyalty program, the event functioned as a taste of what membership could offer.

In January, Hilton Worldwide marked a new five-year partnership with Live Nation by offering Facebook users a daily opportunity to win prizes including a vacation, hotel stays and tickets to the Grammy Awards, proving that partnerships leveraging social media are key for driving brand awareness and sales (see story).

Meanwhile, a plethora of major brands continue to tap Periscope as a way of rolling out creative marketing methods and connecting with consumers on social media.

When Twitter debuted Periscope this past March, PepsiCo?s Mountain Dew immediately jumped on board for a chance to bring its mobile social strategy to the next level, using the app to Tweet out a link to its live stream and encourage Twitter users to stop by (see story).

Once the stream finished, the beverage brand reached out to fans that watched to reward them with swag pieces for engaging with it in real time.

?Today, leveraging mobile is becoming more of a mandatory and less of an option as we look to connect to travelers,? Mr. Bomar said. ?The reality is, more times than not, our guests? closest traveling companion is their smart phone, giving them the personalization and control they crave at the tip of the fingers.

?Customers now expect to engage with travel brands whenever and wherever - whether that?s to seek out local experiences while on the road or to simply check into their hotel room,? he said. ?We understand the need to be present, powerful and current on mobile platforms.

?Our focus is on purposeful - and, as it relates to Hilton@PLAY, playful - innovation. We innovate with the purpose to enhance the guest experience, delighting them inside and outside of our hotel walls.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York