Hilton Takes Pulse of Luxury Brands with Web Video Series

John Vanderslice is Hilton Worldwide's global head of luxury and lifestyle brands, which means the Conrad and Waldorf Astoria hotel brands.

He's also the host of The Luxury Manifesto, a new web video series that will run online and on the Facebook pages for Conrad and Waldorf Astoria to highlight Hilton's corporate commitment to the luxury sector through conversations with other luxury brand leaders.

The first five-minute webisode, posted today, includes fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, New York-based restaurateur Danny Meyer, and Saks CEO Stephen Sadove weighing in on where they think luxury is going. According to Hilton's press release, the series identifies four areas that are top of mind for the luxury thought leaders interviewed:

Employees First – Luxury brands need to put employees first, not customers. This counterintuitive move ensures happy, empowered employees — the kind of employees who provide top-notch service.

Experiences Over Things – Post-financial meltdown, true luxury means enjoying and sharing unique personal experiences, not the accumulation of possessions.

Service Does Not Equal Hospitality – Service is a one-way technical process that normally involves meeting certain company-wide standards. Hospitality is a two-way dialogue that goes above and beyond and uses employee empathy and intuition to create a truly luxury experience.

Time is the Ultimate Luxury – Excellent luxury service anticipates and handles guests’ needs, freeing up coveted “white space” on the calendar.