Attending a school formal is a dream turned nightmare for Australia’s queer youth, who can get expelled just for bringing a same-sex partner or dressing in a way that expresses who they truly are.

As the popular venue for school formals, Hilton has the unique opportunity to make a difference.

KVUR uncovered this powerful insight and came up with a brave concept that demonstrated Hilton’s brand promise of a welcoming stay while helping queer teens in Australia have the school formal they deserve.

We helped secure a partnership between Hilton and Minus18, an Australian LGBTQIA+ youth charity thatorganises queer formals. This partnership demonstrates Hilton’s commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and helped shine the light on Minus18’s work.

To launch the partnership, we brought celebrities, influencers and allies together for the first ever Hilton Rainbow Formal gala at Hilton Sydney on 1st March 2023, right at the heart of the Sydney WorldPride celebration.

In six short weeks, KVUR mobilised a team of specialists working across multiple time zones to bring the event to life. Hollywood celebrity and Australian queer icon Ruby Rose came on board as Hilton brand ambassador, while national music darling and The Voice Australia judge Delta Goodrem performed a private concert. Guests were treated to an exquisite menu specially conceived for the event by Australia’s most celebrated chef, Luke Mangan. And the night was hosted byacclaimed broadcast journalist Hamish Macdonald.

The Hilton Rainbow Formal was Sydney WorldPride’s only rainbow carpet event, widely covered in nationalTV, print, radio and digital media, including TODAY Show, NOVA FM, The Guardian, Refinery29 and GQ – a global, regional and Australian first for Hilton.

Throughout the event and WorldPride, Hilton achieved 78% positive brand sentiment and outperformed competitors by 4:1.

The Rainbow Formal is just the start of a meaningful partnership between Hilton and Minus18 to give every young person the school formal they deserve. It alsounderscores Hilton’s commitment to inclusivity and creating a welcoming stay for everyone.