- Adobe welcomes Hilton as brand partner for the 2022 Adobe Analytics Challenge, the only global business competition where college students learn to solve business challenges with data from leading brands
- Teams will analyze data on leisure and business travelers, identifying ways to personalize the guest experience
- Adobe Customer Journey Analytics, part of Adobe Analytics, will help students uncover deeper insights on travelers’ needs through cross-channel analysis
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Today, Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced it is partnering with Hilton for the 2022 Adobe Analytics Challenge, the only global business competition where college students solve challenges using real, anonymized data from leading brands. During the Analytics Challenge, teams are tasked with uncovering insights using Adobe Analytics to provide recommendations addressing a pressing business challenge. Students walk away with in-demand skills for the job market, while vying for over $60,000 in cash prizes.
Celebrating its 18th year, the Adobe Analytics Challenge selected leading global hospitality brand Hilton to power the 2022 competition. With a portfolio of 18 brands and more than 7,000 properties worldwide, Hilton has welcomed more than three billion guests in its more than 100-year history and has experienced a strong rebound in travel of all types following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, modern-day travelers have become even more digitally savvy and expect brands to deliver outstanding online and in-person experiences.
The Challenge: Business, Leisure and Bleisure Travel
For 2022, students are tasked with identifying differences between business and leisure travelers, while keeping an eye on the emergence of “bleisure”—a growing trend where consumers add extra days to their business trips to relax and explore the cities they’re visiting. Teams will use anonymized, digital experience data provided by Hilton to recommend personalization strategies, looking at how Hilton can innovate to customize content and experiences for different types of guests and travel needs. Since the information provided by Hilton is anonymized, no personal information will be shared with Adobe or the students as part of the competition.
Students will also deliver recommendations on how Hilton can drive personalization campaigns across different touchpoints, including its website and mobile app. Adobe Customer Journey Analytics, part of Adobe Analytics, will play an important role here, empowering teams to analyze entire customer journeys across multiple channels.
“As a customer-centric company, Hilton is always in search of opportunities to better understand the needs and wants of our guests,” said Jess Petitt, senior vice president of commercial strategy, insights and analytics at Hilton. “With the findings from the Analytics Challenge, we can identify new trends coming out of the pandemic and continue to innovate as we work to create a frictionless travel experience for our valued customers.”
The Finalists
Adobe received thousands of applications this year, spanning over 700 colleges and universities in 22 countries. After a rigorous selection process, six teams made the final round: Université d'Angers in France, the University of Chicago, the University of Maryland at College Park, Utah State University, the University of California at Davis and Brigham Young University.
“Customer Journey Analytics gives brands the holistic insights they need to make customer engagement decisions in minutes, not weeks or even months,” said Nate Smith, Experience Cloud director, product marketing at Adobe. “Data and analysis are the lifeblood of the modern digital economy, and the Adobe Analytics Challenge equips students to use the world’s best analytics tools for data-driven storytelling.”
To watch this year’s finals – presented virtually – visit AdobeAnalyticsChallenge.com on November 16 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET (sessions also available afterwards on demand). Finalists will compete in front of a judging panel including Hilton representatives and other industry experts.
Continued Education with Adobe
Fueled by exponential growth of the Analytics Challenge since its 2005 launch, Adobe now partners with 350+ universities and institutions worldwide to provide a curriculum in data analytics. The Adobe Analytics curriculum equips students with training on Adobe’s suite of data analytics offerings, ensuring they enter the workforce with critical skills businesses need for today’s digital, customer experience-focused economy.
About Adobe
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Public relations contact
Cassandra Beck
Adobe
cbeck@adobe.com
