????“免費曲奇！”一位行人從身穿綠色逸林酒店（DoubleTree）T恤的女士手中接過一塊曲奇，歡呼道。這家連鎖酒店本周正開展所謂的“小事情計劃”，大搞戶外營銷，上述在紐約市熨斗廣場引得行人歡呼的贈送曲奇活動正是其中一個環節，其他內容還包括大宣傳蓬、iPad及對話氣泡磁力貼。

????逸林酒店1999年被希爾頓集團納入麾下，其主要競爭對手包括萬豪與喜來登。不過，一年前該連鎖酒店才開始重塑品牌，包括啟用新標志和稍長一些的新名字：希爾頓逸林。逸林全球品牌營銷副總裁約翰?格林里夫宣稱，品牌重塑計劃啟動以來，該酒店的知名度已經翻了一番。逸林2011年在全球開設了40家新酒店，2012年還計劃再開張50多家。（希爾頓本身隸屬私募股權巨頭黑石集團。）

????上世紀80年代以來，逸林酒店一直都向旅客贈送曲奇作為入住的小禮物。酒店也希望讓客人牢記其員工會向他們贈送曲奇這個傳統。“我們希望帶回旅行中的人情味兒，曲奇只是實現該目標的方法之一。”格林里夫如是說。

????一年前，逸林員工駕著一輛運食品的卡車走遍全美，四處贈送免費美食，以慶祝啟用巧克力曲奇25周年。這一次，戶外帳篷活動在曼哈頓啟動，隨后將蔓延到美國其他地區，一直持續到11月。新宣傳活動以科技與社交媒體為主題，但仍然離不開車輪子，一輛寶馬Mini Cooper“愿望車”將讓粉絲們用Twitter向他們發“小事”（#littlethings）消息。“我們正嘗試將其從街頭活動升級為整合營銷事件。”格林里夫解釋道。

????走近帳篷時我感到頗為驚訝。在這營造出森林感覺的帆布帳篷下面有：一張登記桌，在此你可領取曲奇和25美元的禮品卡，用于折抵逸林酒店房費；休息區；擺著可用于參加競賽的iPad的柜臺；在這一切中間，還有一棵所謂的“吐衷腸之樹”。樹上固定著一臺小型電視顯示器，展示人們用“小事”（#littlethings）標簽發出來的Twitter消息。帳篷中還有免費無線網絡信號。

????一位工作人員解釋道：“我們邀請人們與我們分享旅行中他們喜歡那些小事！”我指出：“唔，你指的是我住在酒店時的體會吧。”她說：“不，任何與旅行有關的事情都行。”我故意和她唱反調：“要是我的小事情與飛行有關呢？你們可幫不上忙。”“嗯，”她有些沮喪地說，“我們可以，唔，盡力而為。”

????"Freeeee cookie!" squeals a pedestrian, to no one in particular, after receiving one from a woman in a green DoubleTree t-shirt. The yelp-inducing giveaways in New York City's Flatiron Plaza were part of the hotel chain's so-called "little things project," an outdoor marketing event this week involving a large tent, iPads, magnetic speech bubbles, and, of course, the cookies.

????Hilton acquired DoubleTree -- Marriott and Sheraton are among its main competitors -- in 1999. But just a year ago the chain underwent a rebranding process, including a new logo and longer name: DoubleTree by Hilton. John Greenleaf, vice president of global brand marketing, claims that awareness of DoubleTree has doubled since the rebranding took place. DoubleTree opened 40 new hotels globally in 2011 and plans to open over 50 in 2012. (Hilton is owned by private equity giant Blackstone.)

????The cookies, meanwhile, have been a staple of checking into a DoubleTree since the 1980s. The company is pushing to remind travelers that its staff gives out a warm cookie at check-in. "The cookies are just part of what we're doing, bringing the return of the human touch to travel," Greenleaf says.

????A year ago, DoubleTree drove a food truck around the country, delivering free treats to celebrate the 25-year anniversary of its chocolate chip cookie. This time, an outdoor tent event kicked off in Manhattan but will continue across the country until November. The new campaign is centered around technology and social media, though it still has wheels. A Mini Cooper "swarm car" will deliver the "little thing" fans tweet to them. "We're trying to take it more from just a street event to an integrated marketing effort," Greenleaf explains.

????It was with some trepidation I approached the tent. Under the forest-like canvas bubble was: a check-in desk where you receive your cookie and $25 gift card toward a DoubleTree stay, lounge area, counter with iPads on which people can enter a contest, and in the middle of it all, something the company is calling the "tell-me tree." Suspended in the tree, a small TV displays tweets using the #littlethings hashtag. There was also free wi-fi inside the tent.

????A greeter explained, "We're asking people to share with us the little things they like when they're traveling!" I pointed out, "Well, you mean when I'm staying at a hotel." She said, "No, anything relating to travel." I played devil's advocate: "But what if my little thing involves flying? You can't help with that." "Well," she said, a bit aggrieved, "We can, uhm, do our best."