ATLANTA— HOTEL BUSINESS® has learned Holiday Inn Express won its third consecutive American Marketing Associations Gold EFFIE award for its “Stay Smart” advertising campaign. This year, the Bass Hotels and Resorts brand won for its new “Stay Smart” television commercial that debuted May 28 and spotlights KISS rock band (impersonators) performing at a concert, only the musicians have been replaced by HIE guests. The brand’s signature tagline notes they may not be KISS but they “did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.” Thirty and 60-second versions of the commercial are running on CNN, ESPN, the History Channel, Discovery Networks, A&E, TBS and VH1, among others. The overall campaign, created by Fallon Minneapolis, shows people in varying situations demonstrating out-of-the-box abilities following a night as a Holiday Inn Express guest. Holiday Inn Express introduced its “Stay Smart” campaign in 1998, and according to the company, brand awareness has grown 40 percent and advertising awareness has increased by 96 percent. The brand also opened more than 100 hotels in 2000, pushing the brand over 1,000 properties worldwide. —Stefani C. O’Connor