Mad Men, the AMC TV series set in a 60's Madison Avenue advertising agency, is using product placement to push the edge on life imitates the art of advertising by weaving sponsors into storylines, more than just cameo appearances by sponsor products. It looks like they are taking this to another level yet again with a comprehensive campaign for Hilton Hotels.

On this week's episode (season 3, episode 3), lead character Don Draper had a chance encounter with a man named "Connie" who hails originally from San Antonio, in the territory of New Mexico, not Texas. I quickly realized this was Conrad Hilton as anyone familiar with Conrad Hilton's life would do. From years of Hilton stays I'm intimate with Be My Guest, the Conrad Hilton autobiography that used to be placed in every Hilton room with the Gideon's Bible, and have watched the Hilton video on demand documentaries more than once.

Hilton was an amiable man who, while comfortable in his skin, never felt fully at ease in high society. "Connie" quickly takes confidence in Don Draper and reveals this side of himself, recognizing Don as a kindred spirit, a self made man who like himself has risen from humble beginnings to become a person of wealth and import.

Other elements of the Hilton/Mad Men campain include Hilton Mad Men sweepstakes, ample use of HHonors Twitter to promote the same, and free viewings of Mad Men episodes in Hilton video on demand programming.

I'm predicting the Conrad Hilton storyline will unfold over the season, and Hilton will become a major client or will at least be courted by Sterling Cooper. It will be interesting to see how the Hilton storyline fits with Mad Men's examinations of the dramatic social changes in post-war/cold war America. Perhaps it will address Hilton's pioneering development of airport hotels at the dawn of widespread commercial air travel, or just the fact that Hilton created the concept of an international full service hotel brand.

It also is a great hook for younger viewers. After all, Conrad is Paris and Nicky's great-grandfather, the one who made their fortune.