Now that Paris Hilton has been released from jail, pundits are wondering whether there will be any fallout for the Hilton hotel brand name. Research in marketing suggests that those wannabe consumers who closely identify with Paris Hilton will not be put off by her distasteful antics and criminal behavior; however, for those who find her on the sorry side, those negative perceptions may transfer to the brand.

This may not be much of an issue for current Hilton hotel consumer loyalists - elite members especially may not care either way, especially if a hotel upgrade is in their future. However, for current customers who have more of a choice, Starwood and Marriott should be looking even better about now.

Yet, the biggest problem is down the road. The Hilton brand is shopworn and tired. A key tenet of marketing is to match your product to your target segment. Let’s take a look at Hilton’s problem. For fun, we can segment the coveted 18-36 demographic into Paris Hilton lovers and Paris Hilton haters.

Research suggests the lovers - who have no problem with Paris Hilton the “bad girl” (indeed, they may strive to be just like her) - won’t think badly of Hilton the hotel. Research also suggests the haters may develop negative attitudes toward the hotel thanks to the bad behavior of the heiress. But let’s examine the implications. The lovers may sample the hotel only to find it in no way meets their expectations (”W” Hotel anyone?) and the haters would rather die than set foot in a Hilton hotel.

(BTW, if this type of research interests you and you want to make a difference in the way companies do business with their customers, check out the UCR eLab panel.)

So, where does that leave us? Paris Hilton needs to rehabiliate her image, and fast. And Hilton hotels? Think facelift, updating, and some fancy sheets. It has been reported that Paris may become a brand consultant for the Learning Annex - her namesake company might be a good first project.