Admit it: Every time an ad for a cruise line comes on, you stop fast-forwarding through the commercials and watch it. And then, you rewind and watch it again. It doesn’t matter if it’s a ship you’ve been on or one you’ve never heard of. Because that’s just how we cruise addicts are. And for the most part, the various cruise ads we see are pretty similar. Smiling, happy people cavorting in pools, lounging in the sun, dancing the night away, and eating fantastic meals.
But the folks at Seabourn – aka Carnival Corporation’s luxury division – have truly raised the stakes with their latest ad, titled “Extraordinary Worlds.” (Side note: Did you know that ads have titles? Live and learn, kids!)
What Makes It Different?
“People don’t think in black-and-white,” Mark Figliulo, CEO of Figliulo & Partners, the agency responsible for the spot, told the folks at AdWeek. “They’re considering where to go and where to stay at the same time. That’s why we show this unique experience in those terms – the exquisite detail of on-ship and on-shore experiences.”
Over the past year or so, we’ve noticed an increased creativity when it comes to the approaches cruise lines are taking where their marketing attempts are concerned. Earlier this year, Pitbull – the official godfather of Norwegian Escape – released a music video for his song Freedom that is, in essence, a three minute, high-energy ad for the ship. And with over 10 million YouTube views (and counting), it’s a safe bet that the tune has introduced cruising – once thought of as a vacation for the old folks – to a whole new audience. (Especially since the video’s description links to information on the Pitbull After Dark cruise which the wildly popular musician will be hosting in March of 2017!)
What’s the most memorable ad you’ve seen for a cruise line?
