The Wall Street Journal is reporting Royal Caribbean and new agency partner JWT are launching a new ad campaign Monday, November 10.
The launch follows by only a few days Carnival’s new campaign – interestingly with former Royal Caribbean agency Arnold.
Royal Caribbean is sailing away from the successful 9-year-old "Get Out There." The new campaign is dubbed "The Nation of Why Not." The Nation of Why Not kicks off with two television commercials (30-second and 60- second versions) inviting vacationers to secede from land and become citizens of “the nation.” The tongue-in-cheek spots - a combination of live action and animation - begin November 10, during morning show programming on ABC and NBC television networks, and during primetime programming on ABC and CBS. The commercials highlight Royal Caribbean’s global destinations.
The reason given by the Wall Street Journal is RCL is going after more revenues from European and Asian consumers. WSJ cites Royal Caribbean’s third-quarter earnings call last week when it was stated that more than 40% of revenues will come from outside of North America in 2009 , up from 30% last year.
While that may be true, I think the strategy is larger than that. After all, 60% of revenues will still be from North America. “The Nation of Why Not” may also be a smart, timely play off the recent historic election and current forward-looking mentality towards economic recovery. In addition, research shows destinations play an important role in consumer cruise choices, so RCL may be promoting its depth of destination alternatives to U.S. consumers.
The ads creatively challenge viewers to do things at sea that they could not do on land, such as “Why not ice skate on the equator and climb mountains at sea?” Additionally, print ads will launch in forty newspapers nationwide on Sunday, November 16, 2008.
Travel and cruise industry professionals will be introduced to The Nation of Why Not on Monday, November 17, with the first edition of “The Why Not Herald,” an insert in key travel trade publications across the United States and Canada. Subsequent editions will feature the new brand campaign’s print advertisements.
See the Nation of Why Not
Updated 10/10/08
Related articles
- Royal Caribbean International Launches New Global Brand Campaign, Beckoning Consumers to Hear the Call of the Sea (cruisetalk.org)
- Royal Caribbean Goes Underground (cruisediva.blogspot.com)
