Celebrity Cruises spends big on multimillion-dollar campaign amid industry declines

Despite climbing COVID cases due to the delta variant, Celebrity Cruises is encouraging customers to take to the seas for vacation—with safety in mind. The brand, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises, is debuting its largest advertising campaign since before the pandemic as it tries to bolster lagging sales. A 60-second spot set to the song “What a Wonderful World” asks viewers “Isn’t it time to see the world again?” and “To see each other safely.” The spot includes video of beach landscapes, waterfalls and exotic animal activity, along with people enjoying cocktails and dining experiences. Subscribe to Ad Age now for the latest industry news and analysis. After a 16-month pause in operations due to COVID-19, Celebrity began operating again in June. The brand is requiring all eligible guests to be vaccinated and undergo coronavirus testing before stepping foot on a ship, according to Michael Scheiner, who joined the company as chief marketing officer and senior VP earlier this year from Tommy Hilfiger. “The idea really was about our guests and consumers—what they’re going through and what they and all of us are feeling as the world is starting to get back to normal,” says Scheiner. “You look at college football stadiums being packed—this is a time to start to live and enjoy our lives together.” The fall is typically not a big time for cruise line marketing, but Celebrity Cruises is trying to capture some of the interest it is seeing from customers booking for the winter and into 2022, says Lisa Lutoff Perlo, chief executive, noting that Celebrity Cruises last had a large campaign in January of 2020. The brand is spending tens of millions of dollars on the new push, she says. Yet the marketing comes at a time when COVID-19 is still very present. Recent reports cite a record number of U.S. hospitalizations, including in West Virginia. After suffering massive financial losses during the pandemic, the cruise industry has been trying to return to the black. For the six months ended June 30, Royal Caribbean, which also owns Silversea Cruises, reported revenue of $92.9 million, less than half of the $2.2 billion revenue from the year-earlier period. Operating losses for the period were $1.8 billion. Celebrity Cruises has been trying to differentiate itself—last month, it announced new wellness offerings in partnership with Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company. Paltrow joined Miami, Florida-based Celebrity Cruises as “well-being advisor” in April. The new campaign was created internally with assistance from PR firm Good Relations. Media Storm handled media duties. It will air on streaming TV, regional broadcast TV and digital channels and include some out-of-home advertising in select markets. Subscribe to Ad Age now for the latest industry news and analysis.

Celebrity Cruises spends big on multimillion-dollar campaign amid industry declines

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