Royal caribbean
People thought that cruising was for the “newlywed, overfed, and nearly dead.” To shift those perceptions, we needed to make the marketing as innovative and dynamic as the actually experience on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Come Seek
Sustained Success
Rather than continue to fight competitors for the same repeat customers, Royal Caribbean needed a positioning and platform that would appeal to a new audience and secure long-term, sustainable growth. Royal Caribbean’s “Come Seek” campaign reoriented the company around adventure (not cruising), changing perceptions of the brand (and the category) among a critical audience who vowed they’d never cruise. Since 2015, the campaign has driven historic demand and revenue growth worth hundreds of millions.
The Challenge: Position Royal Caribbean for unprecedented growth with a brand-building effort that overcomes category misperceptions and attracts a new audience.
The Insight: Cruising was perceived as tourism, not travel. And no one aspires to be a tourist.
The Idea: Reframe Royal Caribbean from a touristy cruise line to an adventure travel company.
Bringing the Idea to Life: “Come Seek”, the rallying cry and galvanizing idea that reoriented Royal Caribbean around adventure—from marketing to innovation and beyond.
Results: Increased brand preference and bookings among an elusive new audience, historic YoY incremental demand and revenue growth worth $505M dollars.
RISE to the vacation
After an 18-month shut down and +$6B in losses, Royal Caribbean needed to make up for lost time, and quickly. But all travel brands were fighting for the same “revenge travel” dollars. So how do you create record-breaking demand at a time when cruise hesitation was at an all-time high? You challenge them to take their vacation for all it’s worth. “Rise to the Vacation”dared Seekers to vacation to the fullest with Royal Caribbean, resulting in increases in search engagement volume, brand favorability, and bookings vs. their highest pre-pandemic performance to date.
The Challenge: Generate and capture record-breaking demand for Royal Caribbean after an 18-month pandemic shutdown and +$6B in losses.
The Insight: If you want someone to do something, dare them to do it.
The Idea: Dare Seekers who were playing it safe to take the vacation they actually wanted to take.
Bringing the Idea to Life: “Rise to the Vacation” challenged Seekers to vacation to the fullest with Royal Caribbean.
Results: +55% search engagement volume increase, +12% brand preference increase, and +11% bookings increase vs. highest pre-pandemic performance to date.