By
Rebecca Gibson |
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2016 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Based on an interpretation of the popular call-and-response game Marco Polo, Celebrity Cruises’ early 2016 TV adverts in the US depicted a chef, waitress, beautician and other crew members beckoning ‘like-minded travellers to answer the call of modern luxury’. Part of the line’s global Modern Luxury Lives Here campaign, the adverts were live until May 2016 and highlighted the hallmarks of a Celebrity cruise and are complemented by three additional commercials. One portrayed a Michelin-starred Celebrity chef buying fresh salmon from a local fishmonger at a market in Alaska, showing guests that they can expect high quality cuisine with fresh produce sourced from the destinations they visit during their cruise. Another showcased various European destinations, while the third focused on the varied sights guests can see from their veranda, simultaneously highlighting that most guest staterooms have verandas and that Celebrity takes guests to exotic destinations worldwide.
“During my 31 years in this industry, cruise lines have rolled out the same standard promotional shots year after year, such as a couple drinking champagne on a balcony, or a guest enjoying a massage,” says Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, who was appointed as Celebrity Cruises’ first-ever female president and CEO in December 2014. “Our campaigns use storytelling to bring our brand pillars to life, such as the 90-second ‘A Different View’ film created by Genero for the UK market last autumn. Showing our cruise experience through the eyes of real guests as they visited ports and relaxed onboard Celebrity Silhouette, the advert emphasised the elements that make a Celebrity cruise better, more luxurious and more memorable than any other.”
A key part of Lutoff-Perlo’s strategy is to target marketing to specific passenger source markets and customer demographics.
“Celebrity’s main aim is to exceed our customers’ expectations by tailoring their cruise experience to their individual needs and preferences, and this starts long before they’ve booked their cruise or boarded our ships,” she says. “Rather than simply relying on mass media communication and generic TV adverts broadcast worldwide, we tailor our brand proposition to the personal preferences of specific customer demographics. For example, we promote our great culinary experiences and partnerships with renowned chefs to food lovers, whereas we market our onshore adventures designed by well-known explorers like Ben Fogle to wildlife enthusiasts or adrenalin seekers.”
Over the past 16 to 18 months, Celebrity’s internal marketing team and UK- and US-based external public relations agencies have invested more time and money in digital marketing. The teams have also adopted data analytics tools and psychographics to fully understand what is most important to customers. Social media is also playing a pivotal role in fostering brand loyalty.
“Consumer advocacy is powerful and I truly believe that people buy into a brand because they like what others are saying about it, so we encourage our guests to share their Celebrity experiences via platforms like Twitter,” says Lutoff-Perlo. “Our website showcases guests’ Facebook ratings and feedback so visitors can immediately see the types of wonderful experiences we offer on our cruises. Our guests have already played a key role in promoting Europe to US consumers via social media.”
Celebrity analyses the impact of all promotional initiatives so it can determine which were most successful and ensure subsequent campaigns reach as many of the right people at the right time through the right channels as possible. Noting that Celebrity has already seen encouraging uplift in its major passenger source markets, Lutoff-Perlo says: “More people are opening links in our marketing e-mails and, after ‘A Different View’ aired in the UK, the number of people considering Celebrity rose by 6%, while brand awareness leapt 8% to its highest-ever level. Plus, our bookings have increased, so we’re definitely headed in the right direction.”
However, Lutoff-Perlo is careful not to become complacent. “We could have the world’s most compelling marketing campaign, but if our ships, onboard experience and itineraries fall short of the modern luxury promise we make, our guests won’t return,” she explains, adding that onboard crew play a key role in ensuring that Celebrity’s cruise experience aligns with its core brand pillars. “Our top priority is to continually evolve the Celebrity experience and hone the exclusive elements and services that make our cruises so special for our guests.”
This April, for example, Celebrity rolled out a new high-speed internet service to all its large ships, except the Galápagos Islands-based Celebrity Xpedition.
“Our guests want to stay connected and share their travel experiences in real time while on holiday, and Xcelerate has been one of the most highly praised additions to our brand for a long time – it’s generated some amazing social media chatter among guests,” Lutoff-Perlo says. “This summer, guests can enjoy our first Chef’s Market Discoveries, joining our chefs at local markets and vineyards as they choose fresh produce for the evening meal. Highlights will include visits to fresh fish markets in Iceland and learning how to pair vodka with foods in St Petersburg, Russia.”
Celebrity also regularly upgrades its fleet. Since December 2015, Celebrity has revitalised Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Millennium, enhancing the Penthouse and Royal Suites, adding an Italian-inspired ristorante and enoteca Tuscan Grille, and introducing the new Rooftop Terrace with its combined cultural film and dining experience, A Taste of Film. In 2018, the line will launch the first of four Edge Class vessels.
“The Edge Class is very special for Celebrity because it’s been six years since we last debuted a new ship – Celebrity Reflection – and around 12 years since we designed a new class of ship,” remarks Lutoff-Perlo. “However, while we’re introducing all of the new innovations on the Edge Class, we’ll continue to promote all of the other wonderful ships, luxurious accommodation, exclusive dining and entertainment experiences, varied itineraries and memorable shore excursions that people can experience when they choose to cruise with Celebrity.”