All Response Media has been around for over 25 years, and in that time we’ve worked on enough campaigns to know what (and what doesn’t) work. ARMreels is a panel led initiative where our experts review category-specific video format creatives against 10 different consumer variables.
For the first session of our ARMreels Reviews, we set sail into the Cruise industry. This sector accounted for around 16% of the travel industry in 2023 in the UK, with January being a key time of year for when people start looking to book their next cruise.
As part of our larger more in-depth Travel Advertising Report, one of the things that stood out was that some of the Cruise brands weren’t necessarily targeting the demographics most likely to purchase from them. We’ll be seeing examples of that in this breakdown.
We asked reviewers to score the ads out of 5 in 10 different categories, from call to action’s (CTA), branding, use of talent, use of emotion and more, plus an extra box where respondents could leave comments. With that in mind, let’s look at the first one…
Cunard – A World Away
By utilising the voiceover of well-known philosophical speaker Alan Watts, the ad instantly makes you pay attention. His voice is recognisable to many, and his impact still lives on despite the fact he passed away 51 years ago. In fact, he’s still searched in relatively equal terms to Eckhart Tolle (smash hit author of The Power of Now which has sold over 12million copies and translated into 52 languages).
The other thing to point out in this ad, is its choice of vintage cinematography, which again differentiates it from the others on this list. This scores points, given our report finds Cunard‘s customer base centres around a 65+ audience. Though the talent in the advert were on the younger side, it shouldn’t be enough to detract from the overall ad. There was a consensus amongst our viewers that it suffered from a “lack of branding” compared to some of the others on this list – but something that most of the viewers agreed on was that it was memorable – and memorable ads of course, drive brand awareness and engagement.
It’s no surprise then that the ad scored highest in the categories of ‘Distinct audio‘ (no thanks to Alan Watts).
3.1/5
Viking Cruises – Exploring the World in Comfort
Viking Cruises clearly knows its target audience. The talent in the ad very much features an older demographic and the voiceover makes a point to call out that there’s “no children and no casinos“. Alongside that, the backdrop of places like the Colosseum and couples walking through ancient ruins highlights their target audience is also ABC1.
The consensus for this ad was that its “specificity” made it memorable – and coupled with it’s succinct targeting, achieved its purpose. This ad excelled in its ‘Frequency of Brand Name’ scoring highest in that category – in joint top spot overall.
3.5/5
Saga Cruises – Experience is Everything
If we were scoring these ads based on their comedy alone, then Saga’s ad would win top prize. The juxtaposition of the voiceover coupled with the images on screen make for a fun, comedic ad, whilst highlighting that with Saga it is indeed possible to have the experience you want. The ad clearly recognises its audience, again targeting an older demographic by hinting that those turbulent holidays with the kids are a thing of the past. However, it didn’t make enough use of its brand logo and the ad lacked a real offer – which from our Travel Report, we know is important for cruise brands to weave into the narrative.
3.1/5
P&O Cruises – Caribbean Like Never Before
Undoubtedly, P&O distinguishes itself here from the other other ads with its slick, fancy camera-work and its freeze frame effects. Once again, its target audience is clear, this time a much younger family audience, which is highlighted by the talent and of course the style of the ad. Another nice touch is the hint at the experiences available on board – the bar, the water sports, the circus performance to name a few. However, our research showed that over 75% of people who purchased one of their cruises between August 2022 and August 2023 were aged 55 and over. By featuring a more aspirational audience of families and friends, and the different experiences they could have, P&O could be looking to expand their core audience out to 45+ and try to take some of the share away from MSC Cruises with this new creative.
Taken from our Travel Report, the below chart highlights the age demographics purchasing with the below cruise brands between August 2022 and August 2023.
3.5/5
Viking Cruises – Three Values
With this longer Viking ad (the longest on the list), we once again come across Viking Cruises strong use of logo and brand values. The addition of CEO Torstein Hagen also adds extra weight, largely because he mirrors the age demographic and status that make up the majority of Viking Cruises’ customer base. We note again that their brand emphasises the cultural importance of travel, the “broadening” it brings for your world understanding and for your mind, rather than for simple pleasure and enjoyment. The rest of the talent in the ad is again right for the demographic, but what’s more interesting is this one seemed to be described as “the most emotive” of all the ads by almost every respondent in the survey.
3.5/5
Fred Olsen – Sail
Of all the ads the respondents marked, the Fred Olsen one scored the lowest overall. We know again from our analysis that Fred Olsen appeals predominantly to the 65+ audience. Whilst that was reflected in the talent in the ad and the experiences on offer (orchestra, fine dining, visiting cathedrals) the ad suffered from a lack of a call-to-action and no clear message. Alongside that, almost all the respondents in the survey found the music to be too “jarring and intense” and not really fitting with the overall narrative of the ad. Though the intense music can help make it memorable, it would be much improved with a clear offer and a good voiceover, as well as less intrusive background music..
2.8/5
