This week, Carnival Corporation is wrapping up an exciting Super Bowl commercial contest that has had cruisers and travel industry insiders abuzz since last November. January 15 is the final day for people to review several commercials posted on www.carnivalmarketingchallenge.com, and vote on which one should appear during the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 1.
Of course, because they are competing for placement during the Super Bowl—perhaps the biggest event in the TV advertising world—each of the commercials is characteristically memorable. Their themes and imagery range from beautifully thrilling to cleverly humorous to spicily risqué.
As an added incentive, Carnival will randomly select one winner from among those who vote for the commercial that wins the Super Bowl placement. This lucky individual will win one cruise on board a Carnival-affiliated ship—every year for life!
Carnival Corporation is the parent company of several of the best-known brands in cruising, including Carnival and Princess, high-end luxury lines like Cunard, and European lines such as AIDA and Costa Cruises, among others. The marketing blitz is a huge event for Carnival Corporation, which will be advertising all nine of its cruise lines together for the very first time.
According to Carnival executives, the ad campaign aims to paint cruising in a new light, without the stereotypical images of Hawaiian shirts and umbrella drinks. Instead, the company wants to entice viewers to experience a rich and fulfilling vacation like no other. The ads are especially targeted at those who have never enjoyed a cruise before.
Carnival’s whirlwind marketing extravaganza is also serving to polish the image of cruising in general. In recent years, a few unfortunate, high-profile incidents may have made some vacationers wary of choosing a cruise for their travel plans. By connecting with the huge Super Bowl market, however, Carnival Corp is striving to promote the idea that cruising is a fun and relaxing vacation option for everyone.
