The Norwegian Cruise Line is making waves with the “Experience More” campaign, bringing aboard Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet as their brand ambassador.
The campaign, crafted by internal creative agency Rebel Fish, features Stonestreet immersing himself in a diverse range of shipboard experiences available across the brand’s fleet of ships—from racing on the only at-sea racetracks in the world to unwinding in the brand’s Thermal Suite.
The campaign is currently rolling out across multiple platforms in the U.S. and Canada, including social media, digital platforms, television, and out-of-home advertising.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the first :30 ad in the campaign.
The Details:
- Both Exciting and Soothing, “Experience More” sparked viewer Curiosity as intended, and resonated well with many viewers:
- Likeability was high, driven by Stonestreet (characters), rated Single Best Thing about the new :30 at a higher rate than the average cruise ad over the past year.
- While women 21-35 were the brand’s toughest audience, the new creative cemented the Norwegian Cruise brand name among 84% of all viewers (an impressive +23 pts over category norm).
- Likeability was high, driven by Stonestreet (characters), rated Single Best Thing about the new :30 at a higher rate than the average cruise ad over the past year.
- Breakthrough ability reached norm levels among F21-35, but second-by-second trace suggests that younger viewers were particularly more engaged with nature vistas and/or food than the ship itself or Stonestreet—interestingly, more experientially focused:
- Viewer comments on “Experience More” reflect appreciation for the sense of energy Stonestreet brought to the creative as well as interest in the unlimited drinks offer and range of scenes. However, some concerns were noted regarding pricing (looks expensive/tough economy) and/or the spread of illness (which might have been heightened by more on-board visuals).
Sample comments on “Experience More” :30
“I like this actor (his name escapes me at the moment), but more than that, the cruise definitely looks attractive. I wish there had been more visuals of the ocean scape and the rooms on board.”
Male 50+
“It was great. Informative, relatable, and made me curious to research the brand. The choice of actor made the ad funny as well. Well done. The visuals of the brand were top notch, too!”
Female 36-49
“I liked the music and the scenes looked fun. Maybe mention something about the pricing or a discount for new users because it looks expensive.”
Female 21-35
“Didn’t really interest me. While taking a cruise sounds fun and there’s a promise of unlimited drinks, I don’t really have the time or funds to go on a cruise vacation deal and I don’t really drink. So there’s nothing really for me to get excited over.”
Male 21-35
“The character was a good choice because his personality on TV is known for being large (more) and fun. The message of “more” was interesting because it implies you will get more than the standard/elsewhere. The directing was fast and exciting.”
Female 21-35
“I really enjoyed the lightheartedness of the ad, and the actor used in the ad does a great job. It gives off an almost electrifying energy.”
Male 21-35
“While I am not planning on going on a cruise anytime soon, it is something I would like to do someday. This ad made me feel like maybe that should be sooner than later.”
Male 50+
- After seeing the new :30, 55% of all viewers expressed positive consideration for NCL (matching category norm rates), while a panoramic-heavy Seabourn spot and a Celebrity Cruise ad absent narration (set to Ben Rector’s “Brand New” and also visually-focused) each sparked above-norm intent:
- There could be opportunity to highlight NCL’s “more” differentiators with more clarity via text callouts or other such avenues to drive higher intent. Some viewers may also respond better to more adventurous or scenic visuals over on-board amenities.
- The new Stonestreet “Experience More” showed some vulnerability vs. competitive cruise ads among those with incomes $75K+, perhaps not a key target for NCL:
- This would suggest targeting opportunities, as Relevance/relatability and Desire trailed cruise norms among higher-income viewers.
- Celebrity’s newest and very upbeat :30 spot displayed multiple on- and off-ship experiences in European locations, facetiously indicating that the brand was ‘not sorry’ that one would never want to vacation any other way:
- A focus on a multitude of everyday people enjoying out-of-the-ordinary activities in a lively setting seemed to work well for the brand across the broad gen pop audience.
Sample comments on “Enjoy The Cruise At Best Deals :30”
“This ad contained so many visually appealing elements, especially for those who are eager to travel the world. The messages portrayed with the scenes were relatable and all of the activities included were ones that I would partake in on a vacation like this. Plus it’s never too late to travel.”
Female 21-35
“The ad is uplifting and has meaningful scenes and wording flash on-screen that help define the action. The ad is easy to relate to by people of all ages. The music adds to the uplifting feel of the ad and the action is inviting to partake. The announcer sums up the brand’s current deal.”
Female 50+
“This ad makes me feel good about taking a cruise ride. Cruises always show how relaxed you could be on their boat. This is what I would do for my next vacation.”
Male 36-49
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Creative Agency: Rebel Fish