Cruise.co.uk use most of their marketing money in online media. But widening the appeal of the superb value cruise packages needed new channels. We’ve been seeing excellent results from whole page ads in the national press.
As the name suggests, Cruise.co.uk specialise in cruise packages around the world, mostly sold via on-line media. But how can a wider audience be reached – how can new customers get introduced to the brand? Travel is a category in national press, both dailies and Sundays, often with dedicated supplements. With our media friends at The Kite Factory, we looked at using press ads to introduce that new audience.
Rather than a brand campaign we looked at devising hard-working response ads where immediate bookings are the measure of success. Cruise.co.uk have a wide variety of cruises, to all destinations at all price levels: but inventory moves fast.
On a Monday, the Cruise.co.uk team would have chosen which cruise to offer that week; by Wednesday we would have the creative ready – images sourced, itineraries written, details confirmed. Overnight the product experts check the facts and by Thursday we’ve got the almost-final ad ready – and once it’s got the final OK, it’s with the publication for Friday to run in the Saturday editions. Then we count the numbers and start on the next week’s offer!