Cruise Lines Are in the Middle of a Branding Evolution
Photo Credit: Celebrity is one of several cruise lines that have updated their branding this year. Celebrity Cruises
Skift Take
Cruise lines are all trying to differentiate themselves as the number of global passengers increases. Branding campaigns and ad blitzes are one way to get that word out, but operators also have to focus on delivering a top-notch experience.
[gallery ids="170849,170890,170891,163545"]
Some of the cruise industry's biggest players are changing their tunes — and color schemes, font, slogans, and websites.
So far this year, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, and MSC Cruises have updated their taglines or swapped them out altogether; changed iconic symbols; tweaked colors; adjusted fonts; and rolled out new advertising.
The transformations followed leadership changes or accompanied expansion plans — or both. In most cases, companies and agencies spent roughly a year doing consumer research and considering their repositioning. And while cruise companies aren't sharing exact numbers, most of the rebranding efforts have come with hefty advertising budgets.
For the cruise industry, 2016 looks like a good year for investing in refreshed identities: The Cruise Lines International Association expects the number of global cruise passengers to increase to about 24 million this year, whi
