Celebrity Cruises vows to "X the rules" of cruise vacations

[CruiseNews]

New campaign challenges the expected; playfully engages consumers

Life and work have too many rules. A vacation - one of the most important decisions time-starved consumers make each year - should not. That philosophy has inspired top-rated premium brand Celebrity Cruises' new integrated, multi-channel campaign: "X the rules."

"Our new campaign is grounded in deep consumer insights and the knowledge that vacation time is precious - and limited. We get that," said Celebrity's President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. "At Celebrity, we constantly break away from the status quo and set new standards to deliver a vacation experience that is unequivocally unique and better."

"We're leveraging our longtime icon - the high-visibility Celebrity 'X' - to creatively communicate that the 'X' is the mark of an unmatchable vacation experience - better than any other on land or at sea," said Celebrity's Vice President of Marketing Lisa Kauffman.

Many cruise lines claim to offer beautiful accommodations, great dining experiences, and excellent service, but those attributes consistently earn Celebrity Cruises recognition as one of the top cruise lines in the world in coveted annual readers' surveys in the elite Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Celebrated Living, Frommer's Guide, x, Porthole, Recommend, TravelAge West and Travel Weekly, including the Travel Weekly "Globe Awards" (UK), which just last night honored Celebrity as "Best Premium Cruise Line." Those and ongoing press reviews year-over-year continuously recognize Celebrity for its hip style and design; widely varied, high quality culinary experiences; and personalized service with a guest-to-crew ratio of nearly 2:1 and 24/7 butler service in every luxurious suite.

Celebrity's claim of offering a better, different and special vacation experience is further validated in its trendsetting onboard experience. While most vacation providers offer Internet cafes, only Celebrity offers the "Celebrity iLounge," complete with the opportunity to experiment with the latest Apple technologies and become immersed in new applications through "iLearn" courses. Many cruise lines offer enrichment programs, but only Celebrity offers vacationers the chance to learn a new language through Rosetta Stone, become immersed in the culture of the destinations with experts from Smithsonian Journeys, or taste the difference a glass makes in comparative wine tastings with Riedel Crystal. It's all part of Celebrity's commitment to maximizing vacationers' precious vacation time by offering an experience that is undeniably better, different and truly special.

Kauffman says Celebrity also chose to "X the rules" in the creation and development of the new concept, opting to partner with boutique creative network Underhead versus a traditional agency. The new campaign will appear in a variety of online executions, consumer and trade magazines, outdoor, and in newspapers across the U.S. and Canada.

Celebrity also is creatively engaging its rapidly growing fan base with the new campaign on its Facebook page. There, a number of the brand's new online banner ads will be revealed in a carousel, complete with Celebrity's "X the rules" philosophy. And, on January 25, Celebrity will launch on Facebook a captivating photo contest, where the brand's followers will be invited to share in postcard format how they "X the rules" in their own lives, in categories which have long been synonymous with Celebrity Cruises - luxury, exhilaration, and relaxation - or to select their own category in which they "X the rules."

For those who expect Celebrity Cruises' executives to vote for the winner, Celebrity says, "X the rules." Instead, the line will invite Facebook followers to vote for several entrants who will receive prizes, with the grand prize winner to be determined in a competition among finalists for a European cruise for two with Celebrity Cruises. Naturally, the cruise experience will include a host of onboard experiences that will immerse the winner in how Celebrity delivers on its promise to "X the rules." Full details of the contest will be revealed on the brand's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/celebritycruises) January 25.

Celebrity Cruises' iconic "X" is the mark of the world's top-rated premium cruise line, with spacious, stylish interiors; dining experiences elevated to an art form; personalized service, with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1; unexpected, trendsetting onboard activities, all designed to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers' precious time. Celebrity sails to Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America. One of the fastest-growing major cruise lines, Celebrity's fleet currently consists of 10 ships, with two additional Solstice Class ships scheduled to join the fleet: Celebrity Silhouette in July 2011, and Celebrity Reflection in Fall 2012.

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