CARNIVAL+

THELMA

CAMPAIGN PLAN 2014

Table of contents

Research DirectorAccount Director

Art DirectorCopywriter

Media & Interactive DirectorPR & Promotions Director

Ryan Raichelson Aaron VerderosaRenee ShieldsMara JeziorWilliam SchneiderKaty Fellman

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Thelma, derived from Greek, translates to “will.” As an agency, the drive to create effective, innovative, and captivating media is what moves us forward. Thelma brings your brand into the future with a combination of class, elegance, and a comprehensive understanding of the vision and goals for your brand. Refined and uncompromising, Thelma’s passion for brand development through integrated marketing communications is the cornerstone of the agency.

situation analysiscampaign strategy

creative planmedia plan

pr & promotions planappendix

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SITUATION ANALYSISRyan Raichelson

research Director

History of Carnival cruise lines• 1972: Israeli immigrant and entrepreneur Ted Arison, started Carnival Cruise Lines with a

converted transatlantic ocean liner named the TSS Mardi Gras.• The leisure cruise industry was originally reserved for the upper class due to the high cost, but

Arison envisioned an affordable alternative, ushering in the modern era of cruise tourism.• The acquisition of the Festivale began Carnival’s “fun ship” phase. According to Carnival

“A ‘Fun Ship’ cruise features day and nighttime entertainment like stage shows, musical performances, casinos and more,” (About Us).

• In 1987 Carnival Cruise Lines launched the “Celebration” ship and became a publicly traded company, raising approximately $400 million to fuel future expansion.

• The company plans to launch a 135,000-ton ship for the 2016 winter vacation season; the largest built to date. Carnival’s expansion has allowed the company to explore new markets.

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Industry TrendsThe global sustainability movement has put pressure on the cruise industry to adopt eco-friendly policies to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Companies must commit to building ships equipped with improved air emission and waste technology, eco-friendly hulls, and modified engines to reduce pollution.

Mintel data on the cruise industry reveals that an increase in cruise revenues attributed to increasing num-ber of passengers. Companies have financed a total of six new ships in 2013 with a total passenger capacity growth of 14,074 passengers (Mintel Market Drivers).

Despite high profile cruise ship accidents like the Costa Concordia disaster, intentions to cruise have re-mained steady over the 2006-2013 period. Those polled showed 10 percent still planned to cruise in the next 12 months (Mintel Plans to Take a Future Cruise).

The most popular cruise destinations are located within the Caribbean. Approximately 40 percent of re-spondents who have cruised in the past three years stated they have, most recently, visited the Caribbean (Simmons). The Bahamas as a destination have increased in popularity from 27 percent to 32 percent from 2012 to 2013 (Mintel Destinations Traveled).

The US economy has experienced growth since the recession, causing the general population to be more comfortable spending their money on leisure activities. It is important to note that the industry remains tethered to consumer spending and is vulnerable to conservative fiscal trends (Hoovers Business Challeng-es).

Cruises are a small subsection of the American tourism industry. In 2012 the Department of Commerce released an extensive Resident Travel Abroad report that listed top five most frequented vacation destina-tions: Mexico, Canada, The United Kingdom, The Dominican Republic France respectively. It is interesting to note that 54 percent of Americans have never travelled outside of the country as of 2013 (Peppers).

Competitive analysisCarnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International and Disney Cruise Line hold 98 percent of the cruising market (Mintel Leading Companies).

Royal Caribbean InternationalRoyal Caribbean International’s main customer base includes both couples and singles from their 30s to 50s as well as family vacationers. Royal Caribbean continues to invest in the latest industry trends, mostly notably its “Oasis of the Sea” class of ships. The company is known for its forward-thinking ship designs that boast unique on board activities such ice skating rinks, bungee trampolines, sky diving and surfing simulators (Mintel Leading Companies).

Disney Cruise LineDisney has a reputation with families for coupling the “magic” of Disney with a cruise. Disney combines their recog-nizable characters with a family friendly atmosphere, while providing an inclusive experience. They offer theaters with live musicals, spas and Disney-themed storytelling. Typically higher priced than other cruise lines, Disney features activities for every age and family member and emerges as a personalized and fitting family cruise vacation (Mintel Leading Companies).

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Competitive analysis

Norwegian Cruise LineNorwegian Cruise Line has earned the reputation of being an innovative cruise line. Freestyle Cruis-ing is their most notable innovation and includes giving cruisers an array of dining, accommodation and entertainment choices according to their idea of time and budget. This makes Norwegian ap-pealing to cruisers of all ages who value freedom and flexibility (Mintel Leading Companies).

Atlantis Paradise IslandLand based tourism far exceeds cruise vacations in North America. This is particularly true for the Caribbean, where 90% of the tourism is from land-based travel (Bresson). The Bahamas are one of the most popular Caribbean destinations due to the competitor, Atlantis Paradise Island. The Atlan-tis Paradise Island brand is described as a luxurious and upscale destination, with all the amenities and activities of a cruise ship in a more relaxing, less scheduled environment. Rates are high but the resort counters some of this concern by telling customers there are no hidden fees (common on cruises).

The Atlantis resort has different brands that cater to different markets, such as Reef Atlantis for fam-ilies. The Atlantis Paradise Island has many accolades from a host of travel rating agencies, including AAA/CAA Four Diamond Lodgings, 2014, Concierge.com Editors’ Pick, TripAdvisor, Conde Nast Traveler Gold 2014, Fodor’s Choice, Frommer’s Exceptional, U.S. News & World Reports and dozens of others (US News Travel).

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CONSUMER ANALYSIS

Of people who have taken a Carnival cruise:

• 68.7% are White (Index: 90)

• 18.4% are African Ameri-can (Index: 155)

• 8.11% are Asian (Index: 171)

Of people who have taken a Carnival cruise to the Carib-bean:

• 67.8% are White (Index: 90)

• 17.3% are African American (Index: 156)

• 9.84% are Asian (Index: 169)

Of people who have taken a cruise ship vacation in the last 3 years:

• 73.6% are White (Index: 96)• 14.8% are African Ameri-

can (Index: 125)• 7.23% are Asian (Index:

152)

Of people who have taken a Carnival cruise to the Carib-bean:

• 18.9% were aged 25-34 (Index: 101), 21.1% were aged 45-54 (Index: 112), and 16.7% were aged 55-64 (Index: 108).

• While 65+ are the largest cruise ship consumers, they are below index for contemporary cruises like Carnival (Simmons)

Of people who have taken a Carnival cruise to the Carib-bean:

• 60% are married (Index: 113)

• 40% are not married (In-dex: 85)

Of people who have taken a Carnival cruise to the Carib-bean:

• 21.7% have a household income of $25k-$50k (In-dex: 95)

• 37.1% have a household income of $100k-$150k (Index: 122)

• 14.4% have a household income of $150k-$250k (Index: 169)

Of White people who have taken a Carnival cruise to the Caribbean:

• 51.3% are from the South-ern Nielson region (Index: 171)

• 33.9% are from the South-east Nielson region (Index: 156).

Of White people who have been on a Carnival cruise to the Caribbean:

• 16.2% have 1 child (Index: 109). Data below gathered

from Simmons Online Database

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YSISbrand analysis

The Carnival BrandAs the biggest cruise line, Carnival has a strong brand and a reputation of being fun and less expensive. Its shorter cruise excursions serve people of all ages as well as singles, couples and families. It is some-times referred to as the “The Fun Ship” (Austin). As of late, Carnival brand has suffered due to numer-ous disasters on board its ships. While the damage to the brand has not proven to be significant to revenues, customer perception has been impacted and Carnival is working to ease any negative views.

For the most part, Carnival’s recent disasters have been due to maintenance issues, which have caused cruises to be canceled or cut short. The February 2013 fire, which caused the ship to re-main adrift for four days, was probably the most horrific of recent incidents and PR disasters. The incident led to Carnival Cruises downward spiral from the “Fun Ship” to the “Poop Cruise” (Austin). Passengers reported hallways flooded with human waste, no air conditioning or running water and a limited supply of food and water. Carnival has taken measures to mitigate the problems by compensating passengers and creating plans to improve communication during and after the disaster to help reduce any negative impact to the brand. On the brighter side, Carnival has “also experienced record breaking good moments” (Morgenstein and Mungin). Shorter, less expensive cruises, the first 100,000-ton ship as well as the first non-smoking ship all play in Carnival’s favor. In 2012 Cruise Critic Editor Picks, recognized Carnival for best new ship, best bar and best value.

The Carnival brand remains strong despite a turbulent year in 2013. Market share remains strong, third quarter, 2014 revenue is up and bookings for 2015 and are strong. Competitors, such as Royal Caribbean, have not appeared to gain ground from Carnival’s mishaps. Although Carnival has dry docked many ships in the past year to address maintenance issues and improve fuel consumption they’re taking advantage of the opportunity to launch many Fun Ship 2.0 amenities (Guy’s Burg-er Joint, Blue Iguana Cantina, RedFrog Rum Bar and RedFrog Pub, EA Sports Bar, Alchemy Bar, Cherry on Top, Playlist Productions, The Warehouse and Hasbro, The Game Show) to keep it brand strong and reputation for fun in the forefront of traveler’s minds.

Customer Perception Overall the Carnival Cruise brand remains strong. Cruise Market Watch, the cruise industry’s rat-ings company reporting on market share, size and market trends, reports that the parent compa-ny Carnival Corporation (CCL) has 41.8% of the market share for 2014 with Royal Caribbean Lines, its nearest competitor, at 21.8% (Cruise Market Watch). Carnival Cruises is responsible for 7.8% of CCL’s revenue, just behind the Princess line but maintains the greatest percentage of passengers at 21% of the total market.

When it comes to brand perception, nothing speaks louder than revenue growth, especially after a crisis. In CCL’s third quarter report, CCL announced that earnings were at $4.9 billion, compared with $4.7 billion in the prior year (PR Newswire). While other cruise lines under the CCL umbrella contributed to the growth, CCL sites that “YouGov BrandIndex, which provides a daily measure of brand perception among the public, ranked Carnival Cruise Lines the most improved U.S. brand in consumer perception in its mid-year 2014 Buzz Rankings Report.“ According to BrandIndex, Carni-val’s change in consumer-perception score by mid-2014 was double the improvement level achieved by the company ranked second on the most-improved list. CCL points to Carnival Cruise Lines’ new promotional packages, including the Great Vacation Guarantee, Carnival LIVE Concert Series, Camp Ocean and Seuss at Sea, as products that appear to be resonating with consumers. CCL feels con-fident about the trajectory they’re on and has raised their revenue expectations for the full year of 2014. The high level of advanced bookings further supports their confidence for 2015.

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Carnival Customer Reviews and the CompetitionCruise Critic, which bills itself as the leading, independent resource for cruise reviews and information holds a lively forum of more than three million first time and experienced cruise passengers. Of the nearly 20,000 reviews that appear on Carnival cruise ships, more than 10,000 people or 50% have rated cruises as excellent and 73% have rated it above average. Royal Caribbean, Carnival’s nearest competitor ranks slightly ahead of Carnival with a 77% above average ranking. In both cases family cruises seem to dominate other review types, such as romantic cruises.

Focusing in on Carnival’s Caribbean cruises 77% of the reviewers rated their experience above average and there was no detectable drop in ratings during or immediately following the February 2013 mishap. While the reviews did not specifically cover the incident itself it did not appear to have any residual impact on passenger’s perception of other Carnival cruises. Compared to Royal Caribbean’s Caribbean cruises, 83% rated the cruise above average. A closer look at the ratings for Carnival compared to Royal Caribbean shows that Royal Caribbean consistently rat-ed higher in dining and entertainment while public rooms, cabins, value of money and service are similarly rated. Carnival’s Fun Ship 2.0 amenities, which include many restaurant and entertainment choices, will certainly help to address these areas and improve perception.

Carnival’s brand perception among consumers remains strong despite a rocky bout of mishaps. Carnival, however, must continue to address issues that impact quality perception. The chart below shows Carnival and its competi-tors on a spectrum from low to high prices and low to high quality. It is Carnival’s desire to move up the continuum where quality ranks higher and is equal to or perhaps better than its competitors.

LOW PRICE

HIGH PRICE

HIGH QUALITY LOW QUALITY

Brand positioning

LOW QUALITY HIGH QUALITY

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With an identified target audience of three specific demographics — married couples with fami-lies between the ages of 40 and 54, newlyweds between the ages of 25 and 34, and young people between the ages of 15 and 24. This stage of the marketing communications process is strictly focused on accurate determinations of which media is used most heavily by our three target de-mographics. Television remains the main screen for each age demographic, thus television will be the primary medium and the Internet the secondary.

Our first target demographic is a married couple between the age of 40 and 54 with a combined income between $80,000 and $100,000. According to Simmons, the couples most likely to take a cruise — determined by responses to the question of their likelihood to take a cruise in the next 12 months and by their record as cruise-goers — are most likely to have one or two children between the ages of 12 and 17. This archetypal family will serve as our model for this specific demographic and dictate media buys. The decision making dynamic in this family obviously holds the matriarch and patriarch at the top, thus reaching these family members is imperative, but the influence of the children should not go discounted. Three segments of media use exist in this dynamic: the media consumed by parents, the media consumed by children, and the media consumed by the parents and children together. There is clearly overlap amongst the two segments, but all carry importance. According to Simmons, adult parents consume far more television media than their children, whose primary screen is the computer. Adult parents under the age of 45 engage in heavy Internet activity while at work, those above the age of 45 do not. Adult parents, especially those over the age of 50, read magazines, their children do not. In this family demographic the children are reached via the Internet, parents via magazines, newspapers, and outdoor advertising, while the entire family unit is reached via television. The latter programming consists of networks like ABC Family, Disney Channel, ABC, CBS, FOX, TBS. When the family unit is divided further into males and females, further determi-nations can be made such as Oxygen, Bravo, E!, and VH1 for females, and ESPN, and ESPN2 for males.

The second target demographic, newlyweds between the ages of 25 and 35, most likely without children, consumes media in entirely their own way. The most distinctive aspect of this demo-graphics media use is that of the Internet. This age group not only possesses more knowledge of the Internet than those older than themselves, they use the Internet, whether at in a much higher volume than others in our target demographic. Though the numbers show considerably high Inter-net use at home, the numbers behind Internet use at work for those between 25 and 40 effectively eclipse those in higher age groups. It is important to note that newlyweds, when they do watch television, most likely watch together, but the utilize Internet on their own time. According to Simmons, the most popular channels for this demographics are ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, MTV, MTV 2, Lifetime, E!, FX and Comedy Central.

The third target displays a very unique pattern of media usage in that they are more heavily engaged in Internet content and social media than other demographics. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are extremely prevalent areas of media consumption for this group. Social media and supplementary internet advertising is the most effective way to reach this demographic and fits nicely into tertiary market spending insofar as these mediums are relatively cheap, or free in the case of social media.

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Category creative analysisBrandCarnival Cruises collaborated with Arnold Worldwide beginning in 2008. One of Arnold’s first actions transformed Carnival Cruise’s coined phrase “The Fun Ship” into its slogan “Fun for all. All for fun,” (Adweek Staff). This idea of fun started as a campaign and became a slogan that was implemented into the Carnival campaign at the time, their web-site and social media. Carnival positions itself as the affordable cruise line that is fun for the whole family on the ship, with a greater emphasis on relaxation and entertainment on the ship than off-ship excursions at the ports.

TV CommercialsCarnival Cruises’ TV commercials emphasize fun and relaxation to gain the attention and interest of new custom-ers. While online ads boast trip deals and amenities, TV commercials highlight entertaining stories and scenarios on board.

One example of a successful Carnival Cruises ad was the 2008 “Land vs. Sea” campaign, which over the course of a few commercials showed a couple having a bad experience camping (being trapped in their car while bears try to steal their food) and moving on to a Carnival trip and having the vacation they wanted. The terrifying and memo-rable ad targeted first-time cruisers.

In 2013, the company collected over 30,000 photos from past cruise-goers to create the “Moments that Matter” campaign after a fire on the Triumph left the ship stranded in the Gulf of Mexico earlier that year. The campaign, which featured the user-submitted photos and videos, took a more sentimental and thoughtful tone about the cruise line, emphasizing the memories of past customers with positive experiences on a Carnival Cruise.

Additionally, during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Carnival created a spoof of a bobsled race on board, which por-trayed kids taking a trip down the waterslide. The ad included inspirational music, the sounds of cheering fans, and commentators analyzing techniques to parallel an Olympic race.

Outdoor/AmbientIn the past 3 years, Carnival has produced innovative outdoor advertisements on billboards and taxis in New York City, which focus on attracting people to their cruises during the winter months from their local port. One example of this was a billboard that showed the current temperature in the Caribbean.

Additionally, one of the company’s most striking advertisements was on the side of a building in New York City with the tagline, “Our waterpark goes to the Bahamas,” (Nudd). Aside from the sign, which displayed a huge yellow and blue waterslide, the fire escapes on the side were also painted blue, helping the ad blend into its environment.

Online AdsCarnival Cruises uses Google ads to market to consumers who have already searched for cruises or similar trips. This serves as a follow-up for consumers who have expressed interest on search engines or seem to fit Carnival’s target market based on their other interests and browsing history.

The ads are fairly simple and boast trip sales (i.e. “Cruises starting at $449 per person” and “Best rates of the year”) and on-board offerings, such as “amazing food,” “spacious accommodations” and “onboard fun,” often using the word “INCLUDED.” The ads often include animations and images of happy people on board.

While TV commercials serve to familiarize consumers with the brand, online ads prompt them to take the next step and book a cruise by advertising “exclusive” deals, quick booking/trips, as well as food, accommodations and entertainment included in the initial booking cost.

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Social Media Campaigns FacebookCarnival generally updates its Facebook page on a daily basis. The page is Carnival’s biggest social media platform with 2,946,079 likes, posts labeled every year since their founding in 1972 and var-ied information sorted in tabs. The tabs lead to Carnival’s Instagram feed, their partnership with St. Jude, Videos and Carnival Careers. Carnival’s page content creates the notion of desirability. Using interactive questions and aesthetic photos, such as sunsets with #SunsetSunday, Carnival comes across as an advantageous vacation. Some marketing that Carnival also incorporated into their Facebook includes Carnival LIVE, a series of concerts featuring popular artists including the “Camp Ocean” youth program and “Care to Play” with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. TwitterCarnival’s Twitter includes daily tweets for its 120,441 followers. The stream of content is similar to Facebook with photos, questions and coverage of activities, but is also more advertising driven with tweets about current rates and encouraging followers to book now. All of this content contin-ues to follow Carnival’s brand aesthetic and desirable aura. InstagramCarnival frequently uses Instagram to post images of different ships, destinations and amenities. Averaging 82 instagrams per month over the past year (October 2013-September 2014), including both images and video, Carnival currently has 57,183 followers and generally receives between 1,000 and 4,000 likes per instagram. On top of these numbers, their Instagram reaches a bigger audience through Carnival’s sharing of this media on all their social media platforms. From this information and the integration of Instagram shown in Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, we know that Carnival keeps their Instagram up to date and their content aligns with their brand aesthetic.

PinterestPinterest is Carnival’s smallest social media platform with 13,408 Followers, 34 Boards, 516 Pins, and 185 Likes. It is also the most specialized social media platform with each Board highlighting a separate ship, destination, amenity or cruise activity. All these pictures are upbeat and artistic, continuing Carnival’s desirable effect on social media.

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Carnival Cruise Lines has faced two major public relations crises in the last several years. The 2012 Costa Con-cordia incident resulted in 32 deaths (Mullen and Nadeau). A Carnival Cruise subsidiary operated the cruise ship, but the parent company still faces several insurance claims due the incident. The second public relations crisis occurred in February 2013, when a fire broke out in the Carnival Triumph engine room. The fire left the cruise ship stranded without power and support systems. While these incidents propelled Carnival Cruise Lines into the spotlight, the company continues to be successful in terms of sales, overall customer satisfac-tion and public opinion.

According to their annual report, Carnival Cruise made nearly $5 billion in ticket sales, tours and on-board products in the summer of 2014. They increased their number of guests by 20 percent and guests spent 10 percent more on tickets and alcoholic drinks. Carnival Cruise Lines is on track to make $16 billion in sales by the end of the 2014 fiscal year. Cruise critics have praised the company for publishing their on-board crime statistics, minimizing the dangerous stigma associated with cruises. The Carnival Liberty, which travels the company’s Caribbean route, recently passed the United States Public Health inspection with a score of 100. The ship needed to receive perfect scores on all 44 items on the USPH checklist. The Liberty is the ninth ship in the Carnival fleet to receive a perfect score.

If Carnival Cruise Lines can continue the upward sales trends and continue to improve its health and safety record, it will continue to be successful in the cruise industry. Overall, public opinion trends positively, based upon cruise ship passengers’ social media accounts.

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1. Carnival Cruise Travelers Carnival Cruise Lines main goal is to create an enjoyable and memorable vacation for our custom-ers. They are the key stakeholder in our business, and without them Carnival would lose its stabili-ty as a brand and company.

2. EmployeesOur employees are the backbone of the company. They are essential in providing our customers the signature Carnival experience. Carnival strives to create a professional, positive working rela-tionship with our employees.

3. Company Owners and Investors Company owners and investors provide a second form of monetary support to the company, as well as professional guidance. Their concerns need to be addressed in a timely, appropriate man-ner, especially in times of company crisis.

4. Government The government sets health and safety standards, in order to ensure the safety of cruise travelers. We will work closely with them to implement the proper health and safety guidelines.

5. Community Carnival recognizes the importance of giving back to the greater communities, in particular South Florida. We will continue to utilize our Carnival Foundation to support local charities as a way of reaching out into the community.

STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS

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SWOT ANALYSISStrengths

• Carnival is a market leader that dominates the contemporary cruise market. 46% of adults aged 18 and older who took a cruise ship vacation in the last three years used Carnival Cruise. The second most popular cruise line, Royal Caribbean, only recorded 28% (Mintel Destinations Visited and Cruise Lines Used).

• Carnival, a market leader, has cultivated a high brand awareness of 92% of adults surveyed (Mintel Social Media – Cruises).

• Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet is populated with their signature “fun ships.” The fun ship mantra has effectively appealed to a wide range of consumers through a diverse array of activities.

Weaknesses• Carnival Cruise lines has been criticized for their treatment of employees. The basic salary is approximately

$1.20 per hour or $400 a month (Topham).• This is below the minimum level recommended by the Joint Maritime Commission of the International

Labour Organization (Chatterjee).• If employees are not compensated appropriately it could affect their onboard demeanor.

• This can impact the clients’ overall cruise experience negatively. • Carnival Cruise Lines has been involved in a number of highly profiled accidents that jeopardized the safety of

their passengers.• One incident in particular, infamously known as the “Poop Cruise,” involved passengers being stranded on

a Carnival ship in unhygienic conditions with a limited supplies.• Carnival has been accused of not communicating with their customers appropriately, both during and

after an accident (Mungin and Morgenstein).• Even after introducing an updated loyalty program called The VIFP (Very Fun Person) Club, Carnival is plagued

with a customer retention issue. Opportunities

• Carnival can proactively invest in sustainable technologies that limit pollution. This will portray the brand as environmentally conscious, which will differentiate the brand from its competition while simultaneously appealing to consumers.

• Carnival is attempting to attract a new demographic, the millennial, by offering inexpensive cruise options (Mann). This is an opportunity to alleviate the company’s retention problem by creating a generation of life long customers.

• The economy has stabilized, which gives Carnival the opportunity to expand their fleet size and increase the maximum number of berths.

Threats

• The vacation industry is seasonal. The majority of cruises are purchased between January and March. The Bahamian Hurricane season is June 1 to November 30.

• Carnival Corp. revealed 127 alleged crimes onboard their vessels from period between July 27th, 2010 and June 30th, 2013. This report does not include alleged crimes committed off the vessel while docked.

• The overall perception of the cruise industry has fallen in the past few years. According to the LA Times, “The quality of the cruise industry fell 11% in February from a year earlier, according to scores by survey takers. Their score for trust in the cruise industry dropped 12% and scores indicating plans to book a cruise trip fell 13%, according to the poll,” (Martin). A cruise ship disaster, even if the ship is not owned by Carnival, damages the entire industry.

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Summary of the Situational Analysis• Cruise companies seek to increase their overall number of customers by financing new cruise ships.• Industry trends reveal an increase in cruise revenue.• Consumers tend to favor Caribbean cruises.• Carnival Cruise’s two main competitors are Royal Caribbean International and Disney Cruise Lines.• Carnival Cruise holds a strong brand reputation of being a less expensive option for a fun vacation and

appeal to a variety of customers.• Carnival has taken positive steps forward to appease its customers and to grow as a brand, shown

with increased revenue growth, from $4.7 billion in 2013 to $4.9 billion in 2014.• Carnival’s primary market is a married couple, between the ages of 40 and 54, with 1-3 children. The

secondary market is engaged or newlywed couples, between the ages of 25 and 35, with no children. The tertiary market is single millennial ages 15 – 24.

• Media buys will include a combination of Internet, television and print media.

Key Issues• Carnival must actively combat the negative perceptions of the industry by responding to the

concerns of their consumers either through paid advertising or interactive social media cam-paigns. Transparency will help passengers regain trust in Carnival.

• The seasonality of the industry is entwined with Carnival’s approach. It is impossible to control weather events (like rain) that could potentially destroy a customer’s experience.

• According to a report published by J.D. Power, 61% of passengers say they “definitely will” take another cruise with their current line when they experience zero problems during their trip.

• This number drops significantly as more problems are reported: one problem 55%, two problems 33%, and three problems 28%.

• Carnival must cultivate a safe travel environment while maximizing customer satisfaction. • The cruise industry suffers from low market penetration (Hoovers Industry Trends). Only 3% of

North Americans cruise each year and only about 25% of the entire population has ever been on a cruise.

KEY ISSUES & IMPLICATIONS

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CAMPAIGN STRATEGYAARON VERDEROSAACCOUNT Director

Carnival Cruise Lines offers more than leisurely trips at sea with comfortable accommodations, dynamic on-board entertainment and unique, unforgettable excursions throughout the Caribbean. Carnival’s Caribbean cruises com-bine all the benefits of a trip to the Caribbean, without having to step foot on a plane, and the adventure of foreign travel, with resort-convenience.

Target MarketsThe campaign strategy includes three target markets that focus on individual needs, interests and personalities. The primary target, known as the Harris’, is a Caucasian family with adults ages 40 to 54 and 1 to 3 adolescent children. They are from the south or southeast regions of United States with a combined household income of $80,000 to $100,000. To the parents of the Harris family, a Carnival cruise to the Caribbean is perfect option for a vacation where they can relax and put their kids in safe hands while being offered a variety of activities and quality family time together. They are most concerned about the safety and well-being of their family, something Carnival guarantees.

The secondary target, known as the Winslows, is a newly married or engaged couple with no children. They are ages 25 to 35, earning a combined household income of $75,000 and living in the south, east central or south west region of the United States. They are concerned with investing in their future, while creating lifelong memories for themselves before they have children. They feel comfortable among Carnival’s lively and active demographic and enjoy the opportunity to cruise at an affordable price.

The tertiary target, known as Jason and Emma are ages 15 to 24. They are young and single with no particular geo-graphic location. They are known as “influencers”. Parents more often than not listen to their kids when consid-ering vacation choices. At the very least, Jason and Emma’s opinion is taken into consideration around the dinner table while the parents deliberate at a later date. Creating memorable experiences that can later be shared with their friends is most important to Jason and Emma. Carnival will provide them with once in a lifetime opportunities that will have Jason and Emma taking their kids on a Carnival cruises in years to come.

Unique Selling Point Carnival’s unique selling point is its ability to bring attractive aspects of competing cruise lines together into one trip experience. Carnival offers the whimsy charm of Disney Cruise Line, the quality of Royal Caribbean Interna-tional and the customization of Norwegian Cruise Line. This allows each of Carnival’s passengers to have a unique experience that contributes to creating a harmonious atmosphere.

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Branding StrategyThelma’s branding strategy has two tiers that’ll run simultaneously to successfully implement our desired branding for Carnival.

1. Tier one will focus on persuading the three target markets to choose a cruise over a land va-cation. Cruises offer benefits that land vacations cannot. If consumers travel by plane, they are inevitably on a plane for two to three hours, and in an airport for longer. Consumers instead will be relaxing and experiencing the Caribbean on a cruise, even while traveling between ports. Cruises offer a level of comfort that planes can no longer offer to all their customers, such as first class accommodations and personalized service. Our primary target market, the Harris’, will seek vaca-tions that are family-oriented. Cruises offer flexible family time, where families can enjoy meals together and spend time by the pools and out on excursions when the ship is docked. However, on a cruise, family time is what the Harris’ choose it to be, with a variety of activities to choose from that can be done together or independently. Carnival Cruises offer a level of quality and adventure that appeals to adventurous travelers, such as the Winslow’s. Our tertiary target market, Jason and Emma, want to experience new places abroad, but prefer a more structured experience. Cruises, Carnival in particular, offer a wide variety of excursions and on board activities, such as island tours, casinos, spas treatments, and concerts.

2. While many Caribbean cruise lines offer similar activities, the second tenet of our branding strategy is to show why the target markets should choose a Carnival Cruise over its competitors. Carnival offers the best of all the Caribbean cruise lines: the “magic” of a Disney cruise through Carnival’s partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprise and the luxury of a Royal Caribbean cruise through updated ships. . We will capitalize on our “adventurous personality” by highlighting our unique off-ship excursions, which may include dolphin encounters, reef snorkeling in the Bahamas, or culinary tour of the islands. On board, Carnival presents concerts by well-known artists, such as Jennifer Hudson, Rascal Flatts, and Smokey Robinson. Customers love the wide variety of food, drinks and entertainment for the whole family. These trips are offered at lower prices, shorter durations of time (for working couples like the Winslow’s and Harris’), with year round availability to a greater number of Caribbean destinations.

We will utilize our two-tiered branding strategy to instill Carnival’s brand personality as the adven-turous, outgoing, all-encompassing, reliable experts in Caribbean cruises. In addition, Carnival’s branding strategy will infuse the brand with providing classic vacations that were known for their wholesome, family oriented experiences. We will link these nostalgic emotions to the Carnival brand through a diverse media and creative campaign that will incorporate media buys, as well as a partnership with travel bloggers and journalists. Social media, in particular Facebook and Twit-ter, will be utilized to advertise Carnival’s Caribbean cruises.

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Business PlanThelma will first focus on its most important audience, the core group of loyal Carnival cruisers. Carnival Cruise Lines has had trouble with retention in the past and Thelma feels it is important strategies are implemented to keep existing Carnival fans.

Second, Thelma will focus on the existing audience of competing cruise lines, in particular Disney. Carnival will look to a particular audience that has “out grown” what Disney has to offer. This is an audience, much like the Harris’ who are looking to return to cruising, now with maturing kids that are excited about engaging in more ad-venturous experiences. The parents in the Harris family find satisfaction in the scheduled aspects of the cruise that give their kids some form of “supervised freedom”.

Third, Thelma will focus on new customers that have never cruised before. Jason and Emma could influence their parents to break from routine and into taking a non-conventional vacation like a Carnival Cruise. Jason and Emma have a strong input in family vacation destinations and they could indeed inspire their parents to try cruising. Addi-tionally, a market like the Winslow’s, a young couple that is taking one of their first trips together, will be drawn in by the uniqueness and excitement surrounding a cruise vacation.

Media StrategyDifferences in target market behavior and usage creates three distinct strategies within the full campaign to successfully reach each market. The three markets are hierarchical in importance and campaign emphasis, there-fore, the primary market, the Harris’, will receive the highest amount of focus, and in turn the highest advertising expenditures. The Winslow’s will receive less focus and spending than the Harris’, but more than the youngest market (Jason and Emma).

This strategy is broken down into four general media vehicles: Television, Internet, Print/Radio, and other (includ-ing outdoor advertising). Timing, duration, seasonality, location and allocation of advertising will be catered to each market for a specific vehicle. The effectiveness of the different vehicles in each of our target markets, and the different tactics within each vehicle have been determined by market research and will be positioned accordingly.

Creative BriefCarnival as a brand is accompanied by feelings of adventure and excitement, but at the same time advertisements must convey the message of vacations for the whole family that are safe and affordable. Its advertising promotes relaxing trips to “get away” with unmatched options for entertainment, activities and exploration. Thelma’s cre-ative direction will reinforce existing brand values and an important aspect of our messaging will be that Carnival provide flexibility: affordable, easy-to-book cruises that provide memorable experiences for short or long stays.

Appealing to a broad market and providing a large variety of options, brings to light that Carnival lacks a level of exclusivity that other cruise lines specialize in. While Carnival Cruises communicates fun for the whole family, it faces the challenge of potentially being seen as the “Wal Mart” of cruise ships: big, manufactured vacations that lack unique experiences for people who want to do something “off the beaten path.” To address this, Thelma will aim to reinvigorate the brand with key themes of harmony and individual experience. The target markets with their unique behaviors and attitudes should feel cared for on an individual level, while they find harmony in the variety and flexibility Carnival offers. We want to maintain consumer confidence in our brand and communicate that we can adjust our offerings as the cruise and travel industry evolves.

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camp

aign

stra

tegyThelma intends to brand Carnival so that the target market’s values and views on the ideal vaca-

tion align with what is offered. Our target markets should care about Carnival Cruise Line and what they have to say because they are passionate about offering flexible and affordable vacations. The target markets should believe in what Thelma says, on Carnival’s behalf, because not only do they offer affordable and flexible vacations, but they are also the leader in the cruise line industry. The fact that Carnival is a top-notch cruise line gives Carnival Cruise Line more credibility and shows that other vacationers trust in Carnival.

When Thelma reaches the target markets, our first goal is for them to become interested in what Carnival has to offer and to visit their website to find out more information. At this point, we ex-pect the website will provide an enticing atmosphere that gets the target thinking about booking a cruise. After encountering some aspect of our campaign, we want our target consumers to feel enthusiastic. Thelma wants our target markets to feel curious and excited about Carnival. We want them to feel curious so that they will want to learn more and excited about the possibility of choosing Carnival. The appeal Thelma’s creative will focus on most is the appeal of experience.

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Creative PlanRenee SHields Mara JeziorArt Director Copywriter

Harmony means finding one’s ideal state of happiness in the mix of people and activities. Carnival provides cus-tomers with a singular avenue to experience an abundance of individual moments, finding peace in following their own agenda. For this reason, Thelma aims to invoke a sense of harmony among individuals who take Carnival vacations—but with a twist of excitement, experience and individualism.

We believe this is the crux of Carnival’s position as the “fun” ship, and we strive to build upon that image. Thelma hopes to embody “fun” with a fresh and colorful throwback campaign that focuses on the harmony of a perfect vacation while ultimately bringing new life to how Carnival attracts new and existing customers.

Objectives• Build brand awareness, equity and confidence• Reinvigorate brand identity to highlight that we are fresh, timeless and fun—and that we can provide a unique

experience for a variety of customers• Increase trip bookings, web traffic, customer engagement, and positive buzz about brand

Strategies• Convey the harmony that exists among each individual’s separate experiences• Communicate the novelty of taking a cruise by displaying cruising as a unique vacation experience• Conjure feelings of exhilaration, jubilation and relaxation for the experience Carnival offers• Use happy, well-known songs to grab attention and connect to our tagline and slogan

Unifying Elements• Logo, tagline and slogan• Songs by The Beach Boys for broadcast material

Tagline• “Good vibes flow”• Play on words - reminder of happy song, harmony of experience• Conjures images of water and positive coexistence• Highlights the harmony of taking a Carnival Cruise: relaxation, experience, no pressure• Connects to campaign music, “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys• Prompts the consumer to take action

Slogan• “Find your groove” • Relates to ideas of “flow,” forgetting worries and being present in the moment• Connects to ideas of travel, spontaneity and variety• Fits in with ideals of harmony

crea

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lanCopy Tone

• Fresh and concise• Positive, fun, story-driven for broadcast

Art Direction• Modern twist on classic images• Graphics imitate animation• Vintage without the rust• Saturated, bold, colorful images• Balance of fresh and retro

BroadcastBroadcast advertising will focus on familiarizing people with the cruise line on a broader basis. We aim to tell a story that all our potential customers can relate to or sympathize with. Ads will be story-driven and relateable, with well-known music conjuring positive feelings associated with Carnival.

“Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys conveys the mood Thelma aims to embody and will be used in all broadcast materials, while also aligning with Carnival’s tagline.

Television

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RadioOur 30 second radio spot will begin with 13 seconds of the “Good Vibrations” refrain. It will then transition into the following copy with “Good Vibrations” instrumental continuing in the background:

“Find your groove with Carnival Cruise! Carnival offers adventures for the whole family: swimming, relaxing at the spa, rock climbing and more! With seven-day cruises starting at $449 per person, you won’t want to miss out! Find out more and book today at www.carnival.com”

We will also market Carnival LIVE with through integrated TV and radio ads, which will feature all the artists from the concert series taking turns singing verses of “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys in their own style on the cruise ship.

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OnlineTargeted online ads for each market will help to pinpoint customers’ specific travel desires beyond establishing general brand awareness over television and other mediums.

Interactive

FLOW n. [floh]: the optimal state of consciousness where we feel and perform our best

GOOD VIBES FLOW

EXAMPLES: GOOD VIBES FLOW

FIND YOURGROOVE

GOOD VIBES FLOW

EBB

GOOD VIBES FLOW

FLOW

GOOD VIBES FLOW

FIND YOUR GROOVE

GOOD VIBES FLOW

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Interactive Static

FIND YOUR GROOVE

BOOK NOW7-day cruises starting at

$449GOOD VIBES FLOW

FIND YOURGROOVE

On-shore adventures for every explorer.

BOOK TODAY and check out

Carnival’s Caribbean excursions.

GOOD VIBES FLOW

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Outdoor/AmbientBillboards and bus wraps in cities will show our market Carnival’s novelty and fun beyond basic print and online platforms, and embrace the campaign’s use of colorful saturated imagery to grab attention.

FIND YOUR GROOVE

www.carnival.com GOOD VIBES FLOW

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Direct MarketingDirect marketing through novelty postcards will allow our market to personally connect our brand with their friends and lifestyle. The postcards will serve as personal recommendations as well as collectibles.

The back of the postcard will include Carnival’s logo and tagline.

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PrintPrint ads will contribute to consistent contact with the brand, especially with those interested in traditional media outlets like the Harris’. All print will maintain a balance of freshness and retro-spective graphics.

Newspaper

Magazine

CARNIVALGREETINGS FROM

FIND YOUR GROOVE7-day cruises starting at $449

GOOD VIBES FLOW www.carnival.com

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Social MediaSocial media will vary on the YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest platforms and will be directed toward Jason and Emma. The general theme across all platforms will focus on the memories made from being spontaneous on a Carnival cruise.

Instead of outright advertisements, Carnival’s YouTube channel will feature long-form, story-driven videos that people can watch for entertainment purposes and share with their friends, creating the potential to go viral. The channel’s primary content will be a goofy and fun video series on the adventures of Carnival’s classic towel ani-mals.

In one episode, the lead character, a towel animal named Steven forges a friendship with a child on the ship, who takes him everywhere with him. Everything is great with Steven until the child tries to take him down the water slide and he loses his shape, thus becoming a regular towel again and losing his magic—like Frosty the Snowman melting, Steve is now just a wet towel on the ground with a pair of sunglasses.

Further, Jason and Emma can follow updates on Steven on Carnival’s Facebook page, which will also feature com-pany- and user-generated posts that highlight memories and exploring, while utilizing the importance of experi-ence. The channel’s primary content will consist of photographs, presenting different aspects of Carnival Cruisers’ experiences.

Given the saturated, throwback imagery of this campaign, Instagram and Twitter will play primary roles in fos-tering user engagement, especially when people are on their cruises. While on their trips, Carnival will encourage cruise-goers to share their experiences on social media, using hashtags to connect messaging:• #CarnivalFoodie will feature food and drinks on the ship, highlighting Carnival’s exciting offerings• #CarnivalMoments will highlight families & fun activities on board, emphasising the sentimental and adven-

turous moments of their trips. • #SunsetSunday will focus more on the scenery of the Caribbean, allowing cruisers to share the scenic aspects

of cruise life with their friends and followers.

Lastly, the Pinterest platform will bring a more individualized experience to our cruise-goers on social media. Our patrons will be able to view each of our different boards, each of which focuses on a different Carnival experience. Some examples of these boards include:• “Carnival Kids” board that features the youthful adventure opportunities on our ships• “R&R” board that features the rest and relaxation opportunities on our ships• “Carnival Moments” board that features user-generated content on cruise-goers favorite moments onboard• “Carnival Foodie” board that features the fine cuisine Carnival cruise-goers experience during their cruises

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campaign year overviewThis campaign will run from May 2014 to April 2015. The campaign has a clear building shape in terms of frequency. The objective is to avoid alienation of overstimulated customers early in the campaign, build steadily over the winter months of higher advertising clutter, and bring heavy reach and frequency beginning in January to capitalize on wave season which lasts from January through March, the time of year when most cruises are purchased.

The campaign will begin with light penetration across our major media mix from June to August with light variations of flighting and pulsing. Vacationers will generally have their summer vacation schedules already planned by this time, meaning heavy advertising would be wasteful. Advertis-ing will increase steadily throug the month of September into October. November and Decem-ber will consist of relatively high levels of advertising, rounding out awareness and conviction. January through March will be the heaviest advertising months, which fall right before before peak Caribbean cruise season (late March to July) and during “wave season.” This strategy shapes comprehension and promotes conviction. In short, the campaign will start small with mostly an internet emphasis in the summer, transition into heavier TV/radio/print flighting in the fall, pulsing in the winter, and heavy continuity to finish out the year.

It is important to understand Carnival’s current public relations climate. Five million dollars will be set aside to address any public relations issues that may arise during the year.

Reach/Frequency GoalsThree specific target markets have been identified for exposure and each market maintains a fairly similar pattern of media use. Precise data on media usage for each target market has been collected, resulting in a thorough understanding of each target demographic’s media habits. For this reason, the campaign will focus on frequency amongst the target markets, rather than overall reach. All specific programming, websites, etc., have been chosen based on Simmons OneView data that enables us to determine which particular programming is consumed by our specific target markets.

Regional EmphasisRegional emphasis will vary by target market, but the south and southeastern markets will receive highest emphasis, especially for the primary market. The rest of the nation will receive reduced emphasis based and primary/secondary/tertiary ratios. The Winslow’s will be targeted most heavi-ly in south and southeast regions, but also the southwest and east central areas of the nation. The millennial campaign, because of its internet emphasis, will essentially be a nationwide campaign.

MEDIA PLANWilliam Schneider

Media & Interactive Director

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allocations

MEDIA CATEGORIES CPP TOTAL UNIT ALLOC. $ALLOCATION NOTES

Super Bowl $2,968,800 1 $2,968,800 1 Super Bowl ad

College Bowl Games $35,674 10 $356,740 2 ads in 5 games

Outdoor $35,000 30 $1,050,000 6 months in 5 spot markets

Keywords $29,250 48 $1,404,000 12 months in 4 search engines

Banner Ad $6,000 180 $1,080,000 15 sites for 12 months

Internet Sponsorship $17,550 20 $351,000 5 target sites for 4 months

Targeted Sites $102,375 21 $2,149,875 3 targeted sites for 7 months

Country Music Awards $28,888 2 $57,776 2 CMA ads

Direct Mail $261,895 3 $785,685 300,000 direct mailings in 3 spot markets

Newspapers $1,163,697 4 $4,654,788 1 ad in all spot markets 4 months

SUM TOTAL 319 $14,858,664

Impact Media Spending

MEDIA CATEGORIES CPP TOTAL % ALLOCATION $ALLOCATION GRPS

Cable Television Primetime $19,227 10% $4,014,133.60 209

Network Television Primetime $33,103 11% $4,415,546.96 133

Network Television Late Night $24,776 5% $2,007,066.80 81

Network Television Early Evening $16,871 4% $1,605,653.44 95

National Radio Morning Drive $2,913 3% $1,204,240.08 413

National Radio Evening Drive $2,913 3% $1,204,240.08 413

Spot Cable Television Primetime $12,324 9% $3,612,720.24 293

Spot Television Primetime $32,066 10% $4,014,133.60 125

Spot Television Late Night $14,688 4% $1,605,653.44 109

Spot Television Early Evening $16,379 3% $1,204,240.08 74

Spot Radio Morning $4,240 3% $1,204,240.08 284

Spot Radio Evening $4,240 3% $1,204,240.08 284

National Magazine $64,733 4% $1,605,653.44 25

Regional Magazine Women $19,369 4% $1,605,653.44 83

Regional Magazine Men $26,142 4% $1,605,653.44 61

Facebook $22,000 5% $2,007,066.80 91

ESPN $15,000 5% $2,007,066.80 134

Yahoo $20,000 5% $2,007,066.80 100

TripAdvisor $30,000 5% $2,007,066.80 67

SUM TOTAL 100% $40,141,336.00

Non-Impact Media Spending

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MEDIA CATEGORIES JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL

Super Bowl 1 1

College Bowl Games 8 2 8

Outdoor 5 5 5 5 5 5 25

Keywords 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 48

Banner Ads 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 180

Internet Sponsoprship 5 5 5 5 20

Targeted Sites 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 21

Country Music Awards 2 2

Direct Mail 3 3

Newspapers 1 1 1 1 4

0

SUM TOTAL 44 29 33 29 19 19 19 22 24 22 30 29 319

Impact GRP Allocation

Impact Media Flowchart

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MEDIA CATEGORIES JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTAL

Cable Television Primetime 30 40 40 40 5 8 8 8 15 15 209Network Television Primetime 12 25 30 30 3 5 5 7 8 8 133Network Television Late Night 15 15 15 15 3 3 4 5 5 80Network Television Early Evening 15 15 15 15 4 4 7 10 10 95National Radio Morning Drive 63 120 120 25 25 25 35 413National Radio Evening Drive 63 120 120 25 25 25 35 413

Spot Cable Television Primetime 40 50 60 60 10 12 12 15 17 17 293Spot Television Primetime 15 20 25 22 5 6 6 8 9 9 125Spot Television Late Night 10 20 24 24 4 5 5 5 6 6 109

Spot Television Early Evening 10 10 15 14 3 4 4 4 5 5 74Spot Radio Morning 62 62 70 15 15 30 30 284Spot Radio Evening 62 62 70 15 15 30 30 284National Magazine 7 8 5 5 25

Regional Magazine Women 15 20 20 7 7 14 83Regional Magazine Men 10 18 18 4 4 7 61

Facebook 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 91ESPN 12 12 12 11 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 12 134Yahoo 9 9 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 100

TripAdvisor 7 7 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 67

SUM TOTAL 465 641 683 251 37 60 118 71 174 79 233 261

allocationsNon-Impact GRP Allocation

Non-Impact Media Flowchart Trip AdvisorYahooESPNFacebookRegional Magazine MenRegional Magazine WomanNational MagazineSpot Radio EveningSpot Radio MorningSpot Television Early EveningSpot Television Late NightSpot Television PrimetimeSpot Cable Television PrimetimeNational Radio Evening DriveNational Radio Morning DriveNetwork Television Early EveningNetwork Television Late NightNetwork Television PrimetimeCable Television Primetime

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antelevisionTelevision: (43.1%), $25,862,646

Television is the largest market with the highest impact on our three target markets. The television plan mirrors the overall media plan:

• May-September: pulsing/flighting patterns• October-December: gradual build in GRP• January-April: heavy saturation across all markets

• The millennial market consumes less television than our primary and secondary markets, so they will not be targeted specifically via television

Impact MediaImpact media has been chosen for our heaviest media saturation period (January-April):

The Super Bowl (February 5)One super bowl ad will run during the super bowl for maximum exposure during highest viewed media event of the year.

College football bowl games2 ads in 5 games

• Orange Bowl (Dec. 31)• Birmingham Bowl (Jan. 1)

• These bowl games were specifically chosen because they either feature teams from the target south/southwest/southeast regions, our target region

• SEC (Southeastern Conference)• ACC (Atlantic Coastal Conference)

• The remaining three games will be the two national championship playoff games and the national championship (January 12)

The Country Music Awards (April 19)Two ads will be run during the country music awards because country music is most popular in the southern parts of the United States, our target region.

Non-Impact Media• National Cable/Broadcast Television Programming • The Harris’ — corresponding ratings reflect viewer index, the higher the number is over 100,

the higher the relative viewership for the target demographic vs. all others (the numbers proceeding the program name are the index rating the specific demographic, the higher the rating is above 100, the more successful the show amongst the demographic)

• The Big Bang Theory (191), The Middle (131), Modern Family (121), NCIS (121)• The Winslows

• 2 Broke Girls (147), Family Guy (157) (high millennial viewership as well - 240), Modern Family (134), Grey’s Anatomy (125), New Girl (179) (high millennial viewership as well – 218)

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Internet (21.7%) $13,013,142

Online AdsBanner space for 15 websites will be bought for a year, thus being among the most consistent aspects of the media plan. Banner ads are perfect for giving the consumer a quick route to your website. By choosing sites frequented by our demographics, they will be exposed to these ads in high volume for an entire year. This will maximize potential for increasing web traffic to the Carnival website.

The following 15 sites record a high index across our three target markets: amazon.com, accuweather.com, bestbuy.com, CNN.com, ebay.com, expedia.com , hotmail.com , imdb.com, instagram.com, linkedin.com, msn.com, mapquest.com, washingtonpost.com, weather.com, youtube.com.

Target Sites Behavioral advertising works very efficiently via the Internet. Conclusions can be made via Internet monitoring to tailor advertising to specific consumers based on insights that are harder to understand via traditional consumer analysis.

• Keywords: Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Ask• Internet Sponsorships: HULU, YouTube, Comedy Central

• All of these websites attract the majority, if not all of their traffic for video content. Carnival will run ads preceding this content containing either full, or condensed TV commercials, or a simple “brought to you by”

• “The following program is brought to you by Carnival Cruise line ‘Good vibes flow’”

The following four sites will feature year-long, steady advertising to maintain an online presence on statistically successful websites among our three target demographics. This consistency will be constantly promoting aware-ness and comprehension, while in some cases even promoting decisive action after the consumer has begun to expect and become comfortable with Carnival’s presence on these specific platforms.

Facebook: Rich media packageFacebook is one of the most popular websites amongst our three target demographics (Harris - 134 index, Winslow - 142, Jason and Emma - 188). Facebook is also an extremely dynamic internet medium. Sponsored pages/posts will work in conjunction with advertising presence on Facebook and social media presence as a whole. The public relations presence on Facebook will make for an interactive medium, complete with suggested pages, travel writer interaction, and targeting of our target market to directly reach the individuals.

ESPN: Standard media package ESPN.com is another website that registered very high across all three of our target markets (Harris - 126, Winslow - 215, Jason and Emma - 144). Also, as mentioned before, our target regions of the south/west/east are diehard college football fans and espn.com is the premier college football coverage website as opposed to professional sports who have a league website for coverage (nfl.com, mlb.com, nab.com) .

Yahoo: Rich media packageYahoo’s usage index registered especially high amongst the Winslow’s (139) and Jason and Emma (143) demo-graphics. For this reason, a rich media package has been chosen.

TripAdvisor: Extra rich media package TripAdvisor is not quite as popular as the other three websites, but it does pare down the target demographic by a very important measurement: those actively seeking a vacation, or vacation ideas. Providing engaging and inter-active media on this particular site is especially important because of the specific psychographic profile of people visiting travel sites in the for the purpose of researching high involvement purchases like vacations.

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Print (15.8%), $9,471,748.32

Regional Newspapers Print advertising in regional newspapers will begin in November and last until March, as a supplement to TV during high saturation months of January to March. Newspapers also have high pass along numbers, which can work in Carnival’s favor considering that each demographic tends to socialize (pass along) within their demographic, thus increasing target reach.

Spot markets include: The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Houston Chronicle, Miami Herald, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), The Clarion Ledger (Jackson, MS), The Columbia Star (Columbia, SC), The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC).

National MagazinesPeople has long held a large and loyal readership. There is considerable overlap in readership between out the Harris and Winslow demographics. People, generally read by women, has very high pass along value compared to other magazines that were considered.

Regional Magazine - Women Southern Living is a very popular lifestyle magazine among southern women. What is most intriguing about Southern Living is their travel section.

Regional Magazine - MenGarden and Gun is essentially the male counterpart to Southern Living, with an emphasis on sporting culture (hunting, fishing etc.). Garden and Gun, like Southern Living, includes an intriguing travel section, which lends itself nicely to our objectives.

PRINT

radioRadio (8%), $4,816,960.32

National RadioNational Radio advertising will be run during morning and evening drive times. Because of broadcast radio’s low information potential, high frequency will be reached between January and March following flighting patterns through the summer and fall. Radio will receive only 8 percent of the budget because cruises are relatively high involvement purchases for consumers.

Spot RadioSpot radio faces similar advantages/disadvantages to national radio. Flighting periods of spot radio will offset flighting periods of spot television to increase and maintain awareness during low saturation months of summer

Spot markets include: Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; Jackson, MS; Columbia, SC; Memphis, TN; Raleigh, NC; Lexington, KY; Indianapolis, IN; and Cincinnati, OH

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outdoorOutdoor (1.8%), $1,050,000

Six months of the campaign has been set aside for outdoor advertising. Outdoor advertising is a flexible medium which allows us to reach our target markets in the south, southeast, southwest, and east central. Bus wraps and billboards will be displayed in the following 5 spot markets in the months of November, December, January, February, March, and April. These are the months of highest number of media purchases for the entire campaign.

Spot markets include: Houston, Memphis, Atlanta, Raleigh, Lexington

Direct Mail (1.3%) $785,685

Parts of the creative campaign has a vintage theme. The direct mailing allows us to play on the vintage theme, while also capi-talizing on the obvious connections between Carnival Cruise, travel, and postcards. 100,000 thousand postcards will be sent out in January to residents in Houston, New Orleans and Atlanta, 300,000 per target market. Postcards also have added pass along value which will go beyond the estimated GRPs for 300,000 mailings.

direct mail

Contingency (8.3%) $5,000,000

Five million dollars will be allocated to supplement the public relations plan. These funds will be allocated during public relations crises, to allow for timely, in-depth responses to each situation. The allocation of these funds will allow Carnival to continue to implement its brand as a safe, reliable and responsive company.

CONTINGENCY

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The media mix

TVInternetPrintRadioDirect MailOutdoorContingency

43.1%

21.7%

15.8%

8%

1.3%1.8%

8.3% MEDI

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PR & PROMOTIONS PLANKaty Fellman

PR & PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR

Current public opinionCarnival Cruise Lines has faced three major public relations crises, in the last several years:

• 2012 Costa Concordia incident• 2013 Carnival Triumph engine room fire• 2014 outbreak of norovirus

Incidents, similar to the above, drastically affect public opinion of Carnival, however public opinion varies by week. According to their annual report, Carnival Cruise made nearly $5 billion in ticket sales, tours and on-board products in the summer of 2014. Guests onboard increased by 20 percent and projected sales are $16 billion in 2014. Cruise critics have praised the company for publishing their on-board crime statistics, minimizing the dangerous stigma associated with cruises. Carnival Cruise Lines, in recent years, has come under fire for unreliable cruise experi-ences, and health and safety records. In addition, Carnival has a poor passenger retention rate, with customers infrequently returning for additional cruises.

Public relations strategy Our primary objective would be to improve public opinion, by improving the public’s perception of Carnival’s brand. Thelma’s unique selling point for Carnival Cruise Lines is the harmony that is created on each cruise ship. Public relations will create a harmonious relationship between the company, Carnival’s stakeholders and the gen-eral public, which lead to an improved public image.

Our public relation strategy will focus on reinforcing our brand’s current positioning, the adventurous cruise line, in addition to emphasizing Carnival’s safety and cleanliness record. We will build upon our two-tiered branding strat-egy: persuading consumers to choose a cruise over a plane and Carnival over our competitors. Our public relations strategy will pair with the media purchased by the Media director, as well as the creative strategy. Our advertising must promote Carnival as a reliable, safe and comfortable, in addition to Carnival’s positioning as the adventurous, exciting cruise line.

Thelma will utilize these multiple social media outlets to positively influence public opinion about Carnival Cruise. According to the Pew Research Center, in January 2014, 74 percent of adults utilize social media and 19 percent of adults utilize Twitter. As of September 2013, 71 percent of adults online utilized Facebook. The same 2013 study found 17 percent of adults’ online use Instagram. Social media will broaden Carnival’s audience beyond our target markets, bringing our message to a general audience. The public relations and promotions plan will tie directly to

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anthe creative plan for Carnival Cruise. The consumers, whose opinion and perception of the brand is determined by what they see, determine Carnival’s public opinion.

The final aspect of our public relations strategy is tying Carnival’s public image to a philanthropic cause. Carnival Cruise Lines is a corporation, a title that may deter potential consumers. We will build Carnival’s relationship with different charities and communities, which is essential in show-ing that Carnival’s consumer commitment goes beyond monetary profits.

Public Relations TacticsWe will utilize the following publicity programs and staged events as public relations tactics:

Carnival LIVEWe will work closely with Carnival Cruise’s innovative Carnival LIVE concert series. Carnival LIVE brings a new element of adventure and fun to cruise lines. This innovative concert series will draw popular musical artists to Carnival Cruise ships, at several ports of call. Artists include Gavin De-Graw, Jennifer Hudson, and Rascal Flatts among others. These popular artists will attract all three of our target markets, due to their widespread popularity amongst multiple age groups. We will work with the musical acts, as well as their public relation teams, to promote their concerts on social media and personal websites. According to Cruiseline.com reviews, Carnival customers find the on-shore excursions exciting and enjoyable, while onboard entertainment is lacking. Carnival LIVE will reinvigorate Carnival’s onboard entertainment, addressing customer apprehensions of the available onboard activities.

Press ConferencesCarnival Cruise’s current public relations obstacle is the health and safety standards aboard their ships. We propose a series of press conferences that will first address onboard illnesses, such as the norovirus, then shift focus to how Carnival currently addresses health and safety concerns. The second press conference will focus on Carnival’s excellent health ratings from the United States Public Health Inspections. Carnival needs to build upon and publicize their positive health ratings, in order to reassure consumers. The third press conference will focus on the environ-mental sustainability initiatives taken by Carnival. As American society’s focus shifts toward sustainability and environmental conservation, Carnival’s new initiatives will show the company’s continued support for environmental issues.

Carnival FoundationCarnival understands the importance of giving back to their associated communities. This un-derstanding led Carnival to create its Carnival Foundation, which seeks to give back to charitable organizations within many communities, worldwide. Carnival Foundation events will be promot-ed more prominently, using a combination of social and traditional media to highlight Carnival’s partnerships within the community.

Carnival LIVE reinforces the fun and adventurous aspects of our brand. No other cruise line holds concerts of the same caliber onboard. Carnival’s environmental and health issues in the past will be addressed through our press conferences, but show our consumers that Carnival cares about the health and safety of its passengers, as well as the environment their industry relies on. Final-ly, Carnival’s philanthropic work promotes the company’s dedication to both its customers and its community.

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In order to create buzz around the promotional events, public relations must pair with media and creative. Our creative messages will be utilized in cooperative advertising with prominent travel blogs, such as the Adventure Journal (http://www.adventure-journal.com), Tiny Atlas Quarterly (http://tinyatlasquarterly.com) and Hither and Thither (http://www.hitherandthither.net). These popular blogs focus on beautiful sceneries, family travel and adventure; all three elements we hope to associate with the Carnival Cruise brand name. We will entice these blog authors with heavily discounted trips, for them to come experience the Carnival brand.

Promotional/PR ActivitiesEnvironmental Press ConferenceThis press conference will highlight the changes Carnival will be making, in order to improve the health and safety of their ships, in addition to the changes in Carnival’s policies promoting environmental sustainability on their ships. The press conference, the final in a series of three, would look toward Carnival’s future as a sustainable brand. The press conference will highlight Carnival’s new Fleet Fuel Conservation program, which aims, over a sev-en-year program, to save more than one billion gallons of fuel and reduce carbon emissions by 12 billion kilograms (Hower).

Instagram ContestsCarnival Cruise travelers get to experience the beauty of the Caribbean, during their entire vacation. Carnival encourages travelers to share their favorite views on Instagram, with the hashtags “#findyourgroove”, “#carnival-cruise ”, “#goodvibesflow” and “#SunsetSundays”. Three winners will be chosen each week for a discount on their next trip with Carnival.

Charity WeekCharity week will occur over a seven-day period, twice a year. During charity week, 20 percent of all drink purchas-es made onboard will be donated to the charity supported by the Carnival Foundation. Ideally, these weeks will coincide with Carnival LIVE concerts, so the current musical guest may promote it.

Carnival LIVECarnival’s innovative new concert series will take place at several ports of call, including the Bahamas. These concerts will feature a number of prominent musical acts and artists will be available for meet and greets, as well as photos. Carnival LIVE will coincide with several events held during charity week, utilizing the concert series to highlight Carnival’s commitment to the community and philanthropy.

Media Relations

Carnival Cruise Lines has always a temperamental relationship with the media, due to public relations mishaps. However, Carnival seeks to create stronger, open relationships with the media. This will be through immediate no-tification and verified statements during crises, along with providing consistent updates. We will encourage media to cover our events and releases by creating strong relationships with media outlets. We will provide first-hand coverage that would not be available without Carnival support. Carnival will direct attention toward the chosen news outlets by providing immediate press releases, press conferences and exclusive statements to chosen media outlets.

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anMedia Contacts • New York Times – Monica Drake, Travel editor • Los Angeles Times – Catharine Hamm, Travel editor• ABC news – Genevieve Brown, Travel & Lifestyle editor• Miami Herald – Yvette Cardozo, Travel Arts syndicate• Travel + Leisure – Laura Teusink, Managing editor• Chelsey Lewis – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Travel reporter The media director will allocate $5 million to supplement the public relations plan. These funds will be allocated during public relations crises, to allow for timely, in-depth responses to each situa-tion. The allocation of these funds will allow Carnival to continue to implement its brand as a safe, reliable and responsive company.

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Appendix• Cruises - US - October 2013 Leading Companies from Mintel• http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/royal-caribbean-fills-virtual-ship-celebrities-148617• http://adage.com/article/digital/youtube-net-awesomenesstv-steals-tv-spend-branded-shows/293909/• iSpot.tv - http://www.ispot.tv/ad/75y2/disney-cruise-line-captains-log• https://www.youtube.com/user/NCLFreestyle• http://www.businessinsider.com/how-carnival-went-from-fun-ship-to-poop-cruise-2013-2?op=1• http://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/apr/29/cruise-firm-performance-bonuses-tips• http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/15/travel/carnival-problems/index.html?iref=allsearch• http://www.cruisemarketwatch.com/market-share/• http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carnival-corporation--plc-reports-third-quarter-earn-

ings-276452371.html• http://www.frommers.com/trip_ideas/cruise/mainstreamlines/royalcaribbeaninternational/royalcaribbeanin-

ternational.html#ixzz3FhM1mtAI• http://ermes.u-paris2.fr/doctrav/0915.pdf• http://travel.usnews.com/Hotels/review-One_Only_Ocean_Club_Bahamas-Paradise_Island-Bahamas-105876/• http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/carnival-sets-sail-fun-all-campaign-104717 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTcKdRkXJYM• http://www.ispot.tv/ad/72Gm/carnival-moments-that-matter-song-by-katie-herzig• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChsL0bnxXzg• http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/outdoor/carnival-cruise-lines-current-temperature-17219205/• http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/carnival-cruise-lines-makes-splash-clever-out-home-ads-140873• http://www.moat.com/search/results?brand[0]=carnival&ad=5923029• http://www.moat.com/search/results?brand[0]=carnival&ad=6267478• www.facebook.com/carnival, 10-15-14• www.instagram.com/carnival, 10-15-14• www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise, 10-15-14• http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=200767&p=irol-factsheet, Corporate Fact Sheet• http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=200767&p=irol-corporatetimeline, Corporate Timeline• http://www.cclcareers.com/about-us/our-history.aspx, Carnival Cruise Line Timeline • http://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/about-us.aspx• http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2014/09/17/cruise-ship-tours-carnival-classics/15623267/ (by Gene

Sloan)• http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/09/carnival-splendor-fire-cruise-passengers (by The Associated

Press)• http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/25/travel/carnival-triumph-cruise-trial/ (by Scott Bronstien)• http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/17/travel/carnival-problems/ by (Jake Carpenter, Holly Yan and Lateef Mungin)• http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/14/us-carnival-breakdown-idUSBRE92D0SF20130314 (by Reuters)• http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/30/clemson-student-death/16482671/ (by Ron Barnett

and Carol Motsinger)• http://subscriber.hoovers.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/H/industry360/trendsAndOpportunities.html?indus-

tryId=1850, Hoovers on cruise ship industry trends• http://subscriber.hoovers.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/H/industry360/businessChallenges.html?industry-

Id=1850, Business challenges associated with the cruise industry• http://subscriber.hoovers.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/H/company360/history.html?company-

Id=11803000000000&newsCompanyDuns=056134315, The history of Carnival Cruises• http://statistical.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/statisticalinsight/result/pqpdocumentview?accoun-

tid=465&groupid=126380&pgId=11447907-1934-42b3-a0a0-c1121cd78b3d&rsId=14876FA4C52,Statistical insight on the North American cruise industry