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HSMAI’s 2019 Adrian Awards competition will open in June 25 — honoring creativity and innovation in hospitality advertising, digital marketing, and public relations. Take some inspiration from one of last year’s Platinum winners: Royal Caribbean International, whose “A Perfect Night to Introduce a Perfect Day” was honored in the Public Relations/PR Campaign/Special Event category. (View all of last year’s Adrian-winning submissions here.)
BACKGROUND: In 2019, Royal Caribbean International plans to open Perfect Day Island, a new private island destination in the Bahamas that is designed to deliver the ideal beach day. Due to the extended purchase cycle for cruises, it was important to generate media coverage a year ahead of its opening. Royal Caribbean delivered a launch event to showcase the brand’s newest innovations and allowed guests to experience Perfect Day Island via augmented reality (AR). The company targeted customers who had never cruised before, adults aged 25–54 with a propensity to travel and a passion for adventure, and travel agents.
CAMPAIGN: At the time, the island did not exist yet, nor did any renderings or assets. The only resources available were digital files that the company was using to perfect its design. Royal Caribbean paired its New Build team with technologists and developers to add authentic color detail and texture to the design plans, then searched all over Manhattan for the ideal event location — which ended up being underneath a construction building instead of in a traditional venue. Royal Caribbean advertised the event by contracting with influencers with an existing affinity for the brand to spread the news, and shared information with top media outlets across the business and lifestyle verticals. At the event, guests used a custom outfitted iPad to step through a virtual portal into Perfect Day Island using a unique AR system made possible by a Hollywood-grade motion-capture system that mapped the physical and virtual worlds.
RESULTS: Media were impressed by the announcement of Perfect Day Island. According to Digital Trends, “We’d be lying if we said it didn’t make us want to book a cruise and head to the island.” The launch event resulted in 353 media placements and 1.5 billion impressions. Social media content and influencers generated an additional 146 placements and 92 million impressions. Royal Caribbean’s SOV (share of voice) reached an all-time high as the demand for cruises that call on Perfect Day Island increased.