Carnival Cruise Line celebrates Grinchmas in July with new campaign and stunt via MercerBell
Carnival Cruise Line has found a memorable way to promote Christmas sales out of season, using one of its on-board characters, the Grinch from their Seuss at Sea.
Together, MercerBell and Carnival developed the campaign, kicking off with a 24 July (or Grinchmas Eve) stunt on Sydney Harbour, shot by James Morgan Photography. The Grinch was seen rappelling daringly from a helicopter onto Carnival Spirit in an attempt to steal all the fun on-board the ship.
After taking the captain’s hat, hiding the turkey and stealing lollipops from the Cherry on Top sweet shop, the Grinch finally surrendered to the fun of Carnival. With over 45 activities to choose from including the fastest and steepest waterslide at sea, Green Thunder, and multiple live entertainment venues, even the Grinch couldn’t help but choose fun with Carnival.
The stunt is just the beginning of a program of Grinchmas festivities, according to MercerBell executive creative director David Bell, who says the Grinch will return for surprise appearances throughout the lead-up to Christmas, and on-board all Carnival Christmas cruises themselves.
Says Bell: “Our starting point is always the customer experience. The Grinch is such a powerful character and he gives us whole new way to connect with Carnival guests and encourage them to re-think their traditional experience of Christmas.”
Agency, MercerBell
David Bell, Executive Creative Director
Liz Kain, Creative Group Head
Paolo Meucci, Senior Art Director
Matt O’Keefe, Art Director
Matt Olanda, Group Account Director
Ashley Wall, Senior Account Manager
Credits Carnival Cruise Line
Jayne Andrews, Marketing Director
Cassandra Frelczak, Brand and Retail Marketing Manager
Anja Cohen – PR and Social media executive
Credits James Morgan Photography
James D. Morgan, Photographer and Video Director
PR
Fleishman Hillard
8 Comments
This is laughably bad.
A bloke in a cheap costume from snog the Frog.
What is this exactly? A stunt, an ad, a piece of content?
Er….did they intentionally rip the Nirvana riff from ‘SLTS’
Can I see your music agreement please?
Smells like a law suit to me…
That’s the worst thing i have seen in a very long time.
Why did the agency put that on Campaign Brief, knowing full well what the response to it would be? Asking for a friend.
Actually, stuff it. Everyone credited in this piece is part of the problem. Disgraceful.
You call this empowering? Half the credits and the main talent are all men!
….and strangely the other half are women? So what’s the issue?