NCL FREESTYLE CRUISING® LAUNCHES NEW BRAND IDENTITY IN UK -
London, 01 December 2006…?For the first time in 10 years, Norwegian Cruise Line has today unveiled a new, all-encompassing brand identity in the UK, created to capture and articulate the company’s unique Freestyle Cruising — an approach to cruising unlike any other offered in the industry.
Since its launch six years ago NCL’s Freestyle Cruising has turned traditional cruising on its head and its ethos is represented by the introduction of non-regimented dining times, no formal dress codes, relaxed disembarkation, up to 10 different restaurants and an even greater number of lounges and
bars onboard.
Spanning all company touch points, the new brand identity captures the non-traditional, free-spirited attitude that is reflected throughout the NCL onboard experience. NCL’s innovative cruise ships offer holidaymakers freedom from the stress and demands of everyday life and the flexibility to enjoy a less structured, more relaxed, resort style experience than cruising has traditionally offered.
The new UK focused marketing plan features COOP consumer and trade print advertising, as well as on-line advertising, along with a re-branded website www.ncl.co.uk which will launch with new functionality in phases throughout 2007. NCL’s guests and travel agents will also see new materials encompassing all the cruise line correspondence, onboard and in-cabin elements as well as port signage and terminal décor. This process will begin on 1 December onboard the brand new Norwegian Pearl and will roll out across the fleet during 2007.
The UK will get its first look at the new brand identity when it debuts on December 1, 2006 as part of Norwegian Pearl’s inaugural events. Following the launch it will be seen in a variety of media and online at the company’s website, www.ncl.co.uk.
The new brand identity breaks the mould of traditional cruise industry marketing with its light-hearted, experiential tone. One way the brand is characterised is with a graphic treatment that features a white fish swimming against the direction of a school of blue fish, depicting NCL’s innovative spirit in the cruise industry.
NCL’s research shows that the type of people who are attracted to Freestyle Cruising see themselves as individualists in a world in which everyone else is increasingly doing what they are told and accepting what is offered. NCL guests want to enjoy their cruise on their terms without the structure and regimentation that is still the central feature of traditional cruises.
Francis Riley, General Manager NCL UK, comments, “The new branding will represent a huge change from our current look and feel. Although our exemplary service and product will not change, the way we communicate with our travel partners and guests will be different. The new branding has been designed to fully encompass the ethos of Freestyle Cruising, and will ensure that NCL stands head and shoulders above the competition.
“The new branding programme will bring NCL to life using a unified tone and way of communicating with our guests and travel partners across everything we do. We believe that doing this will help bring the NCL concept of Freestyle Cruising to a wider and more varied audience,” Riley continued. “We hope that by undertaking this branding project that we will be able to demonstrate visually and effectively how truly different NCL is from any other cruise line and that it will aid us in our ultimate goal to create demand not only among those who have cruised before, but also with non-cruisers who are accustomed to more conventional, land-based holidays.”
The UK brand identity campaign includes:
• Print advertising: A number of different print spreads in both consumer and trade magazines feature laidback, free-spirited copy that powerfully articulates NCL’s Freestyle Cruising difference, including “Our dress code: wear something” and “Dinner will be served promptly at whatever o’clock.”
• Interactive Media: Fun, playful banner ads on high reach portals such as Yahoo!, comparison shopping/search sites and niche travel sites;
• ncl.co.uk website: Totally rebranded Website that will launch with new functionality in phases throughout 2007.
• Ports: By the end of the year, all NCL ports will be outfitted with signage that reflects the new brand. Port consultants will wear ties and scarves that feature the fish graphic.
• Onboard: All onboard and in-cabin signage from the cabin keys and welcome aboard packet to comment cards and restaurant reservation cards will reflect the new brand. Labels on traditional in-cabin amenities feature playful phrases, such as “flip flops and sandals need not apply” on the shoe polishing mitt. Rollout of the onboard elements will take place by the end of 2006 for NCL ships and by early 2007 for the NCL America fleet.
• Loyalty/Direct Mail: NCL’s Latitudes frequent cruiser programme and the company’s direct mail and email marketing to both consumers and trade will feature the new brand personality.
- ENDS -
Editors Notes:
NCL Corporation Ltd. ("NCL") is an innovative cruise company headquartered in Miami, Florida, with a fleet of 15 ships in service and under construction. The corporation oversees the operations of Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America, and Orient Lines. NCL took delivery of its newest Freestyle Cruising vessel, the 93,500-ton Norwegian Pearl on 1 December 2006. The company is currently building Norwegian Gem for delivery in October of 2007.
In addition, NCL plans to build up to three new third generation Freestyle Cruising ships for delivery between 2009 and 2011. NCL is on target to have the youngest fleet in the industry by 2010, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea
For high resolution, downloadable images, please log onto NCL's website at www.ncl.co.uk/image_library.
Issued by Flagship Consulting
For further media information contact:
Kate Hopcraft
020 7886 8456
kate.hopcraft@flagshipconsulting.co.uk
Rob Atherton
020 7886 8449
rob.atherton@flagshipconsulting.co.uk
