Seattle, WA, — Windstar Cruises announces the launch of an intriguing new marketing campaign that introduces a brand evolution for the award-winning small ship cruise line, emphasizing the line’s specialty in creating vacation experiences that are 180 degrees from ordinary. The novel advertising campaign titled “Unexpected” and debuting this fall complements the line’s just released 2018 Voyage Collection brochure highlighting how 2018 will be nothing short of adventurous — with an astonishing 49 new cruise itineraries and nearly 150 maiden ports of call. From the eye-catching brochure cover to the handy “sailings at a glance” section, the piece conveys to travelers what makes a small ship cruise vacation with Windstar stand out.
“Windstar goes to great lengths to surprise our guests with special moments and memories that last a lifetime. I’m excited to show off our new ad campaign and marketing materials that shine a light on the unexpected delights that travelers encounter on a Windstar cruise,” said Windstar President John Delaney. “We’re doing things differently from other cruise lines and giving guests distinctive stories to share. We’re now telling the Windstar story with more flare and audacity than before — with our new brochure and ads we’re giving consumers a more visual way to conceptualize what an experience on Windstar is really like.”
The 2018 Voyage Collection brochures are being mailed to the homes of Yacht Club Members, Windstar’s loyalty/past guest program. Travelers will be treated to a vivid depiction of how the small cruise ship sets itself apart from other luxury, boutique and expedition cruise lines, including Windstar’s ability to get travelers as close as possible to authentic and immersive experiences in each and every destination, with one-of-a-kind adventures, as well as unparalleled onboard service and intimate yet luxurious settings found on all of their remarkable vessels. The 2018 Voyage Collection is available for viewing and download, and consumers can request a brochure to be mailed to their home, all on the Windstar website.
Windstar’s 2018 brochure features far-flung ports and interesting itineraries designed by a hands-on staff of travel and cruise experts including ship’s captains. Cruisers will marvel at 12 newly-developed Mediterranean voyages discovering the breadth of the region from the unspoiled charm of Puglia, Italy to exploring the UNESCO wonders in Spain, Croatia, Greece and beyond. Travelers will be drawn to 28 brand new journeys throughout Asia featuring visits to the world’s most exotic beaches and offering one-of-a-kind shore excursions such as Ko Kut Treepod Dining in an ancient tropical rainforest. Introducing a return to the expansive waterways of Alaska in 2018, the ship will sail under Vancouver’s classic Lion’s Gate Bridge heading north to Alaska by way of the historic Inside Passage while exploring rural ports and inlets like Misty and Kenai Fjords, Endicott and Tracy Arms, Metlakatla, Icy Strait Point, Wrangell, Haines and Prince Rupert. Offering 11 diverse cruises from 11 to 27 days, guests can enjoy small ship luxury in balcony suites and expedition-style experiences while cruising along picturesque coastlines.
The 2018 brochure also introduces first-ever Windstar sailings to Canada and New England, with show-stopper port cities like New York City, Boston, and Montreal mixed with quaint fishing harbors such as Bar Harbor and Rockland with sailings timed to take perfect advantage of crisp autumn weather and changing colors. Exceptional sailings across Northern Europe expand to include new round trip Edinburgh cruises, a sail up the River Thames to London, calls at remote Scottish Isles, popular Iceland circumnavigations, fascinating Norwegian fjords, the remote Arctic Circle, and timeless Baltic Sea journeys – all beautifully suited to exploration by small ship. In addition, perennial cruise favorites like year-round Tahiti and Tuamotu Islands, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Caribbean and Ocean Crossings beckon warm water lovers. Popular Star Collector voyages combine back-to-back sailings and offer guests more time to explore (with free laundry) on longer journeys.
Windstar’s new marketing evolution and “Unexpected” advertising campaign captures the extraordinary aspects of cruising the Windstar way — with imprints of exotic, off-the-charted-course ports of call and unforgettable experiences showcased in an inventive ad campaign. New unexpected imagery is prominently featured in the 2018 Voyage Collection brochure that divulges noteworthy brand differences like personalized service with a 1.5-to-1 guest-to-crew ratio; exceptional culinary experiences as the Official Cruise Line of the James Beard Foundation; a welcoming culture; and elegant ships that turn heads in every harbor.
Advertising icon Ron Elgin, founder of Elgin/DDB, the original conceptor of Windstar’s time-tested tagline “180 degrees from ordinary,” stated: “The evolution of the Windstar brand is an opportunity to feature a vibrant and immersive travel campaign from a more playful and savvy cruise line, opening up the traveler mindset to new adventures and their eyes to fresh perspectives.”
The brand’s new marketing campaign will soon pop in fashionable travel magazines and online media. The Unexpected print campaign launches in late September with bold new first-person perspective photography, displaying goats in trees and other unexpected imagery. The fresh look to the ads and accompanying headlines and copy evolves Windstar’s brand message, speaking to the active travelers thirst for first hand, authentic and active experiences. The Unexpected campaign goes digital in October, with prominent placement on Windstar’s website, on social media and in digital advertising.
A tour de force of Pacific Northwest creativity, the Unexpected campaign was developed by the cruise line’s Marketing team along with the Seattle-based advertising and branding agency Wax Exp in consort with the brand strategy company, Red Tango, also of Seattle. The creative team traveled to souks, bazaars and beaches in Morocco and Italy’s chic Riviera for active seaside paddling adventures and unexpected shoreside excursions like camel riding, capturing experiences that real Windstar guests can actually do on a small ship cruise.
Windstar will launch an “Unexpected Windstar Sweepstakes” that will run on social media in October, designated by the cruise travel industry as “Plan a Cruise Month.” Unexpected Windstar Sweepstakes entrants will learn about Windstar’s upscale cruise experience through taking a fun “fact or fiction” quiz for the chance to win a suite for two aboard Star Breeze on the 10-day Island Gems of Spain & Portugal cruise sailing round trip from Lisbon on November 18, 2018; the cruise visits Agadir, Morocco where the Unexpected ad campaign was shot. For more information on the sweepstakes and how to enter, visit Windstar’s social media channels and website in early October.
To learn more about authentic small ship cruising with Windstar, contact a travel professional or Windstar Cruises by phone at 877-958-7718, or visit www.windstarcruises.com.
