For more than 45 years, the National Bronze Anvil Awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) have recognized the best of the best in public relations tactics. This year’s competition drew a total of 525 entries, but only 82 entries received awards. NJF was honored to win PRSA’s 2018 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation in the Most Effective Influencer Promotion category for its outstanding work on the Princess Cruises influencer marketing program.
Princess Cruises was designed for the curious at heart, for the travelers who seek wonder and stories worth telling, who have a ceaseless curiosity and a passion for the extraordinary. It is to these travelers that we speak, and who we continue to search for, to offer them inspiration, relaxation and a chance to reconnect with those they love. Because a cruise isn’t worth taking unless you Come Back New.
To share the Princess Cruises Come Back New promise with travelers, prospective cruisers in particular, we partnered with groups of select influencers to share the brand story with new audiences, experience the wonder of a Princess Cruises journey and increase their awareness of how a Princess cruise can change them.
Before launching our program, we turned to MMGY Global’s Portrait of American Travelers® research, which takes an in-depth look at those interested in cruising in the future. Of those surveyed, we discovered that over half of our target audience visits online communities and blogs to seek information about destinations and travel service providers, and 62 percent of this group trusts the reviews posted by other travelers more than any other product reviewers.
With these insights in mind, we were able to develop a multifaceted, robust influencer program using custom outreach. We selected upscale female bloggers aged 35 and older who were previously untapped in the cruise space as influencers. Original itineraries and deliverables highlighted Princess Cruises as a destination leader while elevating the influencer experience and encapsulating the Come Back New promise.
Very quickly, this strategy proved to be incredibly successful for Princess Cruises. By developing a uniquely integrated influencer marketing program that partnered influencer strengths with audience insights, we were able to significantly drive brand awareness and engagement among target audiences. By allowing our influencer partners to discover the inspiring Princess Cruises experience so as to authentically communicate the brand story in a way that felt genuine to them, we were able to drastically increase brand awareness and engagement with target audiences in 2017, enabling the brand to stay top of mind among consumers throughout the entire year.
