A multi-million euro advertising campaign to support a new brand message by MSC Cruises will initially focus on Germany, Italy, France and Spain.
The line confirmed that €65 million would be spent on a global brand push to support the new ‘Not just any cruise’ message.
The campaign spend in Germany will be €19 million, with €16 million in Italy, €15 million in France and €6 million in Spain.
No details were given about the UK’s involvement or where the outstanding €9 million will be spent.
“MSC Cruises will begin to communicate the new positioning this month through the roll-out of an international multimedia campaign, starting with TV ads in Italy, France, Germany and Spain consisting of three commercials,” the line said.
British film director, Daniel Barber, is being used for the adverts with a soundtrack written by the award-winning Italian composer Ennio Morricone.
The new positioning follows a year-long global consumer research study covering Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK and US into holidaymakers’ needs, perceptions of MSC Cruises’ current offering and the brand’s core qualities.
The consumer insight gathered from nearly 3,000 hours of interviews by leading research agencies TNS and IPSOS shaped the evolution of MSC Cruises’ new brand positioning, the line said.
The company has previously focused on projecting the Mediterranean way of life.
The research found that passengers and prospective customers already perceive the MSC Cruises experience as being distinctly more elegant, professional and more reliable than other cruise lines and these existing core elements remain part of the new positioning.
Chief executive, Gianni Onorato, said: “We are a highly ambitious company that will double in size over the next six years.
“It’s important that we evolve our positioning along with this growth to ensure the experience delivered meets and exceeds the needs and desires of cruisers from across the world.
“The new positioning, which is a further evolution of our core values, clearly and firmly communicates our passion for offering each of our guests unique on-board experiences by giving close personal attention to every detail.
“It speaks of our values and our commitment to giving them unforgettable cruises.
“Additionally, it exemplifies our stronger than ever global profile at a time when we are in the midst of the next phase of our growth with an unprecedented €5.1 billion, seven next-generation ship investment plan.”