Royal Caribbean target teens with ‘awesome’ YouTube campaign
Royal Caribbean said it has taken some funds earmarked for TV advertising and used it instead to sponsor two series for Youtube network AwesomenessTV.
It is a brave move for the cruise line to invest heavily with a teen-focused network, however Carol Schuster, senior VP marketing at Royal Caribbean believes teenagers have a big influence in family vacation choices.
"Teens are our sweet spot from a guest perspective and they really get the most out of our ships." Schuster said.
"We did take money from our TV budget to do this," she said, adding that "a sizable investment" has been made for the two series.
The first airs on July 6 and features AwesomenessTV star Josh Levya aboard a Royal Caribbean ship trying out the ship surf simulator and the world’s longest zip line on water.
Then, beginning August a scripted show entitled "Shipping Julia" will premiere, which will follow a Romeo and Juliet-style romance set on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Royal Caribbean spent a total of $45.6 million on TV advertising during 2013.
The AwesomenessTV network of YouTube channels attracted almost 8 million unique viewers during May and was acquired last year by DreamWorks Animation – a Royal Caribbean content partner.
AwesomenessTV has also produced a series of 30-second ads for Royal Caribbean that will be aired across its YouTube network and may even be rolled out as TV ads, Schuster said.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps