MSC Cruises has revealed it will launch its first ever UK TV advertising campaign ahead of MSC Bellissima’s delivery.
The month-long advert campaign – The World’s Most Beautiful – will feature across free and paid-for channels including ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky.
Video on demand services offered by the channels will also show the advert to further increase brand awareness.
The naming ceremony of MSC Bellissima will take place on March 2 in Southampton.
MSC Cruises’ advertising campaign is one of several marketing activities that the line has planned ahead of MSC Bellissima’s naming.
MSC Cruises UK & Ireland’s managing director Antonio Paradiso said: “We believe that this campaign marks the start of our next phase of expansion in our market.
“With the launch celebrations for MSC Bellissima taking place in Southampton, there is no better time to develop our marketing strategy and expand our distribution.
“We think that this TV campaign and the other advertising initiatives will provide great opportunities for UK travel agents and we thank them for their continued support as we head into the biggest year ever for MSC Cruises UK and Ireland.”
From January 1, the MSC Cruises sales team will be travelling across the country handing out chocolate bars to travel agents, with more than 600 containing hidden gold or silver tickets.
Golden ticket winners, prizes range from the chance to win a place at the coveted MSC Bellissima naming celebrations, to VIP tickets to Chelsea Football Club of which the brand announced sponsorship earlier this year.
Silver ticket winners can expect a host of prizes courtesy of MSC Cruises’ partners including Venchi chocolate, Lego models and spa hampers.
The incentive will run until March 2.
Last month, MSC Cruises revealed the first images of inside MSC Bellissima exactly 100 days before the naming ceremony.