Agents are being urged to embrace innovative new technology to preview a £2.5 million autumn promotional push by Royal Caribbean International.
The line is using new smart phone technology called Blippar to allow agents to view a new TV and cinema advert and other video content ahead of the consumer launch on September 8.
The TV ad is being made available to agents 24 hours in advance via the free Blippar smartphone application which uses augmented reality technology to play multimedia content.
The brand campaign is the biggest to be launched by the company in the UK and is aimed at ‘nearly cruisers’ – people who have not yet cruised but are actively considering the option, according to UK and Ireland associate vice president and general manager Jo Rzymowska.
Royal Caribbean’s video content will be available to view when users point their mobile devices at branded t-shirts being worn by the 24-strong sales team, promotional mailings and trade press adverts.
The line claims to be the first in the travel industry to use the image-recognition phone app launched in the UK last summer and used by brands such as Unilever, Nestle, Heinz, Diageo and Cadbury.
The cruise company’s sales team will be visiting agents wearing t-shirts carrying the ‘The Sea is Calling – Answer it with Royal Caribbean’ campaign branding. They will also use tablet devices to demonstrate the Blippar videos and links to other promotional material.
An interactive card game based on the TV show ‘Play Your Cards Right’ will be used to highlight the line’s $300 million fleet upgrade programme to agents and their clients.
Rzymowska said: “This brand campaign is all about what makes us so different regarding what we offer on board/ The Blippar smart phone app brings the whole experience to life.”
She added that the line continued to make a significant investment in the UK and called on agents to maximize the opportunity.