Riviera Travel is investing more than £3.7 million in its new brand campaign, using the slogan ‘Forever Curious’.
The operator said the marketing aims to “break the mould” in river cruise advertising and “challenge stereotypes”.
Partnership trade activities include e-shots, social media posts, direct mail and print and digital advertising, with agents including Bolsover Cruise Club, Midcounties Co-operative, Miles Morgan Travel, Hays Travel and Premier Travel.
Consumer television, radio and digital advertising will run on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky TV channels, and Classic FM covering the north, south and midlands.
The advertisements were shot in France, Germany and Switzerland, around the Seine and Rhine rivers, on two of Riviera’s ships: the MS Jane Austen and the MS George Eliot.
They feature opportunities to explore ashore, such as visiting a late-night jazz club or local beer tasting – as well as relaxing by the pool and watching the scenery pass by.
The campaign will run to November.
Sarah Fowler, Riviera Travel’s head of brand and acquisition, said: “We really wanted to stand out from the crowd by doing something bold and different, that taps into the emotional benefits of river cruising, and focuses on the experiences guests enjoy and the memories they take away with them.
“Forever Curious also challenges some of the stereotypes about river cruising and brings to life the breadth of experiences guests have, whether they like to be active or relax and simply watch the world go by.”
She also hailed the role of the trade, commenting: “Our aim is for the trade to see us as the go-to brand for over-55s seeking to learn, discover and be inspired by travel experiences, and we feel Forever Curious is a really strong creative platform to deliver this for us.
“Although the last two years have been tough for the whole industry, Riviera Travel has remained in a strong position, thanks in part to the fantastic support we have received from the trade.
“Now is the perfect time to invest in a significant campaign to drive brand awareness ahead of the peak trading period in January, as all of us including our agent partners prepare for an exciting 2023.”
Independent research on behalf of Riviera revealed five key customer types, all of whom display clear ‘curious’ characteristics:
• Curious Roamers: Those age 60-80 who seek breadth and diversity on holiday, including lots of ‘big sights’ on the same trip
• History Hungry: 65+ guests who are active, culture-engaged and are fascinated by real insight into the past, including how people worked or lived, religion and art
• Passion Junkies: 55- t0 70-year-olds who have a singular, interest-led focus such as a transport type, human culture or art
• Extreme Adventure: Younger, 45 to mid-60s guests, who have authenticity as an absolute focus
• Luxury Lovers: Guests of any age who seek out premium offerings such as entertainment, food, cabins and service