PARTNERSHIP MARKETING from around the world part 6
Royal Caribbean have invested in brand partnerships this year with the liner’s newest ship, Allure of the Seas, working with DreamWorks and Starbucks. Adding “brand experiences” is one more way for brands like Royal Caribbean to capture the imagination of customers.
When passengers sail with Allure, they will see Megamind in 3D—in the first movie theater of its kind on a ship—and How to Train Your Dragon on ice, among other DreamWorks productions. DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said the brands plan to expand the “DreamWorks experience” to other Royal Caribbean ships. To take characters off screen and to bring them life is key to Dreamworks. Perfect for the family market of cruise ships too which will keep the kids quiet while mom and dad go orange or get food poisoning on deck!
Starbucks has also created a brand partnership with Royal Caribbean. After posing questions on MyStarbucksIdea.com, the coffee chain decided to give consumers what they wanted. “Our customers have been asking for a Starbucks at sea, so we delivered,” said Kerry Busheikin, vp of licensed store operations, East. Really? Starbucks customers wanted Starbucks at Sea? Which customers wanted that? Captain Nemo and crew?!
In addition to DreamWorks and Starbucks, the company has brought other brands onboard, including the Guess Accessory store and the Britto Art Gallery. Clearly they believe that brand partnerships are the way to go and anything that enhances a cruise experience and stops boredom has to be a good thing…now if only there was a partnership which would get rid of fat and noisy Americans on these cruises then normal people might go on them!
