Curiosity Had 2 Employees Secretly Sail on a Holland America Cruise to Win Its Creative Account

Cruise company Holland America Line has named Cincinnati advertising agency Curiosity its creative agency of record to handle all brand, creative and social media duties as Holland embarks on its 150th year of service. Curiosity will develop a honed brand platform, including a brand refresh and updated positioning, and will create fully integrated campaigns supporting key destinations and company milestones, as well as produce relevant social content and activations to attract new and returning Holland America Line guests. The full range of work will highlight Holland America Line’s distinct service, size and range of destinations, including Alaska, Europe and the Caribbean. Winning by cruising and making martinis Holland America entertained roughly 10 agencies through management consultant firm Mercer Island Group. Through a traditional RFP process, Curiosity rose to the top after immersing itself in the cruise line by experiencing an actual Holland America cruise before the pitch. “What we didn't know, and what was really such a differentiating factor, was [Curiosity] actually put two of their team members on one of our ships for a week,” Kacy Cole, vice president of marketing for Holland America Line told Adweek. “We didn't know they were doing it, but when they showed up at the pitch, wow, was it really powerful.” Cole continued that Curiosity showed that it could be a good collaborative partner, and now the agency feels like an extension of the Holland team, which is all tied back to the agency members experiencing the product firsthand. The Curiosity strategists were even able to write up a strategy on board the ship. From Cleaning Hotel Rooms to Rooming With Rockstars, Here’s How Agencies Get to Know Their Clients The strategists did what any typical guest would do, from getting coffee at the ship’s coffee bar, eating at the ship’s restaurants, experiencing the live entertainment and taking in the opportunities that Holland America gives its guests on shore at ports of call. “What I think was really powerful is just the guest and crew interactions,” added Ashley Walters, partner and chief development officer at Curiosity. “They got to experience the service, which is a huge differentiator for Holland America Line, but it's really hard to put it into words until you feel that level of service.” The team aboard the ship reported back to the agency via a journal they wrote, which relayed daily stories, including one about a bartender who spent the week working with a passenger who owned a bar to perfect the cherry pie martini. Once they nailed it, the bartender put the recipe into the system. A history of service Holland America Lines was founded in 1873 and initially concentrated on transatlantic travel, including taking many immigrants from Holland to America. It was also the first cruise line to offer adventures to Alaska and the Yukon nearly 75 years ago. Its fleet now visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world, offering mid-sized ship experiences, with a focus on service. “For us, service is such a huge differentiator,” said Cole, giving an example from long ago, when transatlantic travel also brought the risk of disease on ships, Holland America actually created the three meals a day concept, because when people would go to the meals, the crew had a chance to clean their cabins. The service, which is taught before any employee sails with the line, makes sure that personal touches are highlighted, like remembering someone’s coffee order, how someone likes their cocktail, how they like their rooms prepared and calling passengers by their names. That’s what was relayed to Curiosity to help win the pitch. Celebrating 150 years of travel Curiosity will help Holland America Lines celebrate its 150th anniversary with work starting in August. They are helping shape what a 150-year-old brand looks like, from the tone to the colors and brand architecture. And the 150th celebration will live on as a marketing tool for a full year, starting with a heritage cruise from Rotterdam, Netherlands to New York. Other commemorative sailings will also be a part of the celebration, including celebrating 75 years in Alaska and 25 years in the Caribbean. Walters said that Curiosity will help Holland America with its storytelling, amping up its social media profiles and helping the brand lean into more lifestyle content. “It's an incredible product…so now it's just really fine tuning that message and connecting those stories to new audiences [while] keeping all of those loyal Holland America Line lovers happy and excited and engaged,” said Walters.