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There seems to be a constant battle between “old school” methods and modern agility and adaptability in the sales world....
Nearly nine out of 10 Americans (85%) are expecting to travel this summer, according to the U.S. Travel Association. And many of those travel brands are planning now. After two years of pandemic-related cancellations, Americans are splurging on “revenge travel” to make up for lost time. Treating themselves to premium airfares, nicer accommodations, and longer stays. Even though inflation is making everything more expensive — and there’s the risk of a widening conflict in Europe — travelers nevertheless are tired of putting their plans on hold and are seeking retribution against COVID-19 and its grip on their lives.
For the second week in a row, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not add any new destination to its highest-risk Level 4 category for travel. More than a dozen destinations, including Canada and several Caribbean nations, moved down from Level 4 to Level 3. Additionally, “wellness travel” appears to be a growing post-pandemic industry. According to Precedence Research, travel with the specific purpose of participating in wellness activities like yoga, spas, and agricultural tourism is set to be a $1,672.6 billion industry globally by 2030.
With travel season heating up, it’s the perfect time to make connections with travel and hospitality brands planning in Q2 2022. Here’s a sneak peek at a few from our full list of 109, with additional details including recent spending, target audiences, and agency opportunities:
1) Gen-X, Millennial Media Opps: Carnival loses brand & product marketing SVP
- Sellers: Carnival mainly targets Gen-X and millennials. It had been focusing on digital ads for the past couple of years, but late last year it started ramping up national TV spend. Carnival also invests in print, radio and local broadcast TV ads, per Kantar. Callaro’s departure will impact the company’s marketing strategy. Start reaching out to Carnival for more information so that you can offer relevant ad space.
- Agency and martech readers: Carnival works with creative AOR Anomaly and media AOR PHD USA. Callaro’s replacement may decide to review the company’s agency roster, so start contacting Carnival’s other DMs to see if you can pick up any of its work.
2) Campaign Imminent: Delta Airlines establishes sponsorship of the National Women’s Soccer League
Delta Air Lines has announced yet another sports-related sponsorship. It recently announced a new sponsorship deal that made it the official airline of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). This is Delta’s first major partnership with a women’s pro league, and it will make the company the league’s travel partner.
Expect spending to continue to increase in support of this new campaign. New work will likely air (you’re welcome) soon. Along with national promotion, Delta may invest in localized ad space. Sellers able to offer localized ad space in and around the cities in which the NWSL has teams will have an upper hand in securing some of these increasing ad dollars. The NWSL currently has teams in LA, Seattle, NJ, NY, DC, Chicago, Orlando, and other cities.
Per iSpot, Delta has spent approximately $70.4m on national TV commercials YTD. Already up more than 20x the approximately $2.9m it spent in all of 2021. Spend was understandably low while people weren’t traveling much due to the pandemic. Delta’s 2022 commercials have targeted viewers of programs such as the 2022 Winter Olympics, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, NFL Football, Today and Today 3rd Hour.
- Sellers: Right now, Delta is targeting a wide audience via TV, digital, paid social, OOH, print, local broadcast, and email marketing.
- Agency and martech readers: Delta has not yet concluded its PR AOR search, so get in touch to offer relevant services. It may hire this agency on a project-by-project basis considering that it hasn’t yet had an AOR.
3) Campaign Imminent: Norwegian Cruises taps media AOR to lead brand transformation
Norwegian Cruises (NC) named Digitas Atlanta as its global media AOR to handle both traditional and digital media buying. The agency will bring media services from programmatic and strategy to search, video, paid social, and data and analysis. This hire replaces incumbent agency partner OMD. Which picked up traditional buying in the US in 2019, and 360i, which had handled digital media in the US.
Right now, NC has its sights set on enhancing and transforming its global media and advertising footprint. Expect new work will launch relatively soon, ahead of the hotter summer months when people tend to go on cruises. In 2021, Pathmatics reports NC allocated roughly $8.1m toward digital ads, down 36% from the roughly $12.7m it allocated in 2020. The company ended up earning ~856m digital impressions last year.
- Sellers: Per Kantar data, NC also invests in print, radio, and local broadcast. It also utilizes search marketing. The company holds planning conversations in Q2 and buying conversations in Q1. As briefly mentioned, NC will likely release new work within the coming months, so sellers able to offer relevant ad space should get in touch.
- Agency and martech readers: Additional agency reviews could easily follow this one eventually. Keep NC on your radar for potential PR and/or creative work down the road. BBDO ATL is currently the company’s creative and digital AOR.
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