HAL TV Commercial

[PACD_JG]

21 minutes ago, rubytue said:

That couple is, in my mind, late 50s. At best they are late Gen-Xers. I’m rock solid middle of GenX. I do feel that HAL is trying to win over GenX. But that ain’t it. 

They look like empty nesters who finally got the last kid to leave their house.  That's my dream...so that ad is certainly winning me over!

[rubytue]

5 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I think HAL wants younger people to fill their 7 day cruises which do pay a lot of bills.   They still want us boomers to go on the longer journeys where they have a willing audience who will pay a higher day rate.    Many of us are done with entry level cruises.  The longer cruises not only are profitable but they are an aspirational goal for younger people. So as a

i said before it is a bifurcated market model.  To me that is not a problem.  

Yup.  And GenX and below is still on week cruises because we still have jobs that limit the time off. 
 

*sigh* I’m eligible to retire in 9 years. It’s finally actually close enough that it’s not that far away. 

[Cruise Junky]

I’m no HAL cheerleader, but I like this ad.  It’s on Canadian TV quite a bit.  

[Sir PMP]

On 2/7/2023 at 7:27 PM, mariner said:

Our TV channels in the Northeast have been peppered with cruise commericals lately, as is typical for the winter. Princess has a spot featuring the "Love Boat" theme. Virgin has a Boy George song. Not sure what MSC is using for music. But all feature millennial passengers or families enjoying various aspects of the ships, ports or both. They're well produced. 

 

Then today I saw a HAL spot. Ugh! OK, HAL visits various ports in the world and has FOR 150 YEARS!  (while they're selling experience I believe the perception is your old). Oh, millennials sitting on deck chairs. Really? Millennials on an excursion in lifevests. HAL offers great food (waiter putting down plate). Entertainment (a singer and a piano player).  I wanted to yawn with the lackluster visuals.

 

I'm not sure what demographic they're targeting, but the only ones I could see paying any attention are past passengers. And if they need to remind them why they sailed HAL then the line is in trouble. 

 

If they're hoping to get the younger crowd, HAL should demand its money back from the ad agency.

They wish they had some of the older mid size ships back

[ski ww]

22 hours ago, YXU AC*SE said:

@mariner is this the creative in question?   Scott. 

 

I can see my wife & I in this commercial we're in our mid 70's. But you're right this would not attract the younger crowd. This is more of a, " look what life can be like when you retire" 

[3rdGenCunarder]

Quote from above:

I can see my wife & I in this commercial we're in our mid 70's. But you're right this would not attract the younger crowd. This is more of a, " look what life can be like when you retire" 

 

Yes! it reminds me of a commercial for annuities or some other long-term investment. "Instead of champagne, we drank coffee. (video of a couple having coffee in a cozy den) Instead of cruises, we took long walks. (video of a  couple on a stroll through a park). And now our future is safe..." or something like that. We used to yell at the TV, Take the cruise NOW! yes, you need to save for the future, but don't put off all of the fun.

[Pickalily, Wilts]

I've never seen an ad for HAL over here and I doubt many other British cruisers have either.  DH and I like an international mix of passengers and don't feel the need to be surrounded by our fellow countrymen/women.  Thanks to HAL (and a few other lines) we've met many delightful people from all over the world and hope our health will allow us to continue for as long as possible.

 

Agree with 3rdGenCunarder that it's important to not put off seeing places you've always wanted to visit.  My Dad retired at 62, intending to fulfil his travel ambitions, but sadly died three years later before he got to see the US and Canada - countries which had fascinated him for many years.  He'd have loved both.

[Cruiz'nBaers]

On 2/7/2023 at 11:18 PM, iceman93 said:

This is just more confirmation that HAL's leadership have not laid out a clear, cohesive vision or brand essence.  The marketing company can only use what they're given, and if that is vague then the advertising will be too.

 

I'll keep saying it until they hire me to run that part of the company, they should go all-in with the dual taglines "A tradition of excellence," and "Savor the journey."  Those two statements sum up, to me, what HAL should be all about.

 

- Tradition.  150 years of it, in fact.  And it's something that no other cruise line can claim.

- Excellence.  Always trying to do and be the best.  Exceed your customer's expectations.  Do what's right, even if it costs the company money in the short term.  Don't cut corners, and avoid the "easy way" to save pennies now.

- Savor.  HAL should appeal to customers who want more than a bus ride from point A to B, or who just want a floating theme park.  The on-board experience should be full of flavor, not gimmicks.  Food, entertainment, and enrichment programs should be a cut above.

- Journey.  While HAL offers some of the cookie-cutter itineraries of other lines, their focus should be on making all their voyages ones to remember.  Every step from embarkation, to sea days, to ports, to disembarkation should be part of memorable, life-changing experiences.

 

Institute that, train and reinforce those values in hiring and promotions, craft a marketing campaign around them, and just watch HAL outperform the competition.  I believe it with 100% of my being.

You should put these thoughts in an email to the president of HAL.  Everything you say is spot on, but, HAL is missing the mark on it all.

[Colorado Klutch]

Strangely, I have not seen that HAL commercial. For the past several weeks I have been streaming cruise videos on YouTube. I get constant cruise ads for Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean; nothing from Cunard or HAL. And I have specifically searched YouTube for "Holland American" multiple times. 

Shows how "stupid" the algorithms are for YouTube. It's like when I streamed the band Rush on Amazon Prime and I got a prompt saying, "Since you streamed Rush, you might like Taylor Swift". (Really, no kidding. This happened.)

[Colorado Klutch]

15 hours ago, rubytue said:

Yup.  And GenX and below is still on week cruises because we still have jobs that limit the time off. 
 

*sigh* I’m eligible to retire in 9 years. It’s finally actually close enough that it’s not that far away. 

 

Marketing to younger people is tricky. If HAL attracts party people with their ads, they will tell all their friends, "Holland America is BORRRRRRRING!". On the other hand, some of my 40-something coworkers booked a Carnival cruise and hated it because, "There were drunk rednecks everywhere all the time!". 

Hard to hit that Goldilocks spot with cruisers. Personally, I like hearing a cruise line is 150 years old. That makes me less likely to worry about the cruise line going belly up after I book. 

[Iamthesea]

I felt excitement and comfort when I watched the commercial/video.  Made me nostalgic for past cruises, and look forward to an upcoming cruise. 

 

IMO, The couple are not Millennials.   I have 3 of them (born 1981, 1984, 1987) and they certainly do not look that old!    As someone else mentioned, they are probably closer to mid to late 50's, but could be as old as DH and myself.   The part when they are sitting on deck makes them appear older.   Could have been my DH and I in that commercial.  I have not let my hair go gray, and people tell us that we don't look our ages (65 and 70.)    I am sure if I let my hair go gray that I would look older.  DH's hair has just now starting to turn gray. 

 

I asked DH what he thought of the commercial and he said he liked it...that's us!  😁  Then he said that he does not believe the commercial in that HAL will pamper us like they have in the past. 🤨  We shall see!!!

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

Strangely, I have not seen that HAL commercial. For the past several weeks I have been streaming cruise videos on YouTube. I get constant cruise ads for Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean; nothing from Cunard or HAL. And I have specifically searched YouTube for "Holland American" multiple times. 

Shows how "stupid" the algorithms are for YouTube. It's like when I streamed the band Rush on Amazon Prime and I got a prompt saying, "Since you streamed Rush, you might like Taylor Swift". (Really, no kidding. This happened.)

 

Based on HAL's core segment, I am not sure they put much money into YouTube ads. I have, however, seen their ad several times on PBS...

[cruisemom42]

19 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I took another look at the commercial and I figured out that the gray hair is bothering me. Not because I have anything against people with gray hair--mine is under the blonde somewhere. 😉 But it does make them look older than much of that age group, and combined with "time of your life," I'm getting the message "do something before your life runs out of time." Depressing.

 

13 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

 I have not let my hair go gray, and people tell us that we don't look our ages (65 and 70.)    I am sure if I let my hair go gray that I would look older.  DH's hair has just now starting to turn gray. 

 

 

A bit surprised about the comments on gray hair. "Embracing the gray" is very au courant and a big trend among younger women that picked up steam during COVID. I am late 50s and have another colleague close in age and one younger (in her 40s) -- all of us chose to "go gray" during COVID and honestly I am loving it and think all three of us look better now!

 

 

 

 

[ChinaShrek]

19 hours ago, rubytue said:

That couple is, in my mind, late 50s. At best they are late Gen-Xers. I’m rock solid middle of GenX. I do feel that HAL is trying to win over GenX. But that ain’t it. 

I'm Gen X too and feel the commercial is geared to that generation. However, it also appears that they want people with money. That couple seems well dressed compared to most of the passengers on my last HAL cruise. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by ChinaShrek

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Based on HAL's core segment, I am not sure they put much money into YouTube ads. I have, however, seen their ad several times on PBS...

Viking advertises on PBS, Masterpiece Theatre. I love their slogan, "The world awaits."

 

And to answer your comment about gray. I went "covid platinum," and I liked the lovely white hair in the front. But it's salt and pepper (more pepper, my original brown, than salt) on the back. So when I came out of hibernation, I opted for blond. Easier upkeep than something darker. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Iamthesea]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

 

A bit surprised about the comments on gray hair. "Embracing the gray" is very au courant and a big trend among younger women that picked up steam during COVID. I am late 50s and have another colleague close in age and one younger (in her 40s) -- all of us chose to "go gray" during COVID and honestly I am loving it and think all three of us look better now!

 

 

 

 

The hairdresser was one place that I went to regularly during the pandemic.  My hairdresser broke the law and kept her shop open.

4 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

I'm Gen X too and feel the commercial is geared to that generation. However, it also appears that they want people with money. That couple seems well dressed compared to most of the passengers on my last HAL cruise. 

That's a shame that people cannot dress nice.  We don't dress formal anymore, but we do know how to dress nicely.

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Viking advertises on PBS, Masterpiece Theatre. I love their slogan, "The world awaits."

 

And to answer your comment about gray. I went "covid platinum," and I liked the lovely white hair in the front. But it's salt and pepper (more pepper, my original brown, than salt) on the back. So when I came out of hibernation, I opted for blond. Easier upkeep than something darker. 

That's what I would like to do, but every time I mention it, I get a thumbs down from DH, and our daughters.  With naturally chestnut colored hair, I am starting to have the hairdresser go lighter with each coloring.

[mariner]

This is the spot:

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/23cm/holland-america-line-exploring-the-world

 

iceman & Cunarder, you nailed it!

 

And don't forget, in these post Covid times, not everyone has to go into the office. People could work from the cruise, until they realize the internet ain't the same.

 

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

42 minutes ago, mariner said:

This is the spot:

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/23cm/holland-america-line-exploring-the-world

 

iceman & Cunarder, you nailed it!

 

And don't forget, in these post Covid times, not everyone has to go into the office. People could work from the cruise, until they realize the internet ain't the same.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the link. This is a much better commercial than the other one. The park ranger is a good touch. I like the contrast of the couple sipping coffee (or maybe hot chocolate) in deck chairs and the same couple in lifejackets on some kind of adventurous excursion. That says you can enjoy the cruise however you want.

[OlsSalt]

Agree, meh.

At least it does not over-promise, and does get the name out there.

[Cruising Is Bliss]

On 2/8/2023 at 3:29 AM, YXU AC*SE said:

@mariner is this the creative in question?   Scott. 

 

 

 

Yep that's the HAL commercial. This commercial and the Princess commercial both air a lot on the Food Network.

 

ETA: LOL the HAL commercial started airing on the Food Network just as I hit post!

Edited February 14, 2023 by Cruising Is Bliss

[rotjeknor]

I guess HAL has done a great job with this commercial targeting marketing experts...😎

[Stateroom_Sailor]

On 2/8/2023 at 4:29 AM, YXU AC*SE said:

@mariner is this the creative in question?   Scott. 

 

 

 

Here's an ad from 1988, which looks meant for professional baby boomers.  These people were probably much younger than the average passenger at the time, but this seems like a better strategy.  It neither makes the  cruise line look stale (at least for 1988), nor does it jump the gun by unrealistically targeting 20 year old Gen X.

 

 

[Destiny0315]

23 minutes ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

Here's an ad from 1988, which looks meant for professional baby boomers.  These people were probably much younger than the average passenger at the time

My biggest take away in comparing the two ads is, after 35 years they all got a little gray. 🙂

[YXU AC*SE]

 

1 hour ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

... nor does it jump the gun by unrealistically targeting 20 year old Gen X.

 

Hey I'm a bit confused by your comment?   It is interesting what visual cues that a viewing audience can pull from creative?   How is HAL targetting 20-yos?   The only young(er) persons in their creative is the Billboard Onboard / piano bar player?  Or the server placing drinks in front of our protagonist couple ?  T-shirts and jeans is their evening dress of the day for The Music Walk.   

 

And a rough guide to generation cohorts? I'm an early gen x (1967), which made me 55 on my last birthday, and I would think pretty much in line w/ the sweet spot of customer that HAL would be trying to swing over to their brand and retain (time and time again -- from the narration), like Julie and [presumably] her husband, having the time of their lives? 

 

Greatest generation -- 1901-1927

Silent generation -- 1928-1945

Boomers -- 1946-1964

Generation X -- 1965-1980

Millennials -- 1981-1996

Gen Z -- 1997-2012

Gen Alpha -- 2013-today

 

Scott.

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by YXU AC*SE

[Stateroom_Sailor]

49 minutes ago, YXU AC*SE said:

 

 

Hey I'm a bit confused by your comment?   It is interesting what visual cues that a viewing audience can pull from creative?   How is HAL targetting 20-yos?   The only young(er) persons in their creative is the Billboard Onboard / piano bar player?  Or the server placing drinks in front of our protagonist couple ?  T-shirts and jeans is their evening dress of the day for The Music Walk.   

 

My review was of the relevant age targeting and energy presented in a HAL commercial from 1988, which was the commercial linked within my comment.  I never claimed that HAL was targeting 20 year olds within the other commercial, but don't assume other premium cruise lines aren't trying.