Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc, and Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. today announced a wide-ranging national marketing alliance that will “Rock the Deck” for concert-goers across the country starting this spring. An exciting addition to Carnival Cruise Lines’ “Hey America, Didja Ever” campaign, Carnival will reach fun-loving music fans before, during and after live shows through Live Nation’s multi-channel distribution platform, VIP priority seating, in-venue visibility, fan interaction and exclusive artist access. The innovative program signifies Live Nation’s first-ever partnership with a cruise line, and sets sail this month.
The agreement makes Carnival the Official Concert Series Sponsor at four Live Nation amphitheater concert venues, including Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood in Atlanta, Jiffy Lube Live in Washington D.C., Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston and Superpages.com Center in Dallas. Carnival branding will prominently appear on tickets and in advertisements promoting Carnival’s “Rock The Deck” Concert Series in each market. Carnival will also be the Official Cruise Line category sponsor at Live Nation’s Susquehanna Bank Center amphitheater in Philadelphia. All markets are within a short drive of a year-round Carnival homeport.
To extend Carnival’s “Didja Ever” campaign — which inspires people to add more fun to their lives and try new things for the first time — Carnival and Live Nation will facilitate unique music experiences that allow fans to fulfill lifetime dreams at Live Nation concerts, such as attending a sound check with a top-performing artist, or meeting a band prior to a show.
“Carnival is all about creating fun, memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and encouraging people to get out of their comfort zone and try things for the first time – whether that’s taking their first cruise, trying a new food or experiencing their favorite new band performing live,” said Jim Berra, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Carnival Cruise Lines. “By tapping into Live Nation’s own unique assets, we have a prime opportunity to create new and exciting experiences well-aligned with our brand that showcase the essence of a Carnival cruise vacation to an audience of loyal fans and those we invite to sail with Carnival for the first time.”
Other elements of the partnership will include pre-show entertainment gatherings, “Carnival Sailgate Parties,” Carnival-reserved VIP seating areas for fans, and photos capturing concertgoers enjoying the pre-show festivities that will be made available on Carnival’s Facebook page after the events. Consumers can learn more about how they can receive access to these experiences and other offers in the coming weeks at www.facebook.com/carnival.
“We connect the world’s greatest brands with millions of consumers annually through innovative campaigns fueled by the power of live music and our multi-platform distribution network,” said Russell Wallach, President of Live Nation Network. “By capitalizing on nearly every single touch point of our integrated marketing platform – including targeted media, experiential brand engagement, unique artist experiences and digital and social media – we will provide Carnival with unparalleled opportunities to engage with their targeted consumers and encourage cruise bookings.”
The alliance will also benefit another important Carnival partner, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Live Nation will donate artist-autographed memorabilia to St. Jude for an auction sponsored by Carnival to raise money for children’s cancer research.
