P&O Cruises Australia pays tribute to local agency following news that iconic brand will fold
P&O Cruises Australia has paid tribute to its local creative agency partner following news that the brand will fold next year.
On Tuesday, it was announced that that the iconic 90-year-old cruise line will fold into Carnival Cruise Line from March 2025, which Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc, attributed to “the strategic reality of the South Pacific’s small population and significantly higher operating and regulatory costs”.
The news came only months after P&O unveiled a new brand platform via Supermassive. The creative agency was enlisted only in August last year to reposition and relaunch the cruise line.
A P&O spokesperson credited the agency’s work when contacted by Mumbrella regarding the announcement.
“P&O is an iconic Australian brand, and our recent relaunch delivered unprecedented results,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“The decision to sunset the brand in 2025 is a result of a global strategy to deliver operational efficiencies in this market. It is in no way a reflection of our marketing effectiveness, nor the talented team and agency partners behind it, who will continue to support us through this transition.”
In a separate statement posted on LinkedIn this week, Supermassive co-founder Laura Aldington also paid tribute to P&O.
“We’re so proud at Supermassive to have a played a role in delivering unprecedented results for the P&O brand in recent months, in partnership with the BEST marketing team, and as part of an incredible agency village.
“End of an era for sure, but now looking forward to helping ensure this gorgeous brand gets the magical farewell it deserves.”
There will be no change to P&O’s operations until February next year, however in March, Brisbane’s Pacific Encounter will rebrand to Carnival Encounter and will stay home-ported in Brisbane, and Sydney’s Pacific Adventure will rebrand to Carnival Adventure and also stay home-ported in Sydney. Pacific Explorer will exit the fleet in February 2025.
P&O told Mumbrella that all guests on any upcoming cruise, both prior and post March 2025, are being communicated with directly.
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Neil Griffiths is the Managing Editor of Mumbrella. He joined the company in October 2023.
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topics
Carnival Cruise Line
Josh Weinstein
Laura Aldington
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises Australia
supermassive
This seemed inevitable once Disney Cruises decided to muscle in on the AUNZ market.
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