Crystal Cruises and Y&R:CALIFORNIA Announce the Launch of "Begin A New Story" Brand Campaign

LOS ANGELES, April 16, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- Crystal Cruises and Y&R:CALIFORNIA jointly announced today the launch of their highly anticipated brand campaign, "Begin A New Story," the first work produced by Y&R:CALIFORNIA since winning the Crystal Cruises' advertising account in September 2011. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120416/LA88292)

The fully integrated campaign positions the Crystal Cruises brand as a luxurious blend of discovery and adventure, but not just on the sea, where typical cruise line messaging begins and ends.Y&R:CALIFORNIA's campaign juxtaposes Crystal's luxurious on-board service and world-class fine dining with the very personal, land-based experiences that Crystal guests are able to discover at its many ports across the world. 

At the campaign's core is the notion of the travel journal, a very personal set of reflections, memories and mementos that travelers collect to remind themselves of their treasured vacation.  The campaign challenges the reader to "begin a new story," to start their own journal of memories on their select Crystal Cruise adventure.

"The whole idea of sharing the amazing stories of our own Crystal guests to 'invite' luxury travelers to experience Crystal completely breaks the mold of traditional cruise communications," said Crystal Cruises' Vice President of Marketing Nitsa Lewis.  "With this innovative campaign, Y&R has created a unique platform to articulate the personal, individual nuances of the Crystal brand through dialogue among the travelers themselves. It is artful and beautiful, bold yet understated, just like our ships."

The campaign consists of print advertisements, online banners, brochures and literature.  In addition, Y&R:CALIFORNIA is also producing a 60 - second animated film that brings to life three individuals' personal experiences in destinations across the globe, all beautiful examples of the opportunities available on a Crystal Cruise.  These films will run online and will also be available via smartphone through the print campaign and emerging Aurasma technology.

Joe Kayser, Y&R:CALIFORNIA's Chief Creative Officer added, "as we all go through life, experiencing events both big and small, what we're really doing is collecting stories, the stories that make up our lives. 'Begin a new story' is an invitation to travelers from Crystal to write a new chapter in their lives by exploring our beautiful world; an invitation that is delivered through the campaign's voyeuristic view into other people's reflections and stories."

Crystal Cruises and Y&R:CALIFORNIA are also extending the story telling theme of the campaign with a free App to be launched in May.    

The campaign will break on April 16 and runs throughout 2012 and into 2013.

ABOUT Y&R:CALIFORNIA

Y&R:CALIFORNIA is a small, nimble creative offering within the Y&R network. It has offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The agency creates work across all disciplines for clients locally and globally, with a division exclusively focused on mobile innovation.

ABOUT CRYSTAL CRUISES

Crystal Cruises is the preeminent luxury cruise line and been voted "World's Best" by the readers of Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler more than any other cruise line, hotel or resort in history. Its ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, cruise worldwide on itineraries of seven to 100+ days. The brand is world renowned for its unparalleled service.   VISIT: Crystal's Media Center

SOURCE Crystal Cruises