Project Objectives and Goals:
Margaritaville at Sea faced a significant gap in their digital marketing strategy. Despite maintaining a substantial digital media ecosystem, they had not established a presence in the OTT (Over-The-Top) advertising space—a channel where their competitors in the cruise industry had already built strong footholds. This absence represented both a challenge and an opportunity for strategic market entry.
The primary objective was to develop an OTT advertising strategy that would effectively target potential cruisers whose profiles aligned with the Margaritaville brand ethos. What made this project particularly complex was the need to simultaneously promote two distinct cruise experiences: the original ship, Paradise, and the premium offering of their newest vessel, Islander. Each required messaging that honored their unique value propositions while maintaining brand cohesion.
We needed to accomplish several key goals:
- Establish Margaritaville at Sea as a compelling option in the minds of potential cruisers who were already being targeted by competitors
- Create distinct yet complementary messaging for both Paradise and Islander experiences
- Leverage OTT platforms to reach qualified prospects who aligned with the Margaritaville lifestyle and values
- Build a foundation for measurable, attributable results that would justify continued investment in the channel
- Develop a strategy that would support new customer acquisition rather than simply retargeting existing customers
The success of this initiative would be measured not just by reach and engagement metrics, but by concrete business outcomes including booking engine visits, customer acquisition costs, and ultimately, return on ad spend.
The Solution
Our approach leveraged our unique position as both a fresh perspective in OTT advertising for Margaritaville at Sea and their Agency of Record for Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts. This dual role provided us with valuable audience insights that became the foundation of our strategy.
We began by developing a sophisticated targeting framework that identified potential cruisers based on behavioral and demographic signals. This was enhanced by overlaying proprietary audience data from our Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts work, creating a dynamic, multi-dimensional audience profile that captured the essence of the Margaritaville customer. This hybrid approach allowed us to target prospects with unprecedented precision.
To maximize campaign efficiency, we leveraged our established media partnerships to secure premium OTT inventory at a 30% lower-than-average CPM. This cost advantage enabled us to significantly extend campaign reach without increasing budget, creating immediate value for Margaritaville at Sea.
Rather than limiting ourselves to specific OTT platforms, we implemented a channel-agnostic approach that prioritized audience targeting over platform preference. This strategy ensured that we reached qualified prospects regardless of which streaming services they used, maximizing our potential audience.
Our implementation included several key technical and strategic elements:
- Deployment of Madhive’s advanced tracking technology to capture robust attribution data beyond simple impressions and views
- Development of a comprehensive creative testing framework that continuously rotated and optimized ad creative to prevent audience fatigue
- Strict focus on prospecting new customers rather than retargeting existing ones, ensuring genuine brand growth
- Real-time performance monitoring that allowed for agile campaign adjustments
About The Client
Margaritaville at Sea represents the nautical extension of the iconic Margaritaville lifestyle brand inspired by the legendary Jimmy Buffett. The cruise line embodies the laid-back, tropical escape ethos that has made Margaritaville a beloved brand across hotels, restaurants, and consumer products.
The cruise line offers travelers an immersive Margaritaville experience on the water, featuring two distinct ships. The Paradise provides the classic Margaritaville cruise experience with a focus on casual fun and island-inspired amenities. The newer addition to the fleet, Islander, delivers an elevated experience with enhanced accommodations and premium offerings while maintaining the brand’s signature relaxed atmosphere.
Margaritaville at Sea has positioned itself as a unique alternative in the cruise market, appealing to both dedicated Parrotheads (Jimmy Buffett fans) and travelers seeking a more casual, fun-focused cruise experience than what traditional cruise lines offer. Their target demographic spans multiple age groups but unites around a shared appreciation for the Margaritaville lifestyle—one that values experiences over possessions, relaxation over rigid schedules, and authentic fun over pretense.
Despite their strong brand recognition through the Margaritaville name, the cruise line faces significant competition from established players with larger fleets and marketing budgets. Their challenge has been to leverage their unique brand position while building awareness specifically for their cruise offerings in a crowded marketplace.
Margaritaville at Sea’s commitment to creating an authentic extension of the Margaritaville experience on the water has been central to their growth strategy, focusing on delivering the brand promise that has made Margaritaville successful across multiple industries.
