Eclipsing the Eclipse
On August 21, millions of people across the United States stood captivated by a rare celestial event – a total solar eclipse that traveled from coast to coast. Observers from all over the world descended on U.S. soil in a quest to find the best spot to experience 2 minutes and 41 seconds of total darkness.
But over 6,000 people saw it on a ship. The world’s largest ship – Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas – which was perfectly positioned along the path of totality in the Atlantic. And passengers were in for more than just a once-in-a-lifetime solar event. Moments before the spectacle, legendary artist Bonnie Tyler took the stage in a surprise performance of her epic ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
Weber Shandwick’s Culture Tap and Client Experience teams teamed up with client Royal Caribbean to pitch the idea of hosting Bonnie aboard the ship more than a year ago as the eclipse began to generate buzz. The event proved to be a success, with big time results on both a marketing and business front, including more than two billion media impressions and a sold-out ship.
Tyler’s performance was carried live by CNN and covered by publication around the world – Rolling Stone, Esquire, The New Yorker and E! News to name a few.
In all, the Royal Caribbean Total Eclipse cruise was a powerful display of the full force of culture tap. Check out this Mic piece for the backstory for more on how it all came together.