https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/11/11/
partnership-with-msc-cruises-extended-to-2024
Partnership with MSC Cruises extended to 2024
11 Nov 2021
It is announced today that Chelsea Football Club's partnership with MSC
Cruises is extended for an additional three years until June 2024.
https://i.imgur.com/18zqahg.jpg
MSC Cruises is our official global cruise partner. In the first three
years of the partnership MSC Cruises has seen a year-on-year increase in
brand awareness among the 2.6 million Chelsea FC fan base in the UK and
Ireland. At the start of the partnership, just 14 per cent of fans were
familiar with the cruise line, growing to 85 per cent at the end of the
first term of the partnership.
With the partnership extended, Chelsea chief executive Guy Laurence said:
'We are thrilled to extend our partnership at this exciting period for the
travel industry. We have worked closely with MSC over the past three years
to support them in their strategic business objectives and this extension
is testament to the best-in-class activations we have delivered with them
to meet and surpass those goals.
'We now look forward to the next stage of our partnership, as we continue
to use our global platforms in an innovative and unique manner to share
MSC's premium cruise experiences with our loyal fanbase.'
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, added: 'The continuation of the
partnership is further evidence of our commitment to the UK & Irish
markets which are a key part of our global growth plan. Across the world
we are working with key partners to support our journey. I am pleased to
say that the Chelsea FC partnership will continue to be important in our
goal to build further positive brand association as well as introduce our
distinctive cruise experience to new audiences both in the UK & Ireland,
and globally.'
Antonio Paradiso, managing director of MSC Cruises UK & Ireland said:
'Despite the challenges of the pandemic the partnership has been a great
success and I am thrilled to be extending it for another three years.
'We began this partnership in order to reach new audiences, and increase
brand awareness and I'm happy to report that so far we have exceeded this
objective. We've seen great success in terms of engagement and customer
acquisition and have had feedback from passengers and travel agents about
how this increased visibility has driven them to book a cruise with us.'
Over the past year, MSC Cruises has put greater focus on online
activations, leveraging their digital presence through engaging social
campaigns with Chelsea.
Focused on creating engaging and relatable content to introduce cruise
holidays to both new and existing audiences, the partnership will continue
to offer both consumers and trade partners the opportunity to interact
with both brands in a refreshing way - from zoom calls with Chelsea
players to tickets to Premier League home games at Stamford Bridge, to
visits to the club's world-class training facility, with the unique
opportunity to meet the stars of our men's team.
The partnership includes among other elements LED perimeter advertising,
VIP hospitality, star player engagement as well as a dedicated digital
marketing presence.