by Jason Leppert
Last updated: 12:00 PM ET, Mon December 25, 2017
Millennials may not respond to celebrity endorsements, but they should still take notice of collaborations.
There's a big difference, especially on cruise ships.
Recently, eMarketer reported that a Roth Capital Partners survey found U.S. millennial internet users were simply not impressed by celebrity endorsements. Specifically, 78 percent fell into the category of either disagreeing with or feeling indifferent towards a celebrity's stamp of approval affecting their purchases.
I definitely understand the majority sentiment. Just because William Shatner advertises for Priceline does not mean I or any of my generation are any more inclined to use the company's services.
It's simple: We see and understand the inner workings of advertising. We know that celebrities are paid good money to say things and use products to sway our opinions even if they are done so artificially. Perhaps we are the descendants of the"Mad Men" generation.
We see you Don Draper, and we know you're fake.
Yes, we are indeed the market that cherishes authentic experiences. Celebrity endorsements do not match up with that way of living.
It's the reason why theme cruises, in general, are so successful. Embarking for a music festival or celebration of "Star Trek" or "The Walking Dead" comes with the opportunity to actually rub shoulders with celebrities.
All of this is to say that millennials are not interested in old-school endorsements, but we and the industry at large shouldn't forget that collaborations with our favorites are a sweet spot for getting our attention.
I am still very interested to see what the next great celebrity partnership at sea will be. There remain lots of possibilities.
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