Goal: 

Hurtigruten cruises are a personal, fun, and experiential product, but the emails that were going out when I arrived were decidedly un-fun. They were aggressively promotional, impersonal, and lifeless, and did not demonstrate what consumers could expect of a $12,000-$20,000 culturally immersive and experiential product.

Key message: 

Hurtigruten cruises are experiential, authentic, fun, and enriching. The product is not a one-size-fits all commodity, but an individualized experience.

Execution: 

Delivering three to five emails per week to consumer and trade channels, I transformed the emails into a more content-based and experiential format, made the tone more fun (adding a little cheekiness) to catch readers’ attention, and added enlightening facts to help them learn about these remote and little-known destinations.

Results: 

This new approach doubled the average email open and click through rates in one year from around 10% to 22-33%. Industry benchmark was 17%.

Writing Sample 1: 

O Canada!

Celebrate Our Neighbors to the North

Canada’s got one of those really big birthdays coming up on July 1 (the ripe old age of 150!), when the Constitution Act joined the provinces of Nova Scotia, Canada, and New Brunswick

into one country. Not that it’s all about us, but Hurtigruten is nipping at Canada’s heels and

turning 125 next year. So we think this calls for fireworks, picnics, and a celebration of all things Canadian.

There are so many things to love about Canada, but we’ll just stick to our top five:

1. The prime minister. This could take all day, so we’ll just leave this one here.

2. The craggy coast and quaint lighthouses of Newfoundland.

3. The almost-incomprehensible 1,000-year history of the Viking settlement of L’Anse aux Meadows.

4. Gros Morne National Park, a landscape shaped over 485 million years. And said to be the geological equivalent of the Galapagos.

5. French bread, cheese, and authentic French culture on the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. Un paradis without the long flight!

Join us on several exciting adventures in the land of loonies (the Canadian dollar coin), toonies (the Canadian two-dollar coin) – and red maple leaves.

****

Writing sample #2: 

Find Your Happy Place In Norway – The Happiest Country in the World

Norway’s been called the happiest country in the world. And we can see why – breathtaking fjords, a deep connection to nature (friluftsliv), a healthy lifestyle, and fresh and delicious food.

And Hurtigruten can help you find your happy place in Norway. After sailing these waters for 125 years, we know this country inside and out, and can help you find whatever floats your boat:

• Hike with an onboard expedition team? Let’s go!
• Relax and watch the breathtaking coast pass by the windows? Yep, and we’ll even light the fireplace in the lounge for you.
• Stand on deck in the darkest polar night with the northern lights dancing above? Check.
• Watch for wildlife all day and all night in the land of the midnight sun? Double check.
• Dance all night in a ball gown and tuxedo? Oops! We can’t help you there. We have an informal dress code so you can truly relax.

We’re kicking off our 2018/19 cruising season with many new ways to increase your HQ (Happiness Quotient). Come on, get happy!

***

Writing sample #3: 

Antarctica: Dream Bigger

Super-Sized Continent, Endless Choices

How big is Antarctica? Is it Texas-big or even Alaska-big? Nope, don’t limit your imagination and dream even bigger. To come close to matching Antarctica’s size, you would need to combine both the United States and Mexico. And it’s not only size that makes Antarctica distinct from any other place on Earth. It is also the highest, driest, coldest, windiest, and brightest continent on our planet. If visiting a place with so many superlatives ignites your sense of discovery, take a look at our numerous Antarctica itineraries. And best of all, you can select a voyage based on the experience you want to have. So, if you want to camp on Antarctica and visit wineries in Chile, you can. And if you want to dance the tango in Buenos Aires and then watch penguins waddle on the ice, you can do that, too. 

Dream big with our top destinations and experiences on Antarctica voyages.