How to pronounce 'Hurtigruten' is brand's new US campaignHow to pronounce 'Hurtigruten' is brand's new US campaign

This broadcast, radio and digital advertising campaign kicked off today in Denver and Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The campaign showcases the Hurtigruten Expeditions and Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express brands through iconic destination photography alongside the tagline ‘Hard to say. Impossible to forget.’

Most significant single US campaign investment

The $2m campaign marks the most significant investment by the company in a single campaign in the US. It will stretch two months and, for the first time, features radio and billboard advertising.

'As we emerge from the pandemic and more travelers plan their next unforgettable trip, we want to be front and center,' said Jeffrey Oar, who becamse president of Hurtigruten Americas in February. 'The Denver area is home to potential travelers who enjoy the great outdoors, exploration and discovery, and whose interests we think align with the array of destinations and approach of our Hurtigruten Expeditions brand.

'In Minneapolis and St. Paul, a large community with Norwegian ancestry connects with the Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express product, which takes guests into some of the most remote and beautiful communities in Norway. We intend to showcase the destination in the most authentic way possible, starting by pronouncing our name the correct way.'

Created in-house

The campaign's creative assets were created in-house, including digital billboards, web banners and both radio and television spots, all showcasing the sights and sounds of signature Hurtigruten destinations.

These range from the Galápagos to Antarctica and the western coast of Africa for Hurtigruten Expeditions, and from warm-weather getaways in the Caribbean to a once-in-a-lifetime pole-to-pole journey.

The Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express, meanwhile, has been operating along the Norwegian coast since 1893. Originally designed as a ferry service — hurtigruten means 'the fast route' — today, the experience is part expedition cruise, part local ferry, part cargo transport ships that still serve as a vital lifeline connecting 34 communities along the rugged coast.

New high-end cruises: Svalbard Express and North Cape Express

In 2023, to celebrate 130 years, Hurtigruten Norway will launch the Svalbard Express and the North Cape Express, the line's first high-end cruise offerings. A revival of the Coastal Express iconic summer voyage, the Svalbard Express will set sail on the fully refurbished Trollfjord, visiting the Arctic Circle under the Midnight Sun and crossing the Barents Sea to Svalbard.

In winter, the North Cape Express for the first time will sail from Oslo to Norway’s oldest lighthouse at Lindesnes, the country’s southernmost point, and take travelers to the snow-covered northernmost point of Norway’s North Cape at 71° north.