In April 2009, Carnival was gearing up to launch a brand new, year-round sailing port from Baltimore, Maryland with their ship, the Carnival Pride. In order to spread the word both to the greater Baltimore community and the general public, Carnival set out to take over the entire Baltimore Inner Harbor for a day of unscripted, spontaneous fun. For one day it wouldn’t just be the city of Baltimore; it would be Carnival Fun City Baltimore. The takeover would bring the fun experience of a Carnival Cruise to life ashore while making an emotional and impactful connection with consumers. These interactions would help raise awareness, drive excitement and ultimately, push bookings for their newest port.
The Fun City Takeover proved to be a great success in introducing Carnival’s newest year-round sailing port at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The Fun City takeover provided a direct opportunity for Baltimore residents to meaningfully interact with the Carnival brand while at the same time, PR, online components, branded entertainment and social media allowed consumers nationwide to share in the experience, learn about the port and engage with the brand.