Founded in 1972, Brittany Ferries is a leading maritime carrier on the western and central Channel, operating a fleet of 12 ships connecting Ireland, the UK, France and Spain. The company has been renewing its fleet with cleaner, more economical, LNG-powered ships, the first of which, the Salamanca, was officially launched in Ireland in November 2022 on the Rosslare to Bilbao route. This marked a significant occasion for the company, offering the first LNG-powered ferry to service Ireland, on the only ferry route connecting Ireland and Spain.

OUR ROLE

Fuzion has been responsible for all communications activity in Ireland for Brittany Ferries since early 2022. To enhance awareness and increase passenger numbers on the Rosslare to Bilbao route, we activated a series of media engagement campaigns, to celebrate the official launch of the Salamanca in Ireland. These activities included a large-scale launch event on board the ship, inviting domestic and international tourism officials, representatives and the media to attend.

Ahead of the event we hosted a captivating photocall to illustrate the Spanish/Irish connection and the artistic nature of the ship (which is home to over 200 artworks by Spanish artists) and released them with an informative press release and press pack. Following the launch, to maintain momentum, we hosted a four-day press trip from Ireland to Spain with a selection of high-profile travel journalists, in partnership with the Basque Tourism Board, to experience the new route and everything the region has to offer. Furthermore, we arranged individual press trips for travel journalists throughout the year, one of which resulted in a 30-minute feature on Virgin Media TV.

RESULTS

Since 2022, Fuzion has garnered over €1 million worth of high-quality media coverage across national and regional print, online, and broadcast channels. We engaged with multiple local and international stakeholders, press, and influencers to educate the desired target audiences, enhance the visibility of the route, and help increase passenger numbers by +155% compared to 2022.