‘Cup of Tea’ not to everyone’s taste

Sarina Bratton, Founder and Managing Director, Orion Expedition Cruises, writes:

To the many who kindly provided feedback on our newspaper advertisement – thank you. As promised, I provide you with some ‘feedback on the feedback’!

It is fair to say that the headline above was polarising. Recycled from a vintage copy of Surfing World, it seemed an arresting answer to a question posed to me recently in an email from a guest: How do you describe the indescribable?

We were most encouraged by the majority who responded enthusiastically, by those who said they ‘love’ the ad and felt motivated by it. However, I remain mindful that some saw it as irreverent while others saw it as annoyingly religious. (Neither, of course, were intended.) The candor and thoughtful feedback from each of the dissenting comments is appreciated and valued, and provides food for thought for our future communications. Other comments led to important text amendments.

The task for us is to determine how different and adventurous we should be with our advertising. It is certainly important we achieve “cut through”. Or should we just leave being different and adventurous to the expeditions themselves? Whatever the answer, bringing you off-the-beaten-track itineraries will not change. That’s guaranteed. It’s what makes Orion Orion.