Above: Yohan Blake in the “DreamRunners” ad
By the Caribbean Journal staff
It’s a whole new take on cruise marketing.
Thomson Cruises has unveiled its newest ad, which features Jamaican sprinter and Olympic Gold Medalist Yohan Blake showcasing the beauty of Jamaica joined by a group of freerunners.
The ad, titled “DreamRunners,” starts with a Thomson Cruises ship floating in a Jamaican harbour, then cuts to a group of freerunners spreading across the country, through historic houses, waterfalls and ruins until they meet Blake on a track.
The group then continues across Port Antonio before boarding jet skis to head back to the Thomson ship.
It’s the latest example of Caribbean tourism marketing that uses Jamaican personalities and culture — not simply beautiful beaches — to promote the destination.
It’s been a banner month so far for Jamaica, which has been riding a wave of publicity thanks in large part to the appearance of the Jamaican Bobsleigh Team at the Sochi Olympics and the Jamaica Tourism Board-produced “Bobsled Song” that went viral last week.
Click below to watch the video: