We were impressed by Smoking Gun’s proven ability to drive awareness, desire, and bookings. Their compelling strategic approach to make Scenic’s next chapter irresistible stood them forward as our PR partner.
Some arrivals deserve more than a ribbon-cutting; they deserve a moment the whole country notices. That’s exactly the challenge facing ultra-luxury cruise and tour operator Scenic Group UK as it prepares to bring its most ambitious vessel yet to the capital. It’s why PR, influencer and social media agency Smoking Gun has been appointed to lead the brand’s UK media relations.
A Six-Star Brand Ready for Its Close-Up
Scenic Group UK is no stranger to luxury travel, but its ambitions in the UK market are only just getting started. The brand has appointed Smoking Gun to a high-impact media relations brief designed to deepen brand recognition across the UK and broaden public appeal for Scenic’s unique, six-star experiences.
That’s the task Smoking Gun has been brought in to deliver: a strategic programme built to introduce Scenic to a wider British audience and translate six-star luxury into a story the mainstream can’t ignore.
A Landmark Arrival for Scenic’s UK Story
The timing is no coincidence. Central to the brief is the creation of a major national media moment marking the inaugural London arrival of Scenic Eclipse II, the brand’s prestige discovery yacht, and one of the most luxurious expedition vessels in the world. It’s a milestone that also builds on Smoking Gun’s growing footprint in travel, following the agency’s recent appointment by international value hotel group easyHotel.
“Scenic Eclipse II is one of the most luxurious expedition yachts in the world, and its first entry into London represents a landmark moment for our brand. We were impressed by Smoking Gun’s proven ability to drive awareness, desire, and bookings. Their compelling strategic approach to make Scenic’s next chapter irresistible stood them forward as our PR partner.”
Laura Gerrard, Marketing Director, Oceans, Scenic Group UK
Turning a Ship’s Arrival Into a National Moment
The account will be led by Hayley Peters, Smoking Gun’s Strategy Director, who heads up the agency’s strategic planning division, the Intention Unit. The approach is designed to lift Scenic Eclipse II’s London debut beyond the traditional travel pages and into the national conversation, reaching far beyond existing cruise buyers to unlock affluent audiences at scale.
“As the public gets to experience the six-star elegance of Scenic Eclipse II right in the heart of the capital, we’ll turn the journey into a rolling media runway and stamp the credibility of Scenic’s limitless expeditions. Our storytellers are focused on lifting this historic moment beyond the traditional travel pages; we are engineering a national moment to reach beyond existing cruise buyers and unlock affluent audiences at scale.”
Rick Guttridge, CEO, Smoking Gun
Why This Partnership Matters
This is a partnership between two brands that understand the value of doing something properly, and doing it in a way people remember. Scenic is bringing a genuinely rare experience to UK shores; Smoking Gun’s job is to make sure that moment lands with the scale, credibility and reach it deserves.
Want a PR Partner Who Can Make Your Moment National News?
Smoking Gun is the agency for ballsy brands with brains, working with major organisations including Philips, Alton Towers Resort, American Golf, and Best Western Hotels to drive publicity, change perception and persuade audiences to act. Our strategic planning division, the Intention Unit, delivers research-led consultancy combined with best-in-class storytelling, channel expertise and intelligent measurement to drive business impact for clients, an approach that has seen us win more than 100 peer-judged industry awards, including nine global AMEC effectiveness gongs.
If your brand has a story big enough to earn the nation’s attention, it deserves a communications agency that knows how to tell it with scale, precision, and impact. Get in touch with Smoking Gun today to find out how we can get your brand seen, heard, and remembered.
