P&O Cruises Schedule Christmas Day Mega-Advert

P&O Cruises have secured one of the most sought-after advertising slots this year as it lines up an advert in the middle of Christmas Day’s Coronation Street special. The minute-long advert, titled ‘This is the Life’ will air at 8.30pm directly in the middle of the 8pm showing of Coronation Street.

Aimed at cruise virgins, the advert stars Welsh comedian Rob Brydon as a newcomer to cruise holidays. Brydon quips that “Cardiff city centre is but a distant memory” as he cruises down the beautiful coast of Montenegro aboard a P&O Cruise ship.

The charming, funny advert features Brydon showing off his ‘dad dancing’ skills and stunning visits to locations such as Venice and Athens.

Brydon was enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with P&O: “P&O Cruises is a classic British brand and I was delighted to be asked to work with them. Filming on board was great fun and I really believe that the advert brings to life what ‘This is the Life’ is all about.”

P&O Cruises’ marketing boss Christopher Edgington added: “Our warm and witty new ad will be screened during Coronation Street on Christmas Day.

“We hope that it shows the total relaxation and indulgence as well as fun and exploration you can enjoy on a P&O Cruises holiday.”

The advert, developed by London ad agency, Founded, is set to run throughout 2015, featuring a range of different locations as backdrops to Brydon’s cruise antics.

The Coronation Street advertising slot has become hugely sought-after over the years as the dramatic festive storylines guarantee high viewing figures. Last Christmas 8.3 million viewers tuned in to watch Hayley Cropper’s last Christmas.

Images sourced via Flickr Creative Commons. Credits: Bryan Ledgard, Yanxin Wang