French cruise company PONANT launches its campaign “The North Pole, The South Pole, And You” to introduce its new hybrid-electric polar exploration ship powered by liquefied natural gas. Travelling aboard Le Commandant Charcot is an invitation to awaken to a world of sensations, knowledge and respect for the nature that surrounds us. Beyond exploration.

The hypnotic blue palette, the blizzard, the huge thrill as we stand upon the geographic North Pole. A heart that beats in the face of these raw lands, reached only by rare explorers. Heading North, at the boundaries of extreme lands, or heading South, in the heart of the legendary “White Continent”, a cruise on Le Commandant Charcot is an adventure, an expedition, a polar odyssey, and a self discovery only a few people will have the chance to experience in their lifetime. Approaching the Poles is very much like approaching space. It helps us realize how small we are as humans. Le Commandant Charcot is an experience whose magic transforms the traveller.

The campaign, created by FRED & FARID Los Angeles, directed by ACCIDENT and produced by NOSIDE Paris conveys the sheer magnificence of the landscapes of Earth. It personifies the awakening to knowledge experienced aboard Le Commandant Charcot, and pays tribute to science and purposeful voyages which in gaining better understanding inspire us to preserve our environment.

The voice over, narrated by actor and comedian Nathan Wilcocks, reminds us of our place in the universe, with a certain emotion tinted by the importance of the message delivered.

The music was composed by French artist and musician DeLaurentis, adding another layer of elevation. 

Hervé Gastinel, CEO of PONANT, comments: “This first high polar exploration vessel represents the quintessence of our dreams of the absolute. To offer essential escapes. To find meaning again. To better understand and protect our planet. The launch campaign needed to convey the pioneering nature of our approach, the spirit and audacity of PONANT.”

The team at FRED & FARID Los Angeles say: “Experiencing the magnetic Poles is a great reminder of our place in the galaxy. We always forget that our blue spaceship is orbiting around the Sun at a speed of 67 000 miles per hour, traveling in space about 1,6 million miles a day. Le Commandant Charcot is a spaceship on Earth.”

The campaign will launch globally from November 15, first in EMEA (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, UK) and will continue to roll out in 2022, in AMERICAS and APAC. It is supported by a 100% digital communication plan promoting the immersive experience of video format via social networks and programmatic.