A National Historic Landmark, the Belle of Louisville holds the title of the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat in the world. As she approaches her 110^th birthday this fall, the Belle’s management brought BCH Agency on board to lead marketing and public relations efforts.

In recent years, Belle of Louisville Riverboats transformed from offering a single, traditional dinner cruise to providing over 20 diverse, fun and engaging experiences aboard the Belle and her sister vessel, Mary M. Miller. However, the target audience has limited awareness of the Belle’s offerings, with many only thinking of their grade-school field trip.

BCH wanted to reposition the Belle as a dynamic attraction while preserving its historic charm. At the same time, we wanted to expand beyond the radio and out-of-home media used previously to include digital channels, including connected TV, to reach both existing and new audiences and expose them to the diversity of cruise offerings.

Our first foray is a new TV spot, entitled “Belle Center Stage,” that transforms the Belle herself into a character to challenge perceptions and spark curiosity about the Belle’s offerings. The spot is visually striking and emotionally engaging, transporting audiences to the Vaudeville era when the Belle first began cruising while showcasing a range of cruises and events to demonstrate that it’s not the same ol’ Belle.

See our Belle Center Stage spot below, and you can find a cruise that suits you to celebrate the 110^th birthday season of Louisville’s historic treasure, at belleoflouisville.org.