Campaign Overview

Windstar Cruises partnered with Realtime Media to launch a global digital Treasure Hunt designed to inspire excitement for future travel and showcase the brand’s uniquely immersive experiences. The promotion invited consumers to embark on an interactive journey to collect clues, crack a code, and unlock entry into a sweepstakes.

For a boutique cruise line known for extraordinary voyages, the Treasure Hunt promotion was a natural brand fit, turning the thrill of exploration into an engaging digital activation that brought new energy and attention to Windstar’s fleet of small yachts and exotic destinations.

Our Solution

Realtime Media developed a three-week long custom scavenger hunt that blended digital creativity with real-world adventure.

Our Approach

• Scavenger Hunt Mechanics: Participants were directed to watch a series of 11 short videos hosted on the dedicated promotion microsite and social media channels. Each video contained a hidden number, letter, or symbol that, when combined, formed a Google Plus code revealing the location of the “hidden treasure.” Built for ongoing discovery, the site invited participants to return again and again, unraveling clues over time and deepening their connection with the Windstar brand throughout the promotion.
• Promotion Elements & Gamification: The program featured short-form video content, a crack-the-code mechanic, Google Maps integration, and an incentivized sweepstakes. This gamified structure encouraged playful problem-solving, driving deeper engagement as participants advanced through the hunt across multiple digital touchpoints.  
• Experiential Prizing: The sweepstakes grand prize winner, along with a guest, embarked on an unforgettable Windstar cruise culminating in a live treasure hunt experience to uncover an extraordinary prize at port. In addition, all players who solved the code could claim up to $200 in shipboard credit, rewarding broad participation while keeping the excitement high.

Key Benefits

• Immersive Engagement: Delivered a highly interactive promotion that reflected Windstar’s promise of extraordinary experiences.
• Excitement for Future Travel: Created a fun, gamified reason for consumers to imagine their next Windstar cruise.
• Layered Incentives: Offered immediate rewards (shipboard credit) alongside a once-in-a-lifetime grand prize experience, encouraging broad participation.
• Brand Differentiation: Reinforced Windstar’s positioning as a boutique cruise line offering adventures far from ordinary.

Conclusion

The Windstar Cruises Treasure Hunt combined digital storytelling with experiential rewards to capture attention, engage travelers, and build excitement for the brand’s unique style of cruising.

Interested in learning more about how we can help with your next Digital Promotion? Get in touch with us today!  

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