AOL Launches “Laughs on Deck” With Carnival Cruise Lines Starring George Lopez.
AOL today announced the launch of “Laughs on Deck,” a new branded series in partnership with Carnival Cruise Lines starring George Lopez who serves as the cruise line’s curator of comedy. The first two episodes of the new AOL series are now available, with four additional episodes slated to go live in the coming weeks. “Laughs on Deck” marks an expansion of Carnival Cruise Lines’ current relationship with AOL, having signed on as the brand sponsor for AOL Original “Laugh Lessons with Kevin Nealon.”
In this new AOL series, comedian George Lopez boarded three Carnival Cruise Lines ships to provide guests and fans with truly unforgettable on-board experiences, going undercover and taking on the jobs of various crew members. Lopez interacted with unsuspecting guests as he served as a sushi chef at Bonsai Sushi, worked the line at Guy’s Burger Joint, made overstuffed burritos at BlueIguana Cantina, crafted custom cocktails at Alchemy Bar, and served as a recreation director, assisting guests at SkyCourse, a suspended ropes course. He also led the Seuss-a-Palooza Parade, part of the line’s popular fleetwide Seuss at Sea program.
“Creating this series with AOL has taken my existing relationship with Carnival Cruise Lines to the next level,” said George Lopez. “When I started as creative director of comedy for Carnival’s Punchliner Comedy Clubs, the goal was to showcase the most hilarious comedians at sea to guests on board. ‘Laughs on Deck’ takes that a step beyond by bringing laughs straight to the vacationers. I jump at the chance to interact directly with my fans and getting to do it in such an inventive way was a blast.”
“With the company’s vast network and diverse audience, AOL is the perfect partner to expand our digital marketing,” said Jim Berra, chief marketing officer at Carnival Cruise Lines. “George is such a fantastic partner and this AOL Original show highlights why he is the perfect person to curate our comedy clubs across our fleet. We’re excited to reach new audiences and give them a chance to see what makes Carnival the most popular cruise line in the world.”
“As digital video continues to rise as the preferred medium and blends with the traditional idea of television, brands need to arm themselves with robust content strategies,” said Nate Hayden, VP of originals and branded entertainment at AOL. “Carnival Cruise Lines has both a compelling story and a brand that consumers know and love. Those key elements, combined with the comic genius of George Lopez, make the ideal candidate for a branded series.”
