It’s easy to get stuck in a rut—especially for companies who have been around for decades. While it may feel like a Herculean task to cultivate a culture of innovation, Carnival Cruise Lines found a lucrative way to promote change for its business.
Bloomberg Business’s article, Carnival Rocks the Boat, reveals that Carnival’s net income increased by about 15% in 2014, earning the company a cool $1.2 billion. So, just how did the company manage to pull off this massive increase?
It all starts back in 2013 with the hiring of a very savvy CEO, Arnold Donald. When Donald took the helm of Carnival, he was tasked with fixing operational problems and improving the company’s image.
His tactic: get in some fresh, diverse talent who could look at existing problems from a new perspective—to “create an environment where differing opinions are heard and taken seriously.” Donald replaced seven of Carnival’s nine cruise line heads. Four are women, one is African American and one is gay. And several come from outside the travel industry —one manager previously ran a large training-focused nonprofit and another managed a large compensation consulting practice (and had never taken a cruise). Since taking on this new talent, Carnival has been able to attract a new type of guest referred to as “globe-trotting learners.” This younger demographic spends up to $14,000 a year on travel alone—a critical market for the company to break into.
The hiring of diverse talent seems to have paid off for Carnival—and it could pay off for you, too.
Breaking out of the rut
Carnival’s success can be mirrored within your own marketing team by bringing in new talent with fresh perspectives. New employees– or interim consultants – with diverse backgrounds can offer interesting solutions to existing problems within your organization.
If you’re ready to shake things up with some fresh new talent, let us know. We can help you find the right marketing professional to help drive positive change within your business.