Why You Keep Seeing ‘Ron Swanson’ on Carnival Commercials (and It’s Really Him)

It’s Cyber Monday, and it feels like every company on the planet is sending out emails and blasting their discounts and specials across every app and square inch of screen space.

And it’s no different for cruise lines.  You can check out the latest cruise deals for Cyber Monday here.

But a certain ad campaign from Carnival has been catching people by surprise. 

If you’ve watched TV or seen any online videos lately, you’ve probably done a double-take at the Carnival Cruise Line commercial.  “Is that Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec?”  you might have asked.   

The beloved character, known for his woodworking skills, hatred of paying taxes, and love for eating red meat, began showing up in Carnival ads in mid-November.

And here’s why Carnival hiring the world’s most serious-minded woodworker is a pretty savvy move the company hopes will turn into future cruise passengers.

It’s Not Nick Offerman After All. It Really Is Ron Swanson

Here’s the weird truth about these commercials.  Nick Offerman is the actor who played Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation.  But Carnival didn’t hire “Nick” perse.  They wanted Swanson.

They even brought in Offerman’s writing team from Parks and Recreation to co-write the ads.  Keep in mind that this show ran for 7 seasons (ending in 2015) and was very successful in its own right.

So, when fans of the show see these commercials, they connect right away with the character they watched and rewatched.

That’s why the humor lands so perfectly. It’s not a generic celebrity plug. It feels like an extended and interesting side-story where Ron Swanson is forced to acknowledge the existence of fun.  

When his character breaks down and escapes to the deck of a cruise ship in the ads, it’s more like a snippet from an 8^th season of the show than an advertisement.

The commercials are like sketches from a creative team that knows the character and exactly how he would react in certain situations.

The “Anti-Fun” Guy Sells Fun

The whole campaign is called “Find Your Fun Again,” and it’s built on the idea that Americans are burnt out, stuck on their phones, and generally miserable.

Now, who is the last person you’d expect to lead a campaign about easy, adventurous, organized fun? Exactly. Nick Offerman—cough, cough, I mean Ron Swanson.

The ads literally start with Offerman smashing his phone because the digital noise is too much. His escape isn’t to a remote cabin. But it is to a Carnival cruise.

The message is clear and compelling.  If the guy who gives advice on building your own canoe thinks a cruise is a great way to detox and get out, then maybe it really is the answer to “what should we do for a vacation this year?”.

And of course, these commercials carry the same humor we expect from Ron Swanson, with witty lines like “heights are afraid of me.”.

They’re Changing Who They Talk To

Carnival knows their history. They’ve had high-energy spokespeople like Shaq, and they are well-known for being the “Fun Ship.” But those things can also come with a certain stereotype.

Hiring Offerman is a savvy way to talk to people who might be a little cynical about cruising.  It’s going after the ones who think it’s too cheesy, too loud, or too commercial.

Carnival is banking on the fact that when you see Ron Swanson enjoying a buffet, the irony is so perfect, you can’t help but pay attention.  And you’ll probably laugh a little too.

The genius of ads like this are that they are very shareable.  When a company gets people who watch their commercials to want to show their friends what “Swanson” was doing on a cruise ship, they get free eyeballs.

“We believe Nick Offerman is the best person to be our ‘unlikely hero of fun.’ His signature blend of wry humor and credibility is the perfect way to deliver our message,” said Amy Martin Ziegenfuss, chief marketing officer of Carnival Cruise Line. “Nick’s personal mission, which aims to get kids off their screens and start creating projects, aligns with our vision of encouraging people to get out, reconnect and find their fun again, with Carnival.”