An out-of-office reply as a manifesto
Based in Geneva, Explora Journeys builds its new campaign around a reflex every executive knows: the automatic out-of-office reply. The film follows Jannik Sinner, the brand’s global ambassador, as he switches on his “Out of Office”. For him, only one destination will do: the sea.
The storytelling plays on a contrast. The champion first describes what sounds like a demanding training programme. The images, however, show an entirely different routine: unhurried mornings facing the ocean, fine dining on board and time for himself. The campaign makes a simple case: knowing how to slow down and recover is part of performance.
The film closes with a tongue-in-cheek sign-off from the player, “I will return, when I return”, followed by a question to the audience: “How do you Out of Office?”
Filmed aboard EXPLORA III
The film was shot in July 2026 during the Prelude Journey of EXPLORA III, the newest ship in the fleet. Jannik Sinner was welcomed on board as the ship’s very first guest.
The campaign was created with McCann Paris, under the creative direction of Carmen Saenz de Tejada. The hero film runs for 70 seconds. It was directed by Julien Faucher and produced by Craft Paris, then adapted into short formats for digital and social media.
“Out of Office” follows the “Maybe” campaign, which had already set out to challenge the traditional image of ocean travel. This new instalment offers a lighter take on the “Ocean State of Mind”, Explora Journeys’ brand philosophy.
Time, the new marker of luxury
Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys, links the campaign to a shift in our relationship with work. She notes that people have never been so connected or so reachable, even when away from the office, and that the boundaries between professional and personal life are increasingly blurred, bringing greater flexibility but also placing greater demands on our time. Time, she says, has become one of our greatest luxuries.
She adds that the brand does not advocate switching off entirely, but rather the freedom to choose when to stay reachable and when to explore, pursue one’s passions or do nothing at all. In her view, Jannik Sinner embodies this balance, as performance demands both commitment and time to recover.
The Italian player makes the same point. He observes that people often talk about the work done on court, but no one talks about the work done away from it: knowing when to stop, when to step back and when simply to breathe. For him, the best performances are born of balance, and sometimes the most disciplined thing one can do is give the mind time to reset.
A roll-out timed to the ATP Finals
The campaign will run on television and digital channels from 12 November 2026. It will accompany the Nitto ATP Finals, held in Turin from 15 to 22 November, in France and across the brand’s key markets.
Explora Journeys is thereby reaffirming a positioning inspired by luxury hospitality. The brand likens the onboard experience to that of leading boutique hotels, with suites, penthouses and residences all facing the sea. It also highlights the three-century maritime heritage of the Aponte-Vago family, owner of MSC Group.
The fleet continues to grow. EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II entered service in 2023 and 2024. EXPLORA III joined them in 2026 as the brand’s first LNG-powered ship. EXPLORA IV is expected in early 2027, followed by EXPLORA V and EXPLORA VI between 2027 and 2028. This ramp-up goes hand in hand with a commercial reorganisation in North America, with the appointment of Lara Koslow as president of the region.
LTH Analysis | Luxury at sea adopts the codes of hotel hospitality
Analysis – With “Out of Office”, Explora Journeys talks less about the product (ships, suites, ports of call) than about an intangible promise: time, and the freedom to spend it as one chooses. It is the same register as luxury hospitality, in a segment where hotel brands have also set up shop, such as The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
The choice of timing and partners follows an audience logic. Airing during the ATP Finals, a Paris agency that won the Film Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2025 and a French production put the French market at the heart of the plan. The brand is thus targeting an affluent, active clientele, the very one that major hotel groups are seeking to capture.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Explora Journeys launches “Out of Office” campaign with Jannik Sinner
MSC Group’s luxury ocean travel brand rolls out the campaign on TV and digital from 12 November 2026
Filmed in July 2026 aboard EXPLORA III, with Sinner as the ship’s very first guest
Created with McCann Paris; 70-second film directed by Julien Faucher, produced by Craft Paris
Aired during the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin (15-22 November), in France and key markets
Fleet: EXPLORA III (first LNG-powered ship) joined in 2026; EXPLORA IV to VI due 2027-2028
