The Challenge
Branding Case Studies, Charles and Margaret Holt are abandoning the 9 to 5 life and taking to the high seas. Their boat, La Isla, is a re-design of the ill-fated Napoleon Solo—a craft which took on water and was lost at sea after colliding with a whale. The naval architect and sailor of the Napoleon Solo—and New York Times best-selling author of Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea—Steven Callahan, Branding Case Studies redesigned the Napoleon Solo specifically for the Holts, and the pair built their new ship with their own skilled hands. Charles is an experienced sailor, shipwright, and retired commercial photographer, while Margaret is a novice sailor, afraid of deep and murky water, and not a great swimmer. Charles and Margaret plan to sail south from Seattle, down the Pacific Coast to Mexico, and then into the South Pacific before charting the next leg of their sailing lives.
Branding Case Studies Social media channels (like YouTube, Patreon and Kickstarter) allow adventurers like the Holts to follow their dreams and share their stories while receiving financial support from followers around the world. Other sailing channels have pioneered this strategy, but no other has the story, expertise, and character the Holts offer. The challenge was to create a sharable brand identity which connects the attributes of friendship, freedom, and adventure with this charming couple and inspires followers to donate, buy, and support the Holts’ oceanic retirement.
The Process Branding Case Studies
The Holts contacted Think Tank Creative to explore a logo and website concept to help them start sharing their trials and adventures, as well as build a necessary following for financial support. Jeremy Tank worked with the Holts to define their ideal audience, build an audience avatar, create a brand and content strategy, and design a brand identity for La Isla.
The Result
Setbacks are no stranger to ship owners, and when building your own vessel it’s expected that timelines get extended. COVID-19 shifted the window for La Isla’s launch into 2022, but the logo and identity is already making waves on the internet. As Charles works tirelessly to perfect every fit and finish of their new 24-foot home Margaret documents and shares every stage of their boat-building journey on Instagram and at SailingLaIsla.com.
