Devonport Yachts – Brand Experience
- Advertising Design
- Brand Asset Design
- Branding
- Exhibition Design
- Merchandise
- Print Design
- Video & Photography
- Website Design
The Brief
Strategic marketing and visual storytelling for a superyacht build opportunity
Broad Reach Communications, a specialist Marine PR agency, needed an exceptional creative agency, that had direct marine experience, to support the delivery of a comprehensive marketing plan and visual collateral. The goal was to secure a buyer for a new build slot at Devonport Yachts, a premium shipyard based in Plymouth, subsequently acquired by Pendennis Shipyard, one of the UK’s most prestigious yacht builders.
Strategic Challenge
Selling a custom superyacht is unlike any other sales process.
One of the primary challenges was that no physical product existed for the slot being promoted. This meant the marketing approach needed to focus on conveying the potential and prestige of a future build rather than relying on tangible assets.
Compounding this was the fact that existing yachts constructed at Devonport, including the iconic Vava II, Samar, Pure, Almashar, and Aquarella, could not be featured due to strict client privacy requirements. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals typically demand absolute anonymity, which further restricts the use of real-world photography or opportunities for onboard tours. As a result, the promotional strategy had to be carefully designed to balance discretion with impact.
Solution: Sell the Dream
Our response was to create the dream from scratch.
A world-class naval architect was commissioned to design a concept yacht specifically tailored for the target market, providing a tangible vision of what the new build slot could become. To bring this design to life, a specialist marine CGI team was engaged to produce a high-impact 3D visualisation and a cinematic animated video.
These assets became the centrepiece of the campaign, crafted to ignite desire and capture the imagination of prospective buyers. By presenting an aspirational yet credible vision, the strategy overcame the absence of a physical yacht and offered a compelling narrative that positioned the opportunity as truly unique.
Brand Development and Visual Identity
A bold and distinctive visual identity was developed to unify all event assets.
A striking palette of turquoise blue, deep navy, and matte black was chosen to evoke a sense of elegance, power, and exclusivity. The contrast of vibrant turquoise against darker, muted tones suggested both energy and restraint, echoing the sleek lines and sophistication of a superyacht. This carefully balanced colour story flowed seamlessly across all physical and digital collateral, ensuring a consistent and immersive brand presence that resonated with the aspirational lifestyle of the campaign’s audience.
Event Presence – Monaco Yacht Show
The Monaco Yacht Show was identified as the primary venue to showcase the opportunity and meet potential buyers face-to-face.
The project extended to the design and planning of a striking two-tier exhibition stand, an ambitious structure with a total build cost exceeding £250,000. This stand was conceived not only as a showcase for the concept yacht but also as a physical embodiment of the brand’s prestige, offering a commanding presence within the exhibition space and an immersive environment for engaging with prospective buyers.
Showstand Assets
Adding impact to the Monaco Yacht Show.
To complement the digital render, Devonport Superyachts also commissioned two scale models of previous builds, showcasing their exceptional craftsmanship and design pedigree.
The Outcome
The result? An exciting new customer for the build slot during the Monaco Yacht Show.
With an average build cost of over £1 million per metre, and yachts typically reaching around 120 metres in length, the opportunity represented a multi-hundred-million-pound return on investment. The scale of potential value underscored the importance of delivering a marketing campaign that could inspire confidence, imagination, and commitment from an exceptionally discerning audience.
Project Highlights
Key achievements.
The project delivered high-value strategic marketing execution under exceptionally challenging constraints, positioning the brand with precision and impact. A bespoke campaign was developed, driven by a distinctive brand identity and cutting-edge CGI assets, which enabled the creation of a compelling narrative where no physical yacht could be shown. This was complemented by a full suite of event marketing and collateral production, ensuring a seamless and immersive brand presence at every touchpoint. The strategy ultimately achieved tangible sales success at the world’s premier superyacht show, reinforcing the effectiveness of a carefully orchestrated and highly creative approach.
