1. Date: July 20, 2016
Client: Boatsetter
Job #: XX-XXX-XXX
Title: Creative Brief
Rev #: 0
CC: Interns
BACKGROUND
Peaking in 2006, the boating industry has historically been made up of marinas, private owners
and versatile boating services. It is often perceived as older, private, exclusive or even a ‘man’s
sport’. As a result of the 2008 economic crisis and inconsistent weather patterns, the industry saw
a decline in recreational boating activities. Recently, however, the industry has been slowly
bouncing back as boat sales increased from 2010 to 2013 by 1.69 million dollars. While these
numbers show promise they are not where they were prior to 2008.
The emergence of the shared economy has begun to broaden this narrowly defined category,
providing access and cost aids to a larger more mass market. This has created the opportunity for
Boatsetter to establish itself as a viable brand within this rising economy.
Much like Airbnb and Uber, Boatsetter provides renters access to rent a boat on the fly giving
them the ability to experience the boating lifestyle in the easiest possible way.
 Unexperienced renters have the ability to hire a captain.
 Boatsetter offers time flexibility for rentals compared to the rigid hours of traditional boat
renting (i.e. renting for one day or spend consecutive days on the water).
 Insurance is provided for both the renter and the boat itself.
 Offers a large variety of boats with prices ranging from $60 to $1200 a person for a day.
 Partnered with almost 200 marinas with two headquarters, one in Florida and one in
Silicon Valley, CA.
THE REAL CHALLENGE AND WHOM IS IT AMONG
With Boatsetter being a new concept and business model, the challenge is taking a declining
industry that attracts a narrow audience and communicating that it is an accessible experience to
a larger audience: launching the brand story.
From the information gathered we have chosen to create two core target audiences: the
millennial traveler between the ages of 18-34 and the experienced boater between 45-60 years.
 “Captain”
 45-60yrs
 higher HHI
 already familiar with boats, might be a boat owner
 Most likely to lead organization of boating experiences for family and friends
 Millennials
 18-34yrs
 preferred medium: Online, social
 mass adopters and utilizers of shared economy
 seek unique, authentic experiences/travelers that they can share with others

2. 2
HOW MIGHT WE BEST APPROACH SOLVING THIS?
Using the research from our category, on our cores targets and the brand itself, we have come up
with the following brand strategy to drive awareness and launch the Boatsetter brand:
Brand Foundation
 Boatsetter is great because it provides a safe and accessible on the water boating
experience
Boatsetter Brand Character
 inclusive, outgoing, adventurous, gregarious, energetic, carefree
Insights to leverage
o COOL FACTOR: Stereotypically, boating is perceived as a more traditional,
sometimes stuffy, sport that is limited to the upper class. Through our exploration,
we found that Boatsetter has an opportunity to go against that notion and shift
perceptions in the industry. Words associated with the brand name “Boatsetter”
itself convey a certain “cool factor” to leverage emotionally. Right off the bat
people responded with: Trendsetter, jetsetter, globetrotter and exploration. This
presents an opportunity for us to leverage this existing brand equity that goes
beyond functional.
Top of mind awareness/perception
o BOATING TRIP: In our research, we found that people associate a “boating trip”

3. 3
with going on a cruise. this is an opportunity for Boatsetter to offer a different
“cruise” or “boating trip” experience. boating with Boatsetter can be over the
weekend, for a day while on a vacation, in your home town etc. and does not
require the cost or time commitment of a cruise, but can offer an immersive
“travel” experience. We have the opportunity to make Boatsetter relevant in a
more accessible way by showing that boating trips can be shorter and even close to
home.
 “island hopping”
 “having an experience that I would not normally have the opportunity
to do”
 “I would rent in a different location (not at home where I currently
already have a boat) but to try something different”
o EXCLUSIVITY: Typically boat rental services offer a standardized experience for its
rentals limiting the consumer to their travel and activities. When we asked people
to describe an ideal boating experience it was often with family and friends doing a
range of on the water activities. However, what was most interesting, was that
many people projected using Boatsetter to help them experience something
unknown or unique. For instance, people responded with words like: unique one -
of-a-kind experience, immersive, “secret”, “remote”, “relaxing”
 “sightseeing to a remote beach”
 “having a picnic lunch on a secret beach”
 “relaxing in nature”
 “watching the sunset on the water with friends”
ASSIGNMENT
Develop a brand campaign that showcases the Boatsetter brand and establishes awareness for its
unique experience and offering.
CREATIVE CONSIDERATIONS
 Needs to communicate a safe, easy and accessible boating experience
o Consider showing ease of steps in creative executions, i.e. 1: Pick your boat, 2:
secure your captain, 3: set sail
 Should not focus on the boat as a product; but rather, the variety of experiences one can
have boating, i.e. island hopping, fishing, yachting, etc.
 Bridge gap between target markets or consider segments of creative; but given this is a
brand launch, core messaging should ring true through both
o If segmenting creative, consider age
 Deliverables:
o campaign concept board + write up
o video - commercial
o digital/social executions

4. 4
o other TBD (i.e. activation, launch idea)
CONNECTION CONSIDERATIONS
 National launch with focus in CA and FL
 Consider the variance in targets, i.e. Captain is more likely to engage online or in print,
whereas our millennial target will require a more robust and integrated strategy
 Consider a fully integrated media mix with TV, online, print, social, event activations,
OOH, etc.
MEASURING SUCCESS
 Awareness KPIs (impressions, sessions, etc.)
TIMING & BUDGET INFO
Budget: $10M
Production $3M
Media: $7M
 7/20 – Kick-off Meeting, description of Boatsetter explained
 7/13 – Internal research due based on assigned research areas
 7/15 – 1st draft of creative/social brief development with help from Ahnie
 7/20 - Strategy options presented to creative/social from brand perspective