The Hinckley Way
Description
THE BIG STORY
Hinckley does not just manufacture boats. The company creates floating works of art, engineering marvels, and family heirlooms. Special does not begin to describe the product or the process of conception and production. In place of the missing adjectives, this video series to seeks to show, rather than simply tell, what makes The Hinckley Company unique and how its success and that of its products has always hinged upon consistently doing things The Hinckley Way, a commitment that carries forward into the new decade.
OUR COMMITMENT
Our appreciation for the Hinckley heritage of quality and attention to detail is not just lip service or a regurgitation of messaging coming from its talented marketing team—it’s something we have seen for ourselves, through factory tours, days on the water, and talking at length with company employees and leadership from past and present. On this project, we realized our great responsibility to not only tell the story, but also to apply the same level of care to its production that Hinckley does with its boats. We relished this opportunity. This project presented a chance for our company, and its talented craftspeople to create our best work and really make it count.
FORMAT
A four-episode video series that tells the story of Hinckley and its philosophy by looking closer at four concrete examples:
1. Born in Maine
Southwest Harbor is more than just an address— it’s a way of life that defines the personality and character of Hinckley’s craftsmen, engineers, and ultimately its boats
2. Talaria 43: Making the Impossible Simple
When engineering features such as the push- button disappearing cockpit enclosure and zero draft features of the Talaria 43, Burr Shaw and his team draw on real life experience and a company heritage of delivering the inconceivable
3. Sport Boat: Experience Matters
Bringing an advanced FRP build to an outboard is just the beginning—Hinckley’s one-of-a-kind immersive owner training program means customers get the most out of their new toys
4. Hinckley 35: Respecting the Art of Design
A Michael Peters Yacht Design paired with a company that has always respected the craft of naval architecture meant another new masterpiece rolling off the line in 2021
Challenge
The challenge that Hinckley wanted to address with this project was a lack of content in recent years that effectively tells their brand story. While we had produced plenty of great product videos telling the story of their boats and the way people interact with them, we had yet to really meet the company and the people that drive its engine of design, innovation, and the personal touch that has made The Hinckley Company one of the world's top yacht manufacturers for the past century.
Our challenge as its agency was to keep this promise front and center, allowing the beautiful products and features to support the main message, rather than turn these episodes into product stories.
Solutions
Our solution to Hinckley's brand story challenge was to spend time with them prior to planning and ask probing questions: How can we best tap into the company's rich history? What are the innovations that have kept the comany on the cutting edge? How does the culture at the Southwest Harbor factory exemplify the comnpany's values?
With answers to these questions, we were able to outline and script four distinct episodes in which new and exciting products are showcased, but which are not driven by the products, their features, or the lifestyle stories contained in the visuals. The result is a beautiful and cinematic series that tells the brand's story effectively while also giving the viewer a healthy dose of marketing for the latest offerings from this legendary boat manufacturer.
Impact
As with all brand marketing, direct tangible impact is difficult to meaure, but since the release of this series in late 2021, Hinckley has enjoyed increased online visibility and sales continue to increase. The images created during this campaign have become a cornerstone of brand identity for the company and the foundation for its brand story moving forward.