Taking boating to new heights
“A great example of the power of understanding the brand, their goals, and of good visual storytelling aimed at a specific target audience - Good use of multiple content formats across multiple marketing platforms - The entire campaign was cohesive and each element was fit for platform and contributed to the overall shift in brand positioning. ”
Brief
How do you create disruptive communication highlighting a product – without focusing on the product? The marine technology provider Volvo Penta wanted to create a buzz around its Assisted Docking feature – a smart system that automatically keeps the boat steady even in windy and challenging conditions – while positioning the brand as an enabler of unique experiences.
Volvo Penta has long been recognized as an innovator in the marine industry. Today, with customer demands evolving and opportunities emerging around sustainability and new experiences at sea, the company’s ambition is to lead transformation by offering the most unique experiences on the water – made possible by its products and services. The journey is not just about Volvo Penta’s role in the present, but about shaping the future of the entire industry.
This journey began with the award-winning campaign from 2023 where Volvo Penta followed female surfers braving Arctic waters. It marked the first step in a new communication approach – moving away from product-centric messaging toward lifestyle-driven storytelling that connected emotionally with new audiences. Building on that success, Volvo Penta now sought to take the narrative further.
Based on the brand positioning, the agency was tasked with creating a campaign that further shifted Volvo Penta’s communication from product-driven to lifestyle-led. The aim was to broaden the brand’s appeal beyond seasoned boaters, reaching younger audiences and outdoor enthusiasts who might not yet have a direct connection to boating. By telling human stories where technology is a quiet but crucial enabler, Volvo Penta could position itself as more than a marine technology brand – as a trusted companion in exploration and discovery.
The brief also called for flexibility in format and distribution. The content needed to span hero films, social-first edits and platform-specific adaptations for Meta, YouTube, LinkedIn and web. Each piece had to fit the behavior of its audience while maintaining a coherent narrative, building both awareness and engagement across channels.
Ultimately, what concept could merge emotional storytelling, authentic adventure and cutting-edge technology – and literally take marine marketing communication to new heights?
Solution
At the heart of the campaign “Taking boating to new heights” was a clear strategic shift: from traditional product-led messaging to emotional, lifestyle-driven storytelling. Volvo Penta set out to inspire a broader, younger audience by linking its innovative marine technology to unforgettable human experiences. This ambition aligned with Volvo Penta’s broader brand positioning and followed the success of the previous year’s campaign with female surfers in the Arctic. With this new chapter, the team chose a climbing adventure to continue building a narrative of exploration, all enabled by Volvo Penta’s Assisted Docking system.
Set on the dramatic cliffs of Hvar, Croatia, the campaign centered on Britta-Kajsa Mårtensson, a young climber whose personal journey mirrors the purpose Volvo Penta brings to exploration. The content highlighted Volvo Penta’s Assisted Docking system not through product-driven imagery, but by showcasing how the technology enables precision and adventure in a challenging environment – ultimately made possible by Volvo Penta.
The campaign focused on creating content for multiple formats and distribution channels from day one. The hero film and a wide variety of social-first edits ensured that meeting audiences where they are: Meta for reach and engagement, YouTube for longer-form awareness, and LinkedIn for professional branding. Each piece of content was tailored to fit both platform behavior and campaign tone.
What truly set the campaign apart was its layered storytelling. The story spoke to both seasoned boaters – who recognize the incredible precision needed to hold a steady course near a cliff wall in rough waters – and to less experienced boaters who were drawn in by the drama of the climbing adventure. The smartness lies in how the product is fronted as a quiet hero, resonating with the viewers on different levels.
From the tension of the cliffside climb to the joy of shared discovery on the water, the campaign delivered on its strategy: positioning Volvo Penta not just as a technology brand, but as an enabler of unique experiences on the water, human connection, and next-level adventure. Through high-performing video content, authentic storytelling, and a targeted multi-channel strategy, “Taking boating to new heights” not only met its objectives but set a new benchmark for experience-first brand building in the marine industry.
Results
The “Taking boating to new heights” campaign delivered strong results across multiple platforms, clearly achieving its objective of building awareness among both traditional and non-traditional marine audiences while sparking measurable engagement and brand lift.
Most impressively, the campaign delivered direct business impact – driving both boat sales and technology upgrades. The results were so strong that the campaign virtually paid for itself, further validating the link between emotional storytelling and tangible business outcomes. In a category often dominated by specs and stats, Volvo Penta proved that powerful, story-driven content can both inspire audiences and deliver real conversions.
The digital campaign featured a distribution strategy designed to optimize video views, traffic, and engagement. A comprehensive media mix spanned Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google Display, tailored to reach both boating enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers.
Across all platforms, the campaign generated more than 10.6 million impressions and over 3.4 million video views. YouTube was a standout channel, where the longer-format video content achieved a remarkable 63% view rate among non-boaters, compared to 58% for boaters. The average cost per view was just 0.16 SEK, far below industry benchmarks, with an overall CPM of 26 SEK. The content was not only seen but watched and retained, underscoring its storytelling power.
A Google Brand Lift study confirmed a 3.6% lift in brand awareness, amounting to 16,400 additional people aware of Volvo Penta. With over 3,200 survey responses, the study also showed that shorter ads with early logo placement performed best, insights that will shape future creative strategy.
On Meta, video content reached nearly 1.8 million people and generated over 2.2 million video views, with an efficient CPM of 29 SEK. The campaign also received 3,429 post engagements during its Meta engagement phase. On LinkedIn, targeting professional audiences at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and Metstrade drove additional reach and relevance, despite higher CPMs.
Unlike traditional marine marketing focused on benefits or technical specs, this campaign leaned into storytelling, emotion, and lifestyle to inspire a new generation of adventurers. It marked a shift in how Volvo Penta communicates, moving toward experience-first storytelling to reach younger audiences, boaters and non-boaters alike. A cross-format, multi-platform effort with an epic hero film and social-first content – all positioning Volvo Penta as an enabler of extraordinary adventures.