Val Wyatt.

Established in 1845, Val Wyatt Marine is an independently owned boutique marina with over 175 years of experience of boats and boating. They wanted to elevate their positioning by capturing the essence of their legacy and balancing it with their vision for the future.

Brand strategyBrand identityDigital and technical

"Trusting Valiant to take on our rebrand felt right from the first meeting and the team has delivered more than I could have hoped for. They've done a phenomenal job modernising our brand and creating this platform."

Lisa Anacora. Managing Director

A perfect partnership

Businesses with a rich history choose their branding partner carefully. Val Wyatt were no exception. With a legacy dating back to 1845 and a long established trusted reputation, we were excited when when they chose Valiant to deliver the positioning and rebrand that would help realise their vision. We also loved that the driving force behind Val Wyatt, the brilliant Lisa Anacora, is passionate about working with female led businesses – like Valiant. Client partnerships based on shared values and respect always deliver the best results.

The project kicked off with an immersive workshop with all the key people from the marina involved. We spent a day learning everything we could about their history, the future, the commercial plans, their audiences – from clients, prospects through to potential employees, their products – the amazing boats they sell and their moorings on the Thames. After an uplift in boat sales during the pandemic we wanted to look at ways to elevate their proposition and build on that growth. It became clear that their team’s service levels, approachability and helpfulness is what sets them apart. It was critical that we delivered a brand positioning and identity which could build on that reputation and that we protected the brand equity already established.

As with so many businesses now, the digital experience is critical in the sales process. This led us to remove any literal assets from the branding – including the previous sail boat image in the logo. The word marina was removed from the name because the company is so much more than just a marina. We knew the branding is only ever seen in the context of imagery, video or real life boats, rivers and the Val Wyatt office on the Thames. The website especially can make it clear what the proposition is without including literal keys. A new logo using the Val Wyatt initials, with sophisticated typography set the scene for the new site.

The website is designed to inspire audiences as well as reassure them they are in experienced hands.

Key results

New aspirational positioning to inspire adventure
Rebrand which respected the past and focused on the future
Shortening the name to Val Wyatt for simplification
Creation of gorgeous subtle visual assets inspired by the new logo

A website designed fto inspire engagement through easy navigation
Integration of a boat sales API for live data
Integration of boat configurating tool
Designed marketing assets including social profiles, templates, adverts, leaflets and banners

Learn more about the project