This series of print ads for Voltari from The Republik harnesses the power of minimalism and striking visual contrasts to tell a story of silent strength on the water. Each execution places the boat against a sweeping natural backdrop—an expansive shoreline, a black expanse of ocean, or turbulent waves—emphasizing the craft’s sleek form through dramatic aerial and wide-angle photography. The headlines offer an almost poetic narrative that sparks curiosity and evokes a sense of reverence for the sea. By allowing generous negative space and keeping copy succinct, the ads convey an understated sophistication, focusing the viewer’s attention on the interplay between stillness and motion. The result is a campaign that feels simultaneously vast and intimate, inviting an emotional connection with the imagery while showcasing the craft’s defining quiet presence.
By: Georgie Ubben, Junior Strategist, The Republik
Emerging in 2021, Voltari Marine Electric was born of expert innovators aiming to be at the forefront of the electric boating revolution. With products boasting a fully electric center console designed for high performance, Voltari knew their offerings were good but needed the right marketing to make sales soar. Though our agency had a couple of successful boating campaigns under our belt already, when we won the bid, we understood that selling an electric boat would be an entirely different animal. For boaters, pedigree matters. They buy for design, performance, and legacy. Thankfully, as seasoned boat-makers, Voltari understood this well.
They had engineered an incredibly powerful, environmentally friendly beast of a machine and were redefining what the EV market could mean for boating. Voltari stood for elevating electric “performance” beyond mere functionality.
As with any early mover in an undefined market, the biggest hurdle would be getting seasoned boaters to cross over the threshold of change. We needed a campaign that communicated three things:
1. This is a boat boaters can believe in.
2. This is a boat boaters want.
3. The old way is on the way out.
With our strategy in place, we set out to capture the essence of the product. What did it look like, what did it sound like, and most importantly, what did it feel like? The thrill of Volatri’s electric boats lies in the strong, instant pull of the hull under your feet, accompanied only by the sound of crashing water failing to leap out of your way. Electric consoles had ushered in a new era of boating that was no longer burdened by a hum, buzz, or rattle from a water-rusted motor.
A silent scream.
Inspired by this novelty, we built a print campaign around the sonic experience.
We let the quiet beauty of these machines take center stage. By showing Voltari’s subtle yet sleek design in the vast, open ocean, we painted a visual that invites the viewer to claim the limitless possibilities of the open sea. Accompanying these portraits with sharp copy that simply explains the uniqueness of the Voltari experience pulled the campaign together.
It’s exciting to watch the world glide into the electric era, shifting gears away (no pun intended) from mechanical pollutants. To not only indulge but bask in nature’s beauty without harming it is real progress, and to be advocates of this headway through our work as an agency is extremely gratifying.
