Starboard

Starboard has long been the dominant force in cruise retail, curating immersive, high-end shopping experiences aboard the world’s top cruise lines. With over six decades of expertise, the company set its sights on a bold new chapter: expanding into land-based resort retail. This shift required more than just operational strategy—it demanded a brand evolution that could span new markets, new audiences, and a more consumer-facing identity.

As Starboard prepared to enter the land-based vacation retail market, it needed more than just a refreshed look—it needed a complete repositioning. The company’s legacy as a B2B cruise partner didn’t translate directly to a consumer-facing brand. It lacked a scalable brand architecture, a compelling narrative, and the messaging needed to resonate with both business partners and leisure travelers.

WANT Branding stepped in to lead a full brand transformation. Through stakeholder interviews and deep category research, we uncovered the key insight that would shape the new positioning: Starboard’s ability to deliver curated, place-based retail experiences unlike any other. The new brand promise—“Anything But Ordinary”—captures this bold, immersive approach to destination retail.

We developed a comprehensive messaging platform, defined a new brand architecture to support both cruise and resort channels, and created a fresh name and visual identity that reflects Starboard’s evolution. Finally, we unified the company’s social media presence under a streamlined strategy—positioning “Starboard Retail” as the consumer brand, and “Starboard Group” for corporate communications.