Zilker Park Boats
An Austin original, made easier to discover and book.
A heritage-led digital and campaign refresh for a canoe-rental institution on the water since 1969.
THE ASSIGNMENT
Zilker Park Boats carried decades of Austin history, but the digital experience did not yet make that story, the booking path, or the on-the-water energy easy for a new generation to understand.
THE INSIGHT
Modernizing a legacy brand does not mean making it look like every other lifestyle company. The strongest direction was to treat history as an asset: old-Austin credibility, summer-camp nostalgia, water culture, and preservation — paired with a clearer, more contemporary booking journey.
THE BIG IDEA
Build a digital world where summer-camp nostalgia meets Austin water culture. Make the history visible, the experience desirable, and the next step — booking — easy.
MY ROLE
Brand and social strategy, campaign planning, influencer outreach, and creative direction. Website redesign, UX copy, SEO-aware page structure, booking journey, and widget coordination. Event concepts and promotion including July Fourth paddles, Full Moon floats, Save Barton Springs moments, and ACL-related ideas. Merchandise concepts and visual identity extensions.
THE APPROACH
1. Clarify the brand story: founders, 1969 origin, Austin heritage, water access, and preservation.
2. Rebuild the site around Home, Rentals, Events, About, FAQs, and Contact with persistent booking paths.
3. Create social and campaign concepts that turn the water into the experience — not merely a rental transaction.
4. Connect event promotion, influencer content, merchandise, and website touchpoints into one recognizable visual system.
THE CAMPAIGN IN MOTION
Zilker Park Boats canoes on Barton Creek, the heart of the brand story.
Zilker Park Boats canoes on Barton Creek, the heart of the brand story.
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RESULTS AND OUTCOMES
A July Fourth paddle campaign generated approximately $10,000 in sales. Created a new website and coordinated the booking experience and ownership handoff. Developed a scalable campaign world spanning heritage, preservation, events, content, and merchandise.