Crowdfunding Content & Launch Strategy That Hit 225% of Funding Goal – Campaign for Outdoor Adventure Brand

Key Deliverables & Outcomes: Launching a Kickstarter Campaign with Strategic Content & Visual Storytelling

Context & Challenge

When Squid Paddle Co. came to us, they weren’t just looking for pretty pictures — they needed a launch engine. Their team was preparing to bring a new line of paddleboard and travel gear to market through Kickstarter. But like most product startups, they faced the classic pre-launch problem: how do you convince thousands of people to back a product they’ve never touched?

They had the design, the prototypes, and the ambition. What they didn’t have was a strategic content rollout, professional brand storytelling, or a clear plan to earn attention before the campaign went live.

In the outdoor and adventure sports industry, trust and credibility are everything. If the brand doesn’t feel legitimate, people scroll past. And if the visuals don’t evoke quality and performance, they don’t convert. So our goal was clear: create a full-funnel visual and strategic marketing campaign that made Squid look, feel, and perform like a leader in the space.

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Approach & Strategy

We started with a foundational discovery process using our Vision Mapping™ framework. This helped us align the visual tone, brand voice, and audience targeting before any cameras were picked up. We dug into questions like:

• What does trust look like in this space?
• What makes this gear different — and how can we show that, not just say it?
• Who are we really speaking to: hardcore paddlers, lifestyle explorers, or both?

From there, we broke the project down into three parallel tracks:

1. Product Photography – Clean, professional shots to highlight features and build ecommerce credibility.
2. Video Production – Campaign-ready brand videos with cinematic lifestyle and close-up product footage.
3. Campaign Rollout Strategy – A timeline of releases across Kickstarter, email, and social to build momentum and segment audiences.

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We approached this not just as a creative campaign, but as a product launch with real business stakes — pre-orders, community growth, and long-term brand equity were all on the line.

Creative Process

To bring the vision to life, we started with the product shots. Our Vancouver-based studio team captured detailed images of every component — zipper pulls, lash points, material textures — to show the craftsmanship. These weren’t generic white-background photos. They were intentional, conversion-focused assets, designed to perform on landing pages, email headers, and Kickstarter reward sections.

Then we hit the road. Our adventure shoots took place across BC, in locations that matched the spirit of the Squid brand — lakes, rivers, rocky trailheads. We coordinated with the client to capture real usage scenarios: packing, paddling, unloading gear at dawn, and wrapping up at golden hour.

Video-wise, we knew we needed two core deliverables:

• A Kickstarter campaign video that told the brand story, showed the product in use, and ended with a compelling CTA.
• A suite of cutdowns for social (15–30 sec) to drive awareness and email signups before the launch.

Our editors layered in motion graphics to highlight specs like volume, materials, and features — subtle but effective ways to communicate value visually.

Execution & Deliverables

With all creative assets complete, we shifted into campaign mode. We developed a rollout calendar synced to Squid’s Kickstarter launch window. Our goal: to release new assets weekly across Instagram, email, and influencer outreach to build traction pre-launch.

We built and delivered:

• 100+ custom content assets (photo + video) optimised for ecommerce, social, and Kickstarter
• 1x full-length Kickstarter brand video
• 5x short-form social cutdowns
• A sequenced visual calendar for asset deployment
• Guidelines for influencer partners on how to use visuals consistently
• Email header visuals and campaign copy suggestions

This wasn’t just content — it was execution-ready creative, built to drive a conversion result.

Tangible Outcomes

The results spoke for themselves:

• 225% of Kickstarter funding goal reached
• 180% increase in average order value vs client’s initial projections
• 85% video completion rate on Kickstarter landing page
• 250% increase in email subscribers from pre-launch to post-campaign
• Post-campaign ecommerce sales exceeded internal benchmarks by 180%

Lessons Learned & What’s Next

This project reinforced a simple truth: in product marketing, content isn’t just decoration — it’s the engine of conversion. When buyers can’t touch the product, the visuals are the experience. And in the outdoor category, that experience has to feel legit.

For future campaigns, we’re doubling down on:

• Pre-launch audience segmentation and content tailoring
• More interactivity (scroll-based animations, 3D walkthroughs) for launch pages
• Extending content lifespans across ecommerce and email flows post-launch

Since wrapping, we’ve also explored additional content needs with Squid — including post-campaign ecommerce optimisation, evergreen ads, and even packaging design photography to keep the visual system consistent.

This campaign didn’t just fund a product — it launched a brand. And we’re proud of how it all came together.