About This Project

A dedicated group of citizen scientists love whale watching, go frequently, and collect data for NOAA. But how do you keep them cruising on Hornblower, not the competition?

The loyalty program I developed for Hornblower, “Blubber Club,” is the answer. Members are the proverbial 18 to 80, very active, very smart, and revel in the outsider status that comes with arcane knowledge. Reverse chic is fundamental to the appeal. Familiarity with themes in “The Breakfast Club” also helps.

Promotional items included a line of T-shirts, fleece jackets, and a leather-bound log book members used to record crucial details of sightings such as time, weather, tide, species, number, and swimming direction. I sourced and priced all sample items to show it would be cost-effective.