Lindblad Expeditions

Digitising Lindblad’s DNA

Live Site

https://world.expeditions.com/

Engagement

2019-2021

The Challenge

Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ: LIND) connect curious travellers with some of the most far-reaching cruises in the world – both geographically and spiritually. And with a hundred itineraries across seven continents, discovery is there for the taking.

They needed to optimise the guest experience through a long booking cycle, (often a year between reservation and arrival) to inspire conversion, engagement and loyalty.

To do so, we embarked on a multi-million dollar enterprise which included a teamwide co-location to New York as well as significant time spent with Sven Lindblad to capture the spirit and vision of the business, its heritage and founding principles.

The result was a fully synthesised CX map, flexible and iterative enough to adapt to the business year-on-year; a dynamic and interactive digital platform complete with over 10,000 refactored content pages; an on-board app to connect guests with dedicated National Geographic photographers and essential info; a B2B sales portal and ad creative.

100+

ITINERARIES

10,000

PAGES OF CONTENT

18+

MONTH PROJECT

Telling The Story

The adventurers Lindblad attract brim with ambition: to explore, to learn, to experience, despite often being retired. They’re an audience ready to enjoy the rewards of lifetimes of hard work with as many bucket list ticks as possible, meaningful connections made along the way.

Even with those desires, Lindblad needed to prepare for hesitancy in a world of economic turmoil and always-on hustle culture — to convince prospective guests to spend the money and the majority of their annual leave on a Lindblad expedition.

No strangers to storytelling, our strategy centred on three truths: (1) Lindblad Expeditions are the gateway to every ecological territory imaginable, and the cultures and communities which accompany them, (2) these experiences are inherently transformational, especially when paired with Lindblad’s commitment to care (for the planet, for people and so on), and (3) the symbiosis of purpose and meaning architects value.

Lindblad Expeditions website digital experience designs

The Digital Experience

Fifteen years of content had been amassed by the time our partnership began, the website having been built upon again and again meant that information wasn’t optimally structured. For a business of Lindblad’s scale and itineraries as complex as theirs, informational content needed to be democratised and the experience demystified.

A gaps analysis informed a new content plan that met revised UX. Our engineering team delivered front-end interfacing using Episerver software that featured interactive modules to support cruise selection, a refined information architecture that tailored itineraries to interests and 10,000 refactored content pages.

Internally, we digitised the customer assistance process, converting huge batches of paperwork progressively and collaboratively with the service team to avoid overwhelm and empowering them to sell Lindblad’s remarkable offerings energetically and efficiently.

We conceived how the digital experience adds to the narrative arc, sustaining engagement for the duration – especially when the small moments can feel repetitive. Deep analytical work enabled an even more high-touch, personalised experience for guests and prospects throughout a multi-layered booking chain and multi-destination voyages that, despite being once-in-a-lifetime, still pose risk.  

For reassurance, we completely digitised the arrival process, connecting air and ground transport, alongside designing an onboard app after our Brand Interactions™ CX mapping demonstrated how it could be a key touch point in the experience of a completely captive audience. When confined to a ship where itineraries are signed off with “Anything Can Happen”, our digital platform works to demystify, heighten purpose and create meaning for guests looking for both safety and spectacle.

Branding image from above of people standing on the bow of a ship wirth ice floating on the water and glaciers in the distance

Capturing Life Onboard

Following the success of the new digital platform, Lindblad further engaged us to architect ad strategy and creative. We sifted through extensive brand archives, studying cruise footage and hearing from guests to capture the true essence of Lindblad and root the campaign in one idea:

That Lindblad’s expeditions are for life. For watching life – the world around us, nature, humankind. For the connections with your loved ones and new ones made on board. Bonds and memories made for life. For better understanding the spirit of Mother Nature, adventure and discovery. Leaving behind a better legacy. Positive impact. The seeds to spread their message.

Overall, the work places Lindblad at the centre of those value exchanges. A multi-year end-to-end transformation, melding a digital ecosystem with campaign strategy and experience innovation to leave guests with the tools and desire to share Lindblad’s legacy further, learned through trekking the untrodden and the connections made along the way.