Brand Audit & Consumer Research — NauticStar Boats
NauticStar knew they made a great boat. What they didn't know was how their owners actually found them, chose them, and thought about them relative to the competition.
NauticStar Boats had a loyal customer base and a reputation for quality construction. But they lacked research-backed insight into how their brand was actually perceived, how their owners made purchase decisions, and how they stacked up against competitors Sea Hunt and Sportsman in the minds of real buyers.
We designed a multi-phase research program: stakeholder discovery interviews to understand the internal perspective, a brand and competitive audit to map the landscape, and a quantitative consumer survey to hear directly from the people who own the boats.
The consumer survey reached 317 NauticStar owners, covering boat usage, purchase journey, dealership experience, brand perception, competitive brand perception, values alignment, social media habits, and demographics.
The purchase journey revealed that brand name matters less than the industry assumed. Only 16% of buyers knew exactly which brand they wanted — nearly 47% had a general idea, and 30% were more focused on features than brand. The dealer relationship and internet research were the two most influential touchpoints, with boat shows close behind.
317
Owners surveyed
16%
Knew exact brand beforehand
65%
Grew up boating
Usage split nearly evenly between fishing (54%) and cruising (40%). The audience was deeply rooted in boating culture — 65% grew up on the water. And the most trusted information format wasn't video or social content — it was dealership conversations, followed by copy and text, then pictures.
Construction quality and USA manufacturing ranked as the most important feature — 89% rated it "Very Important." The competitive perception mapping showed how NauticStar, Sea Hunt, and Sportsman occupied distinct positions in owners' minds across key brand attributes.
Stakeholder interview findings. Brand audit. Competitive audit. Content audit of 10 web pages. Consumer e-survey with 317 respondents. Synthesis report with strategic recommendations. A research foundation the brand could build on for years.