We’re used to a particular type of image when it comes to selling superyachts. Luscious, panoramic vistas. Bays of blue-tinged crystal water. Verdant green landscapes springing from white powder beaches.
We expect all this, shot sumptuously, with the star superyacht sitting in the centre of the frame. We put ourselves in the picture, imagine the feel of the eddying waters and the smell of the ocean. It’s relatable, attainable; the stuff daydreams are made of.
"We’re used to a particular type of image when it comes to selling superyachts..."
But the latest yacht from Princess, the Plymouth-based luxury brand, is unlike anything that has come before. The R35 is, as the company puts it, a ‘seismic shift away from what the luxury yacht industry is used to seeing’. So it makes sense that any campaign to launch it would be very different as well.
To reveal this ground-breaking yacht to the world, Princess have unveiled a short film inspired by Japanese Anime and Manga style illustrations — a style, they hasten to add, that has never before been used by a luxury yacht brand.
But why animation? Simple. For a top secret yacht, which is still in development and prototype testing before its official launch in September, it was the perfect way to show how exciting the R Class will be without ruining the surprise.
The film was created and developed by Princess, Craft Films and renowned animation studio ‘Breakfast of Champions’, and follows a female character through a game of cat and mouse, culminating in an exhilarating sprint across the water.
It is in stark contrast to anything previously produced by Princess — just like the new yacht itself.
Kiran Haslam, Princess’ Marketing Director explained: “We wanted to use traditional Japanese techniques and compositions to create something more cutting edge, inspired by the great Anime films including Akira, Ghost in The Shell and Afro Samurai, and with details and depth more commonly found in Studio Ghibli style films, to show how exhilarating the new R class will be.”
So, if you can’t wait for September, when the full carbon fibre yacht with two V8 engines, advanced foil technology and a top speed of 50 knots is launched, then watch away. It’s rewriting the rules of superyacht selling, and befitting a motor yacht that is rocking the boat industry.
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