The Electric Barge
& The Floating Classroom

The Electric Barge operates on London’s Grand Union and Regent’s Canals, providing catered private hire for parties, events and corporate away days. But the Electric Barge has a secret double life…

By day, the Electric Barge becomes The Floating Classroom, an educational charity that supports West London schools by providing exciting opportunities for waterborne learning. The Floating Classroom is in part funded by the private hire operations making the Electric Barge a vital revenue stream for this brilliant charity.

Outthought was commissioned to refresh the organisation’s twin brands, produce and art direct an extensive photo and video shoot, and develop ad concepts for a prominent digital billboard site on the Westway.

BRANDING ➞ PHOTO SHOOT ➞ OOH ➞

Colorful text logo spelling "Electric Barge" with letters in various shades of blue, pink, green, and yellow.
Logo of "The Floating Classroom" with stylized blue text and colorful abstract shapes resembling a boat on waves.
Abstract geometric design with colorful shapes including triangles, circles, rectangles, and bold lines.
"Electric Barge" text in bold, stylized font on black background.
The Floating Classroom logo with stylized boat and wave design.

A problem of poor visibility

In the surprisingly competitive private hire boat market on London’s Canals, The Electric Barge needed to find a way to stand out vs established competitors. Outthought solved the problem by putting The Electric Barge’s unique artist-designed livery at the centre of the new brand, separating it from the traditional style common to competitors to establish a niche with a younger, hipper demographic. By focusing on legibility in execution the brand is now instantly recognisable and highly memorable whether spotted meandering past London Zoo or moored at Camden Lock.

Colorful boat deck with orange life rings
Colorful boat with 'Electric Barge' sign and lifebuoys on the deck
Sign advertising "Electric Barge available for hire" on a cobblestone walkway near a canal, with a potted plant and people walking nearby.

➞➞

ELECTRIC BARGE LIVERY BY KATRINA ADAMS

“What we found when we began work with Outthought is that we had gained a partner in helping us to figure out how we presented ourselves to both of our audiences. They really took time to learn about what we do, to dig into what we wanted to achieve, and – crucially for us – to understand the values that inform how we go about our work.”

SIMON RYDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE ELECTRIC BARGE / THE FLOATING CLASSROOM ➞

“The brief we gave Outthought was far from straightforward… By working with us in a spirit of collaborative curiosity, they aced it, and we are delighted with the results.”

SIMON RYDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE ELECTRIC BARGE / THE FLOATING CLASSROOM ➞

Canal with a blue electric barge named Beauchamp carrying passengers, surrounded by modern residential buildings with balconies.
Two women sitting indoors, chatting and drinking wine, with plants and an ice bucket nearby.
A group of people socializing on a canal boat, with drinks and decorations, against an urban background.
A person with long hair and glasses serving food at a buffet in a festive setting with a colorful paper decoration overhead.
People socializing indoors on a boat, holding drinks, surrounded by floral decorations. A woman in an orange skirt is talking to a man in a green suit, while others are in the background.
Person walking on electric barge deck under a bridge, with life rings visible.
Person kneeling on a boat, handling ropes and lifebuoys, with trees in the background.
Electric barge with colorful pennant flags and dim interior lighting, with people visible through the windows, docked by a building.
Text: ELECTRIC BARGE in bold, curved letters on a white background.