Young Brothers

Hawai‘i’s Foremost Inter-Island Transportation Company


CHALLENGE:
Young Brothers (YB) is Hawaiʻi’s foremost inter-island freight handling and transportation company. It serves individuals and businesses alike, moving goods by barge among the Hawaiian Islands. The company, which faces fierce competition, plays a unique role in the market as the only regularly scheduled common carrier authorized by the State of Hawaii to transport your goods over water from one island to another. In 2019, YB engaged Bennet Group to help with communications initiatives surrounding its proposed rate increase by shaping the narrative about the company, its reasons for the rate increase, and its 100-year legacy of providing customers with consistent, on-time delivery and high-quality service. Bennet Group also works in close coordination with Imanaka Asato, who is tasked with stakeholder outreach and engagement, to support YB. In the last two years, Bennet Group has also served as YB’s communications partner as it navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and crises that occurred on at sea and at its ports.

STRATEGY:
• Build Young Brothers’ (“YB”) brand as essential to the Hawaiian way of life by highlighting all of the ways the company and its employees keep the islands connected.
• Inform and engage YB employees to mobilize them in support of YB’s efforts internally and externally.
• Execute coordinated social media campaigns to amplify earned media reach and engage key stakeholders and community partners.

RESULTS:
• Secured significant statewide and island-specific earned broadcast and print coverage for YB's $80 million investment in new vessels through a series of traditional Hawaiian blessing events.
• Extended awareness of positive messages and content on owned media channels via a targeted social media campaign featuring Maui stakeholders, including employees, legislators, and the family of legendary YB captain Bob Purdy.
• Secured positive earned media coverage for YB’s leadership transitions, community service efforts in Pacific Business News, Honolulu Star Advertiser, Hawaii News Now.
• Brought attention to YB’s critical service to the state, its commitment to giving back to the communities it serves through a gratis shipping program for Hawai‘i nonprofits and other community service initiatives.