CONTEXT

In the spring of 2023, DeForge Maritime, a family-owned tug and barge company based in Seattle, faced a challenge. Despite rapid growth and expansion beyond the West Coast, the company struggled to attract young, long-term deckhands and captains. A post-pandemic shift toward tech and remote work had dried up much of the youth labor pool, stalling DeForge’s hiring pipeline and limiting its ability to scale. At its core, DeForge is built on grit, honesty, and family values — qualities that had carried them for generations. But they needed to translate that authenticity into a modern story that could inspire a new generation of maritime workers and project legitimacy to major clients across the industry. To bridge this gap, DeForge brought on Yerba Studios, led by director and cinematographer Chris Foy, to completely reimagine the company’s storytelling and visual identity through an end-to-end marketing campaign.

OVERVIEW
 Over a two-year partnership, Chris and the Yerba Studios team helped DeForge Maritime transform from a regional family tugboat company into one of the most visible and well-branded maritime operations in the country. Through cinematic storytelling and brand-driven filmmaking, DeForge’s legacy of grit, honesty, and family values was translated into a modern visual identity that inspired new recruits, elevated client perception, and drove measurable business growth.

OBJECTIVE
DeForge needed to attract a new generation of mariners, strengthen its brand credibility, and project the scale and professionalism of its expanding operations. Yerba Studios was brought on to build a storytelling ecosystem that positioned DeForge as a national leader—authentic, inspiring, and deeply human.

CREATIVE APPROACH
 Across multiple campaigns, Yerba Studios produced a full suite of cinematic films, brand assets, and social stories that captured DeForge’s work and ethos in real time.

• The “DeForge - A Family Tugboat Company” film set the tone—an authentic portrait of the company’s people, purpose, and culture.

• A growing portfolio of branded shorts highlighted large-scale operations, team stories, and partnerships with like-minded lifestyle brands