Elevating Freediving Education
I first worked with Blue Ocean Freedivers back in 2014, when I designed their website. A few years later, the business had grown into one of the world’s leading freediving instructor training centres, and it was time to refresh the whole brand with a new breath of fresh air.
This was a chance to rethink the visual identity and bring a more confident, contemporary feel to Blue Ocean.
I created the new brand identity, redesigned and developed the website, art-directed a new photography library, and carried the new look across print, social media and merchandise. The rebrand also put their instructor education firmly in the spotlight.
#1b2844
#83bfe8
#046199
#fcb334
Calm, confident, unmistakably Blue Ocean
Freediving is often presented as extreme. Blue Ocean is different.
Brian and Catherine’s approach is calm, focused and highly professional, with a real emphasis on quality teaching. I wanted the new identity to capture that feeling — confident without being loud, and polished without losing the personality of the people behind it.
The new logo, typography and colour palette became the starting point, supported by hand-painted graphics, illustrated icons and a flexible set of visual elements that could move easily between digital and print.
The result is a brand that feels at home both underwater and in the classroom.
From freediving school to training centre
The business had evolved considerably since the original website, with a much stronger focus on education and instructor training.
The new site was designed around that shift, making the growing course offering easier to explore while giving key programmes such as the Instructor Internship more presence.
I also designed and developed new areas for swimming pool rental and AIDA competitions, integrating live availability and online booking into the experience.
Built in WordPress, the site gives Catherine and the team a platform they can easily manage themselves as the business continues to evolve.
I art-directed a photography shoot for the website and social media, capturing the people, atmosphere and everyday side of Blue Ocean rather than relying only on typical underwater imagery.
The new photography became part of a wider rebranding campaign, including a dedicated social campaign for the Instructor Internship, social media graphics, print materials, banners and custom T-shirts.
The identity was designed as a system rather than a single logo — something Blue Ocean could keep building on as the business grew.
The website has greatly improved my time management. Renting the pool has been the biggest time-saver!
- Brian Crossland, Blue Ocean Freedivers Owner
Love it, love it, love it.
-Catherine Crossland, Blue Ocean Freedivers Owner