destin - Fort Walton Beach—
Competitive adventures that turn teens into teams
Reel Time is a competitive deep-sea fishing experience designed to connect teens with adventure, teamwork, and the outdoors through real-world tournaments on the Gulf Coast.
What started as an early-stage idea quickly revealed the potential to become something much bigger than a traditional tourism program. The vision wasn’t simply to create another fishing app — it was to build an experience teens genuinely wanted to participate in, follow, and share with their friends.
When we first connected, the concept existed mostly as an idea and a rough framework. The opportunity was to help shape the entire experience from the ground up: the strategy behind the competition, the social interaction, the rules of the game, and the digital platform that would bring it all together.
Product Strategy
UX/UI Design
Tournament & Gameplay Strategy
Mobile App Design
Social Engagement Planning
Visual Design System
The Opportunity
We helped transform Reel Time from a concept into a fully realized experience.
That meant thinking beyond screens. We worked closely with the team to shape how the competition itself would function: how teams would compete, how users would earn points, what winning looked like, and how the experience could stay engaging long after the fishing trip ended.
At the same time, the platform needed to feel native to teen audiences. The experience had to capture the energy of gaming culture, social platforms, and team-based competition while still supporting real-world tourism goals and family participation.
The creative strategy
We approached Reel Time like a digital sports league meets social adventure platform.
The strategy focused heavily on identity, competition, and participation. Instead of simply booking a fishing charter, users became part of a team experience with rankings, status, and shared victories.
the impactReel Time is more than an app. It’s an experience teens can rally around. By combining strategic gameplay thinking, social engagement, and immersive UX design, the platform transformed a tourism initiative into an interactive and emotionally resonant experience.
More importantly, it proved that outdoor adventure can feel culturally relevant to younger audiences when the strategy goes beyond just getting the word out. Instead of simply encouraging participation, Reel Time created a reason for teens to come back, compete again, and become part of the story.