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The Grow Boating Initiative's mission is to formulate and execute initiatives that promote the boating lifestyle and improve the boating experience, ultimately increasing participation in boating and leading to increases in sales of marine products and services.
- Grow Boating Website Registration Process Off to Running Start
- Discover Boating Cable and Interactive Advertising Begins
- Grow Boating Marketing Team Seeks Manufacturer Support for PR Program
- Discover Boating Lead System Fully Functional
- Manufacturers Support Dealer Certification Program
- 2006 Discover Boating & Take Me Fishing Tour Out on the Road
- Grow Boating Board of Directors Announced
- Water Access Task Force Meets at ABC
- Rising Tide Fund Contributions Continue Rolling In
- Grow Boating Information Available for Dealer Meetings
Grow Boating Website Registration Process Off to Running Start
 To date, more than 740 dealerships and 340 individual boat brands have registered on GrowBoating.org, the industry’s portal to Grow Boating programs. The goal is to get all contributing marine manufacturers and dealers to register as soon as possible. To gain full access to information on Grow Boating, registration at GrowBoating.org is now required for ALL industry stakeholders.
Once registered, GrowBoating.org is the key industry resource where:
• Contributing Boat Manufacturers can upload, update and/or verify information displayed on DiscoverBoating.com
• Contributing Boat and Engine Manufacturers can sort and retrieve sales leads
• Contributing Marine Dealers can register to receive marketing materials through the Discover Boating Dealer Program and register for the Discover Boating Dealer Finder
• Marine Dealers can sign up for a Marine Industry Dealership Certification Launch Meeting
• All Stakeholders can view campaign materials and access information on the Grow Boating marketing campaign
• All Stakeholders can pledge support for Grow Boating, contribute through the Rising Tide Fund, view other contributors and access information and results for all programs.
• All Stakeholders can access information and results for all campaigns and programs
For more information about registering on GrowBoating.org, contact Armida Markarova at (312)946-6284; amarkarova@nmma.org.
Discover Boating Cable and Interactive Advertising Begins
Sunday, April 2, marked the beginning of the much anticipated Discover Boating cable television advertising schedule, with spots appearing on major national cable networks such as National Geographic, Discovery, Weather Channel, History Channel, CNN, Fox News and several others.
Television
Some of the more high-profile placements include:
• 4 spots on OLN in NHL games (Chicago vs. Colorado and Philadelphia vs. New York). As the season is nearing playoffs, these games have been receiving a lot of attention; especially since many of the teams are on the verge of making the playoffs.
• 1 spot on Animal Planet’s new show Get Out There! This show is all about families being transported into the wilderness and learning new experiences together.
• 3 spots on History Channel’s Modern Marvels. This is one of the networks’ cornerstone shows displaying different technological breakthroughs.
• 3 spots on National Geographic’s Explorer. This is also one of the networks’ flagship shows exploring everything around the world from ancient to modern cultures.
Other networks carrying Discover Boating TV commercials are: Travel Channel; Fox Sports; CNN; CNN Headline News; FX; Sci Fi; Speed Channel; TBS; TNT; TV Land; and USA.
Online
• Internet banner ads are also now up and running on Weather.com. Look for them during the following forecasts: Boats and Beach; Weekend; Outdoor; Driving; and Local pages. WeatherBug users can begin downloading Discover Boating screens onto their computers.
• Banner ads will also begin popping up this week on CBS Sportsline, SportsIllustrated.com, CNN.com CBS.com, FamilyFun.com, Menshealth.com, CMT.com, PopSci.com and others.
• On-line keyword advertising began April 1 on Google and Yahoo’s search sites.
• Earlier this month, Discover Boating hit a home run with ad placements on the 2006 NCAA Basketball Tournament’s live streaming video webcasts. The ads ran at least two times per game online. CBS SportsLine reported that NCAA March Madness on Demand, the online video player that provides streaming live video of the first 56 games of the NCAA Tournament, set an internet record for a scheduled live entertainment or sports event, with more than 268,000 simultaneous streams.
 Print
• This week, Time magazine hits the newsstands (April 10th edition) with a two-page spread ad on the inside front cover pages.
• The May edition of Men’s Journal hits newsstands this week with a one-page and bonus one-third page ad.
• Beginning the week of April 10, look for the Discover Boating ad in Sports Illustrated.
• Other magazines carrying the Discover Boating ads in the coming weeks include: Field & Stream; Outdoor Life; Family Fun; Popular Science; and Family Handyman.
Since the ad campaign launch at the end of March, there have been nearly 1,500 orders placed for the “How to Get Started in Boating” DVD, requested by consumers through the Discover Boating website, ads on the NCAA Tournament broadcasts and through subscriber-based TiVo systems. That number is expected to climb significantly in the coming months as the campaign kicks into full gear.
For more information, contact NMMA vice president of Marketing & Communications Carl Blackwell at (312)946-6277; cblackwell@nmma.org.
Grow Boating Marketing Team Seeks Manufacturer Support for PR Program
With the Discover Boating national ad campaign in full swing, the Grow Boating marketing team has begun an aggressive public relations and promotional push to maximize recognition and exposure for key messaging surrounding Discover Boating.
While we are currently promoting the boating lifestyle in countless media outlets across the country as part of our PR program, we want to expand Discover Boating beyond traditional PR and take advantage of larger opportunities that exist within major consumer media outlets and programming. The PR opportunities we’re working to secure will allow Grow Boating stakeholders to showcase their products in the form of giveaways, product placement, sweepstakes and other special public relations activities with high-profile media outlets.
We are asking Grow Boating stakeholders to consider these opportunities as we present you with them and urge you to contact the Grow Boating marketing team if you are interested in participating.
For more information regarding participation in promotional opportunities, contact communications director Ellen Hopkins at (312)946-6249; ehopkins@nmma.org.
Discover Boating Lead System Fully Functional
 Manufacturers actively paying the Grow Boating engine assessment can now log in to GrowBoating.org to sort and retrieve leads.
The Discover Boating Lead System offers access to 100 percent of consumer leads generated through the national marketing campaign. Contributing boat and engine manufacturers may sort leads based upon the parameters they set up and the information provided by consumers (i.e. geography, boat category, etc.). It is the responsibility of manufacturers to share leads with their dealer networks.
If you have questions about the Discover Boating Lead System or experience any difficulty logging onto GrowBoating.org, please contact internet marketing manager Armida Markarova at (312)946-6284; amarkarova@nmma.org.
If you have questions about the Grow Boating Engine Assessment, contact Grow Boating director Steve Tadd at (312)946-6246; stadd@nmma.org.
Manufacturers Support Dealer Certification Program
 The Marine Industry Dealership Certification Program is on its way to a successful first year. Introduced just over five months ago, there are more than 200 dealerships currently in the pipeline to become certified. This number will continue to increase as industry leaders step up to help their dealers improve their businesses and differentiate themselves through certification. Already, several leaders have promised to support their dealers efforts to improve:
Pro-Line Boats
Pro-Line Boats of Crystal River, Florida, announced it will allow dealers to use Pro-Line Co-Op funds to cover up to 100 percent of the costs associated with becoming certified under the Grow Boating Initiative’s Marine Industry Dealership Certification Program.
Chaparral Boats Inc.
Chaparral Boats Inc. of Nashville, Georgia, announced it will cover 50 percent of the costs associated with becoming certified under the Grow Boating Initiative’s Marine Industry Dealership Certification Program for exclusive Chaparral dealers upon completion of the program. Non-exclusive dealers will receive up to 25 percent reimbursement of certification costs after seeing the program through to completion.
Robalo Boats LLC
Nashville, Georgia-based Robalo Boats LLC announced it will cover 50 percent of the costs associated with becoming certified under the Grow Boating Initiative’s Marine Industry Dealership Certification Program for exclusive Robalo dealers upon completion of the program. Non-exclusive dealers will receive up to 25 percent reimbursement of certification costs after seeing the program through completion.
Marine Trade Association of Metropolitan Atlanta (MTAMA)
The Marine Trade Association of Metropolitan Atlanta (MTAMA) announced it will reimburse member dealers $500 for the certification launch workshop cost and another $1,000 toward the overall cost of certification upon completion of the Grow Boating Initiative’s Marine Industry Dealership Certification Program by December 31, 2007. In addition, if a dealer with membership in MTAMA has more than one location within the state, the $1,500 reimbursement offer is being extended to each location.
2006 Discover Boating & Take Me Fishing Tour Out on the Road
 NMMA and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) kicked off the fourth annual installment of their mobile marketing tour Thursday, March 16, in Miami. Spanning 210 days and 35,000 miles from March through October, the first of the Discover Boating & Take Me Fishing Tour’s 16 stops was the Miami Dade County Fair. The tour is financed by NMMA, RBFF and industry sponsors (not with Grow Boating dollars) to promote boating and fishing to consumers throughout the country.
A complete list of tour stops is listed below:
Fort Lauderdale Test Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, April 8-9
Central Florida Fair, Orlando, FL, April 20-25
Tampa Devil Rays Game, Tampa. FL, April 28-30
Lilac Festival, Rochester, NY, May 12-21
Little Rock Riverfest, Little Rock, AK, May 26-28
Strawberry Festival, Troy, OH, June 3-4
Riverbend Festival, Chattanooga, TN, June 9-17
BBQ Battle, Washington, DC, June 24-25
St. Joes Venetian Festival, St. Joseph, MI, July 13-16
Columbus Jazz & Ribfest, Columbus, OH, July 21-23
Oswego Harbor Fest, Oswego, NY, July 27-30
Wisconsin State Fair, Milwaukee, WI, August 3-13
Minnesota State Fair, Minneapolis, MN, August 24-September 4
The Big E, Springfield, MA, September 15-October 1
Georgia National Fair, Perry, GA, October 16-16
University of Tennessee Football Game, Knoxville, TN, October 21
Grow Boating Board of Directors Announced
Appointment of the Grow Boating, Inc. Board of Directors is now officially complete, with the final member from the Engine Manufacturers segment in place. John Fulcher, senior manager with Alpharetta, Georgia-based Honda Marine now occupies the last remaining spot on the board, rounding out its membership. The board’s first meeting will take place in mid-May in Atlanta.
The inaugural Grow Boating Board, which includes equal representation from boat and engine manufacturers and dealers, is listed below:
Five Boat Manufacturer Representatives
Dave Taylor, US Marine
Jeff Olson, Four Winns
Jim Lane, Chaparral
Scott Deal, Maverick Boats
Dennis Revell, Tracker Boats
Five Engine Manufacturer Representatives
Ben Speciale, Yamaha Motor Corp
Kevin Grodzki, MerCruiser
Clint Moore, Volvo
Tom Calhoun, Yanmar
John Fulcher, Honda Marine
Five Dealer Representatives
Brett McGill, Marine Max, Clearwater, FL
Rod Malone, Sail and Ski, Austin, TX
Joe Lewis, Mt. Dora Marine, Mt. Dora, FL
Marie Schock, Schock Boats, San Diego, CA
Alan Bohling, Seattle Boat Company, Seattle, WA
Two Accessory Manufacturers
George Bellwoar, Perko
Terry Carlson, Raymarine
Canadian Discover Boating Representative
Scott MacCrimmon, Ed Huck Marine
Alternate: Rick Layzel, Yamaha Motor Corp, Canada
Advisory Council
The Grow Boating Advisory Council includes representation from the following organizations:
• Sail America
• Marine Retailers Association
• National Marine Manufacturers Association
• Canadian Marine Manufacturers Association
• National Marine Representatives Association
• Association of Marina Industries
• Trailer Manufacturers Association
• Houseboat Industry Association
• Inflatable Boat Manufacturers Association
• States Organizations for Boating Access
• American Boatbuilders and Repairers Association
• Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association
• Marine Industry Technical Education Council
• National Marine Distributors Association
• National Marine Bankers Association
• Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation
• American Sportfishing Association
• National Association of Marine Surveyors
• Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors
• Yacht Brokers Association of America
• Marine Insurance
• Mass Retailers
• National Marine Trade Council
For more information, click here or contact Grow Boating director Steve Tadd at (312)946-6246; stadd@nmma.org.
Water Access Task Force Meets at ABC
The Grow Boating Initiative’s Water Access Task Force will meet for the third time on Wednesday, May 3, immediately following commencement of the 2006 American Boating Congress in Washington, D.C. The meeting takes place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel.
During the meeting, task force members will review the draft of the strategic plan first introduced in Miami this past February. The group will also receive feedback from the Miami focus groups addressing the five main areas of concern. They are:
• Influence government decision-making to protect and grow boating access
• Dredge new and existing boat facilities
• Improve relationships with government and encourage conversion of “brownfields”
•Advocate better usage of existing waterfront space
• Improve data collection processes to evaluate and monitor access trends
For more information, contact Jim Frye at (202) 737-9773; jfrye@nmma.org.
Rising Tide Fund Contributions Continue Rolling In
Two more industry stakeholders—Dutton-Lainson Company and G&T Industries/Marine Specialty Group—recently contributed to the Grow Boating Initiative’s Rising Tide Fund, a voluntary means of pledging support to the industry-wide effort. Dutton Lainson and G&T join 17 other industry stakeholders who have already contributed to Rising Tide Fund, both at the Participant Level.
Established in 2006, the Rising Tide Fund is a means by which industry stakeholders can pledge voluntary contributions at varying levels of commitment to the Grow Boating Initiative. The pledge commitment lasts for three years and can be made at the following levels: Participant ($1-$2,999); Bronze ($3,000-$14,999); Silver ($15,000-$29,999); Gold ($30,000-$74,999); Platinum ($75,000-$149,999); Double Platinum ($150,000-$224,999); and Triple Platinum ($225,000-$299,999).
For additional information about The Rising Tide Fund, or to download a pledge form, visit GrowBoating.org and click on “The Rising Tide Fund” link, or contact Grow Boating manager Freya Olsen at (312) 946-6255; folsen@nmma.org.
Grow Boating Information Available for Dealer Meetings
If you would like to request Grow Boating information for use at your upcoming Dealer Meetings, please contact Grow Boating director Steve Tadd at (312)946-6246; stadd@nmma.org. Videos, Power Point Presentations, brochures and possibly live speakers may be available.
Information is available for the following: the entire Grow Boating Initiative; the Discover Boating Campaign; and/or the Marine Industry Dealership Certification Program.
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