Today, March 1st, marks the kick-off of the 2007 Discover Boating campaign. For the next thirteen weeks, ads will run nationally on cable television and in popular lifestyle magazines. Online advertising will run for the rest of the year. Discover Boating represents the largest dollars of the industry’s investment in Grow Boating. The campaign, which promotes the boating lifestyle, has recently been updated with some new ads and an exciting viral component.

GrowBoating.org* has also been updated to highlight some of these exciting developments. Here are some useful links that I think you should know about:

• New Discover Boating commercials
• “Good Run” short film (Discover Boating viral marketing)
• New print ads
• TV advertising schedule
• 2007 Grow Boating Annual Meeting Video: Set for Success
• 2006 Grow Boating Annual Report

As a stakeholder in the recreational boating industry and therefore in the Grow Boating Initiative, I encourage you to view yourself as an extension of the Discover Boating campaign. For example:

• We’ve made it very simple to include the “Good Run” on your website. Instructions are available online.
• You can also link to DiscoverBoating.com from your website. Banner ads, logos and more are available online.
• Marketing materials, such as DVD’s, brochures, window clings, posters and bumper stickers are available and can be ordered online. Artwork for these materials and billboard ads are free.
• Just by registering on GrowBoating.org, dealers will receive a free starter kit of Discover Boating marketing materials.
• NMMA has made their new Discover Boating boat show ads available to boat shows across the country that don’t advertise in NMMA show markets.
• Using consumer research and industry feedback, we’ve assembled a “Best Practices Guide” for handling Discover Boating prospects. The guide focuses on the needs of boat & engine manufacturers and their dealers, and includes a Discover Boating Lead System Tutorial.

With all of us are working to promote the boating lifestyle, and building Discover Boating awareness, we’ll see the greatest return.I encourage all industry stakeholders to visit GrowBoating.org* to find out more about Discover Boating and the other programs associated with the Grow Boating Initiative. * GrowBoating.org is an industry-only website. Contributing boat and engine manufacturers should log in using their issued credentials. Dealers should register as such. All other industry stakeholders should register online as a “stakeholder” and credentials will be emailed to you.Thank you for your ongoing support! And, please let us know what you are doing to help bring Discover Boating home to your business.

Sincerely,
Thom Dammrich
President
Grow Boating, Inc.