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CHICAGO (November 15, 2010) — Grow Boating, Inc. announced today that the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Board of Directors approved full restoration of Grow Boating assessments effective January 1, 2011.  The decision comes after a Grow Boating Funding Task Force, comprised of representatives from the Grow Boating Board of Directors, submitted its recommendation to the NMMA Board to reinstate full assessment collection to reignite the Discover Boating campaign in 2011.

“Restoring Grow Boating assessments is a necessary step to rebuild our industry following the recession and effectively return to promoting the boating lifestyle long-term,” says Scott Deal, president of Maverick Boat Company and chairman of the Grow Boating Board of Directors. “The importance of continuing to protect and invest in the valuable, industry-owned brand asset – Discover Boating – cannot be underestimated.”

On July 1, 2010, assessments were temporarily reduced by 85 percent pending development of a new marketing strategy and analysis of the impact of the recession on consumers. In August, the Grow Boating Board of Directors selected Minneapolis-based full-service marketing firm, OLSON as agency-of-record to aid in the development and execution of a new integrated marketing campaign.  

“We’ve always known Grow Boating would require long-term industry support to see real growth in the form of an increase in participation to increase sales over time. We began to see our efforts paying off with participation increases in 2006, 2007 and 2008 after a decade-long decline,” notes Thom Dammrich, president of Grow Boating, Inc. and NMMA. “In response to economic challenges, we scaled back funding and program reach in 2009 and 2010 in order to immediately address the needs of manufacturers and dealers. The decision to restore assessments reaffirms the industry’s commitment to a national integrated marketing campaign and the importance of a unified effort to grow the market for boating.”

To date, the industry-wide program has made significant strides in growing boating, including:

• The Discover Boating campaign has generated more than 190,000 prospects, with 19,276 of those prospects having purchased a boat.
• More than 500,000 direct referrals from DiscoverBoating.com to boat manufacturer websites.
• An estimated 14,000 boats have been sold to first-time boat owners since the start of the campaign. According to a study by Michigan State University, the average boater will make $131,500 worth of boat and engine purchases over their lifetime based on today’s dollars, equating to $1.84 billion in lifetime boat sales.  

The restored assessments are projected to collect $4.5 million by the end of 2011 to fund the campaign. A preliminary Discover Boating marketing plan was approved by the Grow Boating Board at the International BoatBuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in September, which had a topline focus on the following in 2011:

• Enhance DiscoverBoating.com content and mobile-readiness.
• Augment lead generation and nurturing systems to provide enriched consumer data to manufacturers and dealers.
• Boost reach of target consumers via mass, social, digital and search media.
• Heighten public relations support.
• Expand Marine Five Star Dealership Certification program.

“The decision by the Grow Boating Board to restore full assessments is testament to the marine industry’s commitment to return to a united, national recreational boating campaign,” says Phil Keeter, vice president of Grow Boating, Inc. and president of the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA). “The revamped marketing direction will help us promote boating and its benefits, drive participation and, ultimately, increase boat sales.”

If you have questions or need further information regarding the assessment restoration, please visit GrowBoating.org.

About Grow Boating
Grow Boating Inc. was launched in 2006 to formulate and execute initiatives that promote the boating lifestyle and improve the boating experience that will ultimately increase participation in boating and lead to increases in sales of marine products and services. Grow Boating is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. (GrowBoating.org)