Grow Boating assessments to be restored Jan. 1
CHICAGO — Grow Boating Inc. announced this week that the National Marine Manufacturers Association Board of Directors approved full restoration of Grow Boating assessments effective Jan. 1. 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,” Scott Deal, president of Maverick Boat Company and chairman of the Grow Boating Board of Directors, said in a release. “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,” Thom Dammrich, president of Grow Boating Inc. and NMMA, said in the release. “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.”
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,” Phil Keeter, vice president of Grow Boating, Inc. and president of the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA), said in the release. “The revamped marketing direction will help us promote boating and its benefits, drive participation and, ultimately, increase boat sales.”
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