“Sober Skipper: Why It Matters” Campaign Earns Neptune Award

The Sea Tow Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing boating-related accidents and fatalities, has been honored with a Neptune Award from the Marine Marketers of America for Best Public Relations Campaign. The award recognizes the Foundation’s integrated public relations campaign supporting the launch of its “Sober Skipper: Why It Matters” video series.

The innovative campaign strategy behind the video series was designed to raise awareness of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) and promote the use of a Sober Skipper on every boating trip, according to the organization. The three-part video series featured well-known boating influencers who shared their personal perspective on why designating a Sober Skipper is critical for safety on the water.

Developed and executed by OnWrd & UpWrd Marketing and Communications, strategic planning included message development, national and trade media outreach, targeted influencer recruitment and coordination, downloadable toolkit creation, and phased pitching designed to maximize visibility and impact. Each video launch was supported by a phased public relations strategy designed to amplify reach across national media, marine trade publications, and digital channels.

By combining traditional public relations efforts with authentic influencer storytelling, the campaign successfully reached men ages 25–50 – the demographic most at risk for BUI-related incidents – and generated more than 65 media placements and nearly 165 million views, according to the organization.

“Boating Under the Influence remains one of the leading contributing factors in fatal boating accidents, and it is entirely preventable,” said Gail R. Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation, in a news release. “We are incredibly honored to receive theNeptune Award, to  recognize the creativity of this campaign as well as the importance of the messaging behind it. By sharing real stories from influential voices in the boating community, we aim to make sober boating personal, relatable, and non-negotiable.”