Discover Boating, the industrywide brand powered by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, was created when the recreational boating industry was going through a post-recessionary period in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Industry leaders in manufacturing, retail and other segments came together to stem the decline in new unit sales and to ensure that boating was top of mind for consumers with a propensity to join life on the water.
Recognizing the need for a united industry voice to connect with consumers and share the many joys of boating, while ultimately helping to fill the top of the traditional marketing funnel via awareness marketing, Discover Boating was born in 2004. When Discover Boating launched in the United States and Canada, it was with a mission to grow boating by welcoming the next generation of boaters to the water.
To this day, Discover Boating plays a unique role in reaching our industry’s vast audience on behalf of boating that no one company or brand is likely to do on its own — creating a true industrywide voice. From its outset, Discover
Boating was meant to be a long-term growth strategy, in partnership with manufacturers and dealers who would help move the consumers Discover Boating welcomed at the top of the funnel further down toward consideration and purchase.
Today, recreational boating has a tremendous opportunity to reach and engage with new audiences to grow market share. To do so, we must first understand how our
messages resonate with various groups culturally and geographically, and where to best reach them. We have conducted extensive research to better understand today’s ever-changing consumers and how they consume brands, products and services.
A notable example is how digital media has become mainstream media, as opposed to the network or cable TV of years past. This is why Discover Boating is focused on reaching target audiences through paid media across numerous platforms: social media (organic and paid), public relations, targeted activations and events, and Discover Boating Boat Shows — helping consumers see themselves enjoying all that the boating lifestyle has to offer. This omnichannel marketing strategy is rooted in messaging around fun, freedom, wellness and safety.
Discover Boating’s role is to connect new boaters to the water and to ensure that current boat owners have a good experience. Considered that unbiased “friend with a boat,” DiscoverBoating.com is a guide to all things boating that helps provide how-to information and break down barriers to entry.
If you are looking for a way to get involved with Discover Boating, here are a few tools from DiscoverBoating.com that can be easily shared with your customers through your social channels and website.
Find Your Boat This lets visitors search for boats and understand the different types of products in the market that best suit their needs, wants and budgets.
Boat Loan Calculator Visitors can determine potential loan and monthly payments for the size boat they are exploring.
Dealer Finder Visitors can search by zip code for — and connect with — nearly 3,600 boat dealers in the United States and Canada.
Get on the Water Explore ways to go boating today through boat rentals, clubs and charters, plus search by zip code to find options near you.
Another easy way to stay connected is to follow Discover Boating on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok. Engage with the content and share it on your channels. This is our industry’s brand, and the content is created to align with the interests, format and tone of today’s consumers.
As we continue to navigate a shifting economic environment, Discover Boating will continually evaluate and optimize to ensure the right balance of content in the right places that reinforces boating’s emotional return on investment — all while transparently delivering important information on the costs of boat ownership, how to finance a boat, insure a boat and more.
Amid the economic headwinds, there is increased competition for leisure time and discretionary purchases that further puts boating at risk of losing market share. To be successful, dealers, manufacturers, marinas and other industry stakeholders must welcome the new-to-boating consumers that Discover Boating brings to them. Robust nurture marketing, incredible customer experiences and ongoing marketing and engagement are key to our collective success.
Looking ahead, Discover Boating will continue to evolve and innovate to meet the changing needs and expectations of boating consumers. We are optimistic about the future and potential for sustained growth as we support the consumer at every turn. We can make a positive difference in growing our industry together. n
This article was originally published in the August 2024 issue.
