DISCOVER BOATING AWARD-WINNING SAILING VIDEO...

As part of the Discover Boating “i-Discovered Boating” national contest which was staged nationally in 2009 and invited boaters to submit their favorite video or photography showcasing their love of the boating lifestyle, the NMMA has made available the four winning entries for website posting and social media distribution as part of its viral marketing campaign.

The i-Discovered Boating contest received hundreds of video and photo entries, as boaters and sailors across the nation took to the water to show how they ‘Discovered Boating’ and why life is better with a boat. Winners received up to $10,000 and the opportunity to have their work featured in a national Discover Boating campaign.

According to NMMA Chief Marketing Officer Carl Blackwell, the videos creatively communicate why boaters are passionate about being on the water. The sailing category winner is Guy Baker of Portland, Oregon, whose entry, “Day on the Water,” received rave reviews.

“We felt the sailing spot was exceptionally powerful in that it conveyed the connection you can get with those special to you while on a boat and in this case without the use of any voiceovers as this spot plays only music until the call to action at the end,” said Blackwell. “The contest was filled with consumers who captured the enthusiasm they have for boating on film or video. We expected 10 or so video entries and received over 50. There were also 250 photographs submitted. In fact, the quality of the video entries was so good that we felt it would be a shame to limit the winners to just one so we selected four winners. Video content is a very effective way to communicate the benefits of any product, service or activity and we feel this little slice of life on a sailboat will help Sail America members reinforce why consumers are …or should be … sailing.”

Other winners’ spotlighted segments included fishing, water sports and power boating/cruising.

“Through this campaign we can leverage Discover Boating’s extensive social media program to reach a broad base of consumers,” said Blackwell. “Each video is seen through the eyes of an actual boater and illustrates their emotional connection to the boating lifestyle; these videos help us share that message with millions of potential boaters.”

Besides the viral campaign, the four winning videos will run on cable television including the Outdoor Channel, as well as on national websites including AccuWeather.com, Marinas.com, OutdoorChannel.com, TakeMeFishing.org and more. Discover Boating is encouraging the industry to help extend the reach of the campaign by posting the videos to their company or association websites and sharing them through social media outlets.

Sail America members: Day on the Water can be downloaded from GrowBoating.org.

Go Back