The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) have partnered to launch the Market Expansion Advisory Group in a move to confront declining new boat sales and unify the industry.
The associations point out that the median age of boat owners hit 60 last year amid continued softening of new boat sales.
As owners age out, despite them introducing their kids and grandkids to boating, without fresh demand, tomorrow’s pipeline will shrink.
The Advisory Group consists of industry leaders who will look at how Discover Boating can achieve success and how success is defined.
“This is bigger than a campaign; it’s about how we work together to serve a changing consumer through shared resources that allow us to accomplish what no single entity can accomplish on its own,” said Advisory Group member Lauren Beckstedt, chief marketing officer, Brunswick.
“Like any good marketing effort, the group will ensure decisions are rooted in data and partnership and bring clear measures of success for Discover Boating that ignite industry action.”
Something has to change and our goal for this group is to ignite the spark we need to enact real change.
Rob Parmentier
Bryan Seti, general manager, Yamaha Watercraft, added: “It’s critical for any brand or category – in our case boating – to be known by those who don’t know about it.
“This is where growth happens. Successful marketing that turns these people into boat buyers starts with connecting them to what boating stands for, how it makes them feel and how it fits into their life.
And Rob Parmentier, CEO, Sailfish Boats, added: “We need a solution to grow this industry because sales are not only declining, they’re going away.
“People are choosing to rent, join a boat club or not even become a boater at all. Something has to change and our goal for this group is to ignite the spark we need to enact real change and get our industry on the right track to grow.”
Recommendations
The group will make its recommendations to the NMMA and MRAA boards’ tables by the end of October.
As part of the work, Discover Boating is commissioning consumer research to pinpoint today’s and tomorrow’s boat buyers — their size, motivations, and barriers.
The Advisory Group consists of Thomas Bates, chief revenue officer, Correct Craft, Lauren Beckstedt, chief marketing officer, Brunswick, Bryce Brown, owner, MasterCraft Colorado, Abbey Heimensen, vice president marketing, MarineMax, Amber Holm, chief marketing officer, Winnebago Industries, Victor Gonzalez, chief marketing officer, Sportsman Boats, Rob Parmentier, chief executive officer, Sailfish Boats and NMMA board of cirectors liaison and Bryan Seti, general manager, Yamaha Watercraft and national sales and marketing for G3 Boats.
Discover Boating is a public awareness effort managed by NMMA on behalf of the North American recreational boating industry.
Discover Boating programmes focus on increasing participation and creating interest in recreational boating by demonstrating the benefits, affordability and accessibility of the boating lifestyle while helping to educate potential boaters and offering opportunities to experience the fun and togetherness of being on the water on a boat.
