Industry-wide effort to help Americans find the safe, restorative power of boating and fishing amid COVID-19
Following the late April announcement of their joint effort to unite the industry around a national marketing campaign, today, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation’s Take Me Fishing brand and the recreational boating industry’s Discover Boating brand launched “Get On Board.” As summer kicks off and states begin to safely reopen amidst COVID-19 and stress is on the rise across America, the campaign aims to help more Americans experience the restorative health and wellness benefits of recreational boating and fishing.
“Many Americans are looking for ways to get outdoors safely this summer. What’s more, research reveals fishing and boating have proven health benefits,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “As our industry looks to regain its footing during the global pandemic, uniting around a campaign that conveys the ability of boating and fishing to provide stress relief, a vacation close to home, and the ability to connect with loved ones, is a message that’s needed more than ever.”
This first-time collaboration between Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating has the two brands pooling resources to bring the new campaign to life after coronavirus interrupted their previous, individual plans for the summer. Helping to solidify the campaign’s success is engagement from across the industry in helping spread the word that the water is open and we’re all invited to “Get On Board.” RBFF, the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Marine Retailers Association of America are working with the American Sportfishing Association, BoatUS, the Water Sports Industry Association, Association of Marina Industries, Sea Tow, marine trade associations and many others. With these groups reaching countless active and future boaters and anglers, the campaign will be amplified like never before.
The campaign will feature a public service announcement that will air on television and radio, online advertising, social media, and public relations—all of which target local areas with an emphasis on responsible recreation.
Fishing and boating industry stakeholders are encouraged to use the campaign’s hashtag #TheWaterIsOpen as well as the new PSA video, boating and fishing lifestyle imagery, website banner ads, and sample social posts which can all be found in an online toolkit here, to help amplify the message.
In addition to these customizable assets for all fishing and boating stakeholders, MRAA is leading the effort to customize the Get On Board digital ads, social media assets and videos for dealerships and marinas across the United States. These free customized materials can include their company logo, website and other company-specific information. These customized materials will be created and distributed to members of the MRAA, AMI and the dealership members of the WSIA; other small marine businesses not affiliated with those organizations can complete a materials request form located here.
“Our industry’s dealers have built great momentum in getting customers on the water through the latter part of the 2020 selling season, and we believe this campaign will contribute to carrying that momentum through the remainder of the year,” said MRAA President Matt Gruhn. “Having access to high-quality, customized marketing materials will help our industry’s small businesses amplify the ‘Get On Board’ messaging and strengthen the sentiment for boating and fishing that so many consumers are already acting on.”
Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating are continuing to see significant gains in web traffic over the last three months, indicating a steady growth in consumer interest in boating and fishing. This makes the campaign timely as it continues driving people to TakeMeFishing.org and DiscoverBoating.com to find helpful resources and tools to learn, explore and find ways to go boating and fishing this summer and how to do so responsibly during COVID-19.
“The outdoors has never been a better place for Americans to find respite during these uncertain times. With health officials encouraging people to go outside, boating and fishing provide a valuable combination of mental health benefits paired with social distancing that naturally allows people to recreate responsibly,” said NMMA President Frank Hugelmeyer. “This powerful collaboration gives our industry the chance to unify our voice and invite everyone to experience the restorative and healing benefits of being on the water.”
Campaign details and toolkits for Take Me Fishing and Discover Boating can be found here and here. Please contact RBFF’s Stephanie Vatalaro at svatalaro@rbff.org or Discover Boating’s Ellen Bradley at ebradley@nmma.org with questions.
