• by Fern Siegel , April 26, 2022

Discover Boating has teamed with the Cutwater agency to launch a campaign honoring the next generation of boaters.

The effort is aligned with National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), which represent the $45 billion marine industry.

The “See You Out Here” cross-platform campaign runs through Sept. 30. It just rolled out across TV, digital and social media channels — partnerships include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, VICE, ESPN, Ebony and Telemundo.

This is Cutwater’s first campaign for NMMA since being named AOR.

The work focuses on boaters from all backgrounds and showcases how much life on the water — fishing, diving, sea exploration — has to offer. In the 21^st century, younger, more diverse audiences are discovering a love of boating. The spots “Hooked” and “Depth of Field” are here.

Rather than focusing on the many types of boats — from fishing boats to yachts — the work is experiential, centered on the special moments and freedoms only boating can deliver.

"See You Out Here" highlights the stories of passionate boaters, such as Khristian Rousseve, the first Black student athlete in Louisiana to receive a scholarship in bass fishing; licensed captain Jana Zontek and her wife, Cindy; and Andy Mann, an award-winning National Geographic photographer of marine life.

Kevin Williams, NMMA vice president of North American marketing, said: “We are talking to people who may not have historically seen themselves in boating, but are excited by where a boat can take you, the adventures to be had, and the memories to be made.”

"Following record sales in 2020, recreational boating remained the leading outdoor recreation in the U.S. in 2021 with new powerboat sales exceeding 300,000 units for only the second time in 15 years,” Frank Hugelmeyer, NMMA president, reported in January. "The pandemic created shifts in how Americans prioritize their time, and boating is an activity they’re doing with family and friends to escape from stresses on land."

In 2020, conventional outdoor recreation accounted for 37.4% of U.S. outdoor recreation value added, compared with 30.6% in 2019. The increase was due to higher spending on boating/fishing and RVing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis in November 2021. Annual U.S. sales of boats, marine products and services totaled $49.3 billion in 2020, up 14% from 2019.

Separately, pet-care brand Hartz appointed Cutwater as its creative and media agency of record. The inaugural campaign, which will focus on Delectables, billed as the first gourmet wet cat treat, is slated to roll out during the late summer of 2022.