Discover Boating Voted ‘Best’ By Ad Industry

Campaigns Take Home 10 Prestigious Telly Awards

CHICAGO — Discover Boating was recently awarded an impressive 10 2007 Telly Awards — including six Silver Tellys, the highest honor of its kind — for several of its local, regional, and cable television commercials.

With more than 200 categories available for entry, the annual Telly Awards are largely considered one of the most sought-after prizes in the television production and advertising business.

The 28th Annual Telly Awards received more than 14,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents. The awards recognize the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions.

Silver Tellys were presented to Discover Boating on behalf of its “Dogs” commercial in the Regional TV/Multi-Market Cable — Automotive and Internet/Online — Automotive categories. The “Grandpa” and “Party” commercials, which include the tagline “Maybe It’s Time for that Boat,” each took home a Silver Telly in both the “Events” and “Use of Humor” categories, for a total of four awards.

The “Grandpa” and “Party” commercials aired in 2007 on cable television stations across the country to encourage attendance at winter and spring boat shows nationwide.

“The Discover Boating advertising agency, Carmichael Lynch of Minneapolis, and our internal team worked diligently to refine the campaign’s message to ensure it was in synch with our research, therefore helping to ensure it would resonate with consumers and industry stakeholders,” says Carl Blackwell, vice president of Marketing & Communications for Grow Boating Inc. and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).

“While award-winning ads don’t necessarily equal sales, being recognized by our peers as creating advertising that’s deemed ‘best’ is a real achievement because it reinforces our belief that our messages are indeed having an impact.”

Discover Boating was also recognized in this year’s awards competition with four Bronze Tellys: The “Waterski” commercial won Bronze awards in both the “Events” and “Use of Humor” categories; the overall “Maybe It’s Time for that Boat” campaign took home a Bronze Telly in the “Promotional/Branding” category; and the short film Good Run earned a fourth Bronze award, in the “Non-Broadcast Productions” category.

Underwritten by a generous contribution from General Motors, Good Run is a four-minute film highlighting the life of a boater as he reflects on his many fond memories aboard a boat. The film’s concept was derived from consumers’ love of cinema and emphasizes celebration of the boating lifestyle.

For additional information, visit the official Telly Awards Web site at tellyawards.com or contact Blackwell at (312) 946-6277; cblackwell@nmma.org.

The Grow Boating Initiative is an integrated effort among organizations with an interest in the recreational marine industry to promote the boating lifestyle and improve the boating experience. Comprised of a strategic set of programs focusing on all areas of boating including the national Discover Boating marketing campaign, water access, dealer and product certification and research, the Grow Boating Initiative is designed to increase participation in boating and improve sales of marine products and services.