The Market Expansion Advisory Group, comprising marketing leaders from member companies of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), announced details of their market expansion strategy to accelerate long-term industry growth amid changing consumer behavior and slowed boat sales.
The collective group is supportive of a new initiative known as Discover Boating. This industry-wide movement is designed to attract new people to boating—versus a near-term lead or sales generator. Its purpose is to reach, inspire and start engaging consumers by building awareness, shaping perceptions and helping new and next-generation audiences see boating as accessible and relevant to their lives.
The shared goals of these industry leaders ultimately impacts operators of RV and boat storage as well as marinas, where today’s consumers are highly likely to store their crafts when not in use. Whereas some boat owners may have storage space on their personal property and not in clear view from the street, Homeowner Associations (HOAs) often have jurisdiction over planned neighborhoods, many of which are restricted from storing RVs, boats and other large vehicles in backwards and driveways. Thus, HOAs are known to drive the need for further development of toy storage and marina storage in the form of wet and dry slips.
RELATED:
The Market Expansion Advisory Group, comprising marketing leaders from member companies of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), announced details of their market expansion strategy to accelerate long-term industry growth amid changing consumer behavior and slowed boat sales.
The collective group is supportive of a new initiative known as Discover Boating. This industry-wide movement is designed to attract new people to boating—versus a near-term lead or sales generator. Its purpose is to reach, inspire and start engaging consumers by building awareness, shaping perceptions and helping new and next-generation audiences see boating as accessible and relevant to their lives.
The shared goals of these industry leaders ultimately impacts operators of RV and boat storage as well as marinas, where today’s consumers are highly likely to store their crafts when not in use. Whereas some boat owners may have storage space on their personal property and not in clear view from the street, Homeowner Associations (HOAs) often have jurisdiction over planned neighborhoods, many of which are restricted from storing RVs, boats and other large vehicles in backwards and driveways. Thus, HOAs are known to drive the need for further development of toy storage and marina storage in the form of wet and dry slips.
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StorTrack Releases Recent Data and Stats on RV and Boat Storage
The Market Expansion Advisory Group recently introduced a data-driven strategy designed to accelerate long-term growth for the boating industry amid shifting consumer behavior and softening. Their work clarifies marketing roles for Discover Boating, manufacturers and dealers, as well as sharpens Discover Boating’s purpose and introduces a measurable framework to track success over time.
Below are four key takeaways from the Advisory Group’s recent member webinar:
Key Takeaway #1: Discover Boating’s Unique Role—Building Awareness at the Top of the Industry Marketing Funnel
Discover Boating is an industry-wide movement to attract new people to boating—it is not a lead generator or sales engine. Its role is to:
- Focus on the top of the industry marketing funnel with boating awareness marketing
- Build targeted awareness among people likely to be potential boaters
- Shape positive perceptions of boating that drive boating’s relevance
- Inspire new and next-generation audiences to explore becoming a boater
Once consumers engage through Discover Boating platforms, manufacturers and dealers take over, using their own marketing strategies to capture interest, nurture potential boaters, and create leads. 
This clarity ensures each part of the boating ecosystem, from Discover Boating to manufacturers to dealers, plays to its strengths—without duplicating effort or diluting impact.
Key Takeaway #2: Coordinated Marketing Efforts Drive Efficient Market Growth
Manufacturers and dealers often lack the scale to drive boating category-level awareness on their own. That’s the value of a collective industry effort. Discover Boating fills the awareness marketing gap helping:
- Create an on-ramp for potential boaters
- Improve efficiency across the industry marketing funnel
- Reduce friction for potential boaters
Key Takeaway #3: Strategy Is Grounded in Consumer Research
To inform future marketing work, the Advisory Group commissioned in-depth consumer research from Ipsos, delivering a current, data-driven understanding of:
- Key macro forces shaping today’s consumer and future boating demand
- Behaviors and experiences that predict likelihood of owning a boat
- How boat ownership is evolving, who tomorrow’s boater will be and what motivates them
Key Takeaway #4: Success Will Be Measured, Not Assumed
This is a multi-year strategy and to measure success, the group developed the Discover Boating Health Score, a new shared metric that measures awareness, engagement, and participation, providing early signals of market momentum. If the Health Score Index increases, together we will grow boating.
Bottom line:
Discover Boating, manufacturers and dealers each play distinct but connected roles in growing the boating market. Together, they move potential boaters from awareness to ownership, accelerating category expansion and long-term participation.
This forward-thinking strategy is built on deep consumer insights and will be refined through ongoing testing and validation. The plan will be scaled based on what effectively drives engagement. Growing the industry requires collective effort, and the Advisory Group has developed a framework the entire industry can build on to increase participation and ensure lasting growth.
New consumer research from Ipsos, webinars and industry updates will continue rolling out in the coming weeks to provide further insights.
Learn more about the advisory group here.
Top-9 Reasons To Invest in RV Storage
StorTrack Releases Recent Data and Stats on RV and Boat Storage
The Market Expansion Advisory Group recently introduced a data-driven strategy designed to accelerate long-term growth for the boating industry amid shifting consumer behavior and softening. Their work clarifies marketing roles for Discover Boating, manufacturers and dealers, as well as sharpens Discover Boating’s purpose and introduces a measurable framework to track success over time.
Below are four key takeaways from the Advisory Group’s recent member webinar:
Key Takeaway #1: Discover Boating’s Unique Role—Building Awareness at the Top of the Industry Marketing Funnel
Discover Boating is an industry-wide movement to attract new people to boating—it is not a lead generator or sales engine. Its role is to:
- Focus on the top of the industry marketing funnel with boating awareness marketing
- Build targeted awareness among people likely to be potential boaters
- Shape positive perceptions of boating that drive boating’s relevance
- Inspire new and next-generation audiences to explore becoming a boater
Once consumers engage through Discover Boating platforms, manufacturers and dealers take over, using their own marketing strategies to capture interest, nurture potential boaters, and create leads.
This clarity ensures each part of the boating ecosystem, from Discover Boating to manufacturers to dealers, plays to its strengths—without duplicating effort or diluting impact.
Key Takeaway #2: Coordinated Marketing Efforts Drive Efficient Market Growth
Manufacturers and dealers often lack the scale to drive boating category-level awareness on their own. That’s the value of a collective industry effort. Discover Boating fills the awareness marketing gap helping:
- Create an on-ramp for potential boaters
- Improve efficiency across the industry marketing funnel
- Reduce friction for potential boaters
Key Takeaway #3: Strategy Is Grounded in Consumer Research
To inform future marketing work, the Advisory Group commissioned in-depth consumer research from Ipsos, delivering a current, data-driven understanding of:
- Key macro forces shaping today’s consumer and future boating demand
- Behaviors and experiences that predict likelihood of owning a boat
- How boat ownership is evolving, who tomorrow’s boater will be and what motivates them
Key Takeaway #4: Success Will Be Measured, Not Assumed
This is a multi-year strategy and to measure success, the group developed the Discover Boating Health Score, a new shared metric that measures awareness, engagement, and participation, providing early signals of market momentum. If the Health Score Index increases, together we will grow boating.
Bottom line:
Discover Boating, manufacturers and dealers each play distinct but connected roles in growing the boating market. Together, they move potential boaters from awareness to ownership, accelerating category expansion and long-term participation.
This forward-thinking strategy is built on deep consumer insights and will be refined through ongoing testing and validation. The plan will be scaled based on what effectively drives engagement. Growing the industry requires collective effort, and the Advisory Group has developed a framework the entire industry can build on to increase participation and ensure lasting growth.
New consumer research from Ipsos, webinars and industry updates will continue rolling out in the coming weeks to provide further insights.
Learn more about the advisory group here.
