National Safe Boating Council’s Safe Boating Campaign Harnesses Social Change Marketing to Make Life Jacket Wear the Norm
*WEAR IT OUT CHALLENGE* A real boater is always ready for the water. A real boater wears it out. Sometimes you just can’t turn off your inner boater. Snap a picture to show us how you Wear It Out and share with us on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #wearit. A few people will be randomly selected to receive a prize!
Manassas, VA (August 15, 2019) – The National Safe Boating Council, a national catalyst for recreational boating safety, has launched a social change marketing initiative to make life jacket wear a routine part of the behavior of boaters and others who spend time on the water. “Wear It Out” is part of the Safe Boating Campaign, an annual worldwide effort focused on responsible boating.
“To change behavior, we must focus on connecting boaters, not convincing, and working toward building bonds and inspiring behavior change over the long term,” said Peg Phillips, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council. “Wear It Out takes a new approach to boating safety – it changes the intent of wearing a life jacket and shows boaters that it’s rewarding, expected, easy, and the norm.”
Wear It Out focuses on the idea that wearing a life jacket shows that you are a ‘real boater.’ New advertising, signage and social media promotions will be rolled out to support the social marketing campaign.
“Real boaters always wear their life jacket when they’re on the water – just like you always wear your seat belt in a vehicle. Wear It Out shows the passion that boaters have for the water, so much so that that they wear their life jacket even when doing day-to-day activities – such as walking a dog, brushing their teeth, or eating out with friends,” said Yvonne Pentz, communications director of the National Safe Boating Council.
The National Safe Boating Council partnered with Marketing for Change Co. (M4C), a behavior-change marketing firm located in Alexandria, Va., to develop Wear It Out.
The annual Safe Boating Campaign continues throughout the boating season with outreach efforts around the world. Local partners, as well as boating tips and educational resources, can be found at www.safeboatingcampaign.com. It is produced under a grant from the Sports Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and administered by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Follow the Safe Boating Campaign on social media and see the latest about Wear It Out on facebook.com/SafeBoatCampaign and twitter.com/BoatingCampaign.
Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Coast Guard.
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Media Contact:
Yvonne Pentz, National Safe Boating Council, ypentz@safeboatingcouncil.org, 440-670-1294