We’re proud to share some exciting news: the Sea Tow Foundation™ has been honored with a prestigious Neptune Award for Best Public Relations Campaign from the Marine Marketers of America.

Presented at the 2026 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, the Neptune Awards represent the highest level of recognition for marketing excellence in the marine industry. This award recognizes the Foundation’s integrated campaign supporting the launch of our “Sober Skipper™: Why It Matters” video series – an initiative designed to address one of the most preventable causes of fatal boating accidents: Boating Under the Influence (BUI).

Why This Campaign Matters

Boating Under the Influence remains one of the leading contributing factors in fatal boating accidents – and it is entirely preventable.

With this in mind, the Sea Tow Foundation launched the “Sober Skipper: Why It Matters” video series to reach the demographic most at risk for BUI-related incidents: men ages 25–50 who primarily boat recreationally on weekends.

Rather than relying solely on traditional safety messaging, the campaign used authentic storytelling from respected voices within the boating community to make sober boating personal, relatable, and non-negotiable.

A Strategic, Multi-Phase Campaign

The award-winning campaign was developed and executed by OnWrd & UpWrd Marketing and Communications, under contract with the Sea Tow Foundation . It combined:

• Strategic campaign planning and message development
• National and marine trades media outreach
• Targeted influencer recruitment and coordination
• Downloadable campaign toolkits
• Phased media pitching to maximize visibility
• Coordinated digital and social amplification

By pairing traditional public relations efforts with influencer storytelling, the campaign generated:

• More than 65 media placements
• Nearly 165 million views
• Significant engagement across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and industry channels

Each video launch followed a structured rollout plan to ensure sustained awareness across the boating season.

Watch the “Sober Skipper: Why It Matters” Series

Each video features a well-known boating influencer or professional athlete sharing their personal perspective on why designating a sober skipper is critical for safety on the water. You can check out all the videos and download the toolkit at https://www.boatingsafety.com/page/why-it-matters. 

Join the Movement

This campaign was built around the idea that safety messaging works best when it feels personal. By sharing real stories from respected voices within the boating community, we’re working to make sober boating not just a recommendation – but an expectation.

Before your next trip on the water, Take the Pledge to designate a Sober Skipper and encourage others to do the same. Together, we can move closer to a world where every boating trip ends safely.

© 2026, Sea Tow Services International, Inc. (“STSI”) Subject to Sea Tow Foundation’s licensed use of STSI's trademarks. All rights reserved.7-060-26