Marine Marketers of America (MMA) is now accepting entries for the 2025 Neptune Awards, the industry’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in marine marketing.
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Open to all companies and organizations producing marine marketing materials between January 1 and December 5, 2025, entries will be accepted through December 12.
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Winners will be announced at the Neptune Awards Ceremony during the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Tickets for this exclusive, sell-out event will be available later this year.
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“The Neptune Awards celebrate the creative force that fuels our industry,” said Katy Fairman, Boatyard Director of Marketing. “It’s where our community comes together to honor achievements, reconnect, and share ideas shaping the future of marine marketing.”
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See the complete list of categories below.
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Entry deadline: December 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
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Please note the entry deadline, this date is final and there will be no extensions provided. The system will automatically prevent entry submission after the deadline.
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Successful entrants will be notified after their entries have been paid for and accepted.
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The 2025 Neptune Awards will be announced in February 2026.
Best Use of AI
This category celebrates innovators who are leveraging cutting-edge AI in their marketing strategies. These disruptors exemplify creativity by utilizing AI for personalized content recommendations, chatbots for real-time customer interactions, predictive analytics for targeted campaigns, and AI-generated content for social media. By integrating AI, they enhance customer experiences, optimize ad spending, and create hyper-personalized marketing messages.
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Additionally, this category recognizes exceptional use of AI in Data, Analytics, and Insights within the marine industry. These campaigns demonstrate a strategic approach to data-driven decision-making, advanced analytics, and market insights powered by AI.
Please provide examples and details of creative, out-of-the-box applications of this emerging technology.
Boat Show Marketing
This category acknowledges marketing efforts specifically designed for boat shows and their attendees. It is open exclusively to organizations that engage directly with consumers.
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Please provide an overview of your boat show marketing strategy, including visual examples, the rationale behind the program, specific goals, and measurable results.
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Captain of Industry Marketing Award
The Captain of Industry Award honors an established marketing leader who has made significant contributions to the marine industry. With more than five years of experience, this individual is recognized by peers and colleagues for their passion and lasting impact on the industry.
To nominate, provide a 150-word write-up outlining the nominee’s accomplishments, a headshot, and up to three supporting links.
Email Marketing
This category celebrates outstanding email marketing campaigns that delivered measurable results. Judging will focus on quantifiable outcomes, such as leads generated, email open rates, click-through rates, and sales, either in units or dollars.
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Submit a PDF overview of the campaign, outlining the rationale, specific goals, the campaign timeline, and the final results.
Event Marketing / Grassroots
This category recognizes the best grassroots or event marketing initiatives of the year, whether related to boat shows, seasonal promotions, or special events (both online and offline). Quantifiable results, such as leads generated and sales achieved, will play a significant role in judging.
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Submit a PDF summary of the program, including the rationale, specific goals, timing, and final results.
Dealership Experiential Marketing Award
This category honors a dealership that has successfully designed and delivered an event, such as a boat show, open house, product demonstration or similar in-person experience, that meaningfully engaged customers and elevated their connection to the dealership and the boating lifestyle. Recognizing creativity, planning and measurable impact, this award celebrates innovative experiential marketing efforts that strengthen customer relationships and drive dealership success.
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Submit a PDF summary of the effort, including the background information, specific goals, timing and final results.
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Industry Rising Star
The Rising Star Award recognizes emerging marketing leaders with less than five years of experience who have demonstrated significant growth and impact in the marine industry. These individuals are acknowledged by their peers and colleagues for their exceptional potential.
To nominate, provide a 150-word write-up explaining the person’s accomplishments, along with a headshot and up to three supporting links.​​
Integrated Marketing Campaign
This category is for large-scale initiatives, such as new product launches or rebranding efforts, that involve multiple marketing mediums, including print, digital advertising, email, social media, and events.
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Submit a PDF overview of the campaign, detailing the rationale, goals, timeline, and final results. Be sure to include graphics, photos, and as many details as possible about the campaign elements.
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Lead Generation Campaign
This category recognizes marketing campaigns specifically designed to attract and capture potential customers’ interest and contact information. The goal is to build a pool of prospects and nurture them into qualified leads for future sales and conversions.
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Submit a PDF summary of the campaign, along with key performance indicators and measurable outcomes.
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Marketing Innovation
This category highlights marketing efforts that introduce new approaches, demonstrate creative “out-of-the-box” thinking, or deeply innovate established practices. Campaigns in this category will be judged on creativity, results, and overall customer experience.
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Submit a PDF overview of the program, including the rationale, goals, timeline, and final measurable results. Be sure to provide details such as graphics and photos of program elements.
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Marketing Collaboration
This category honors outstanding marketing partnerships within the marine industry. These campaigns showcase collaboration between businesses, organizations, influencers, or industry stakeholders to promote marine-related products, services, or causes.
Successful campaigns will highlight effective strategies, cross-promotions, and shared resources that contribute to mutual growth and industry advancement.
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Submit a PDF overview of the program, including the rationale, goals, timeline, and final measurable results.
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Marketing Team of the Year
(Digital Media Team of the Year)
This award honors a marketing team that has made significant contributions to the boating industry throughout the year. The team’s efforts should be highly effective and recognizable.
Submit a PDF presentation highlighting team members, their contributions, and a summary of achievements over the past year.
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New Product / Model Launch Campaign
This category recognizes excellence in New Product or Model Launch campaigns within the marine industry.
These campaigns highlight innovative marketing strategies, extensive market research, and compelling messaging that creates excitement and drives sales. They showcase the industry’s commitment to innovation through successful product launches.
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Please provide as much detail as possible, including graphics and photos of program elements.
Paid Advertising Campaign
This category focuses on online display or banner ads, including rich media. Submit screenshots of the ads in place, along with data on consumer engagement, including views, clicks, and conversions. Provide information on when and where the ads ran and how many impressions they received.
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Include as much detail as possible, including graphics and photos of the campaign elements.​​
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This category celebrates a startup in the marine industry that has demonstrated exceptional creativity and resourcefulness in marketing their brand, product, or service.
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Startup Marketing Campaign
Recognizing ingenuity over budget, this award honors marketing initiatives, from campaigns and content strategies to events and activations, that have effectively built visibility, engagement and brand identity despite limited resources. It highlights startups that embody innovation, consistency and flair in communicating their story within the marine sector.
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This category celebrates a startup in the marine industry that has demonstrated exceptional creativity and resourcefulness in marketing their brand, product, or service.
Product Literature (Print or Digital)
This category is for product literature, either in print or digital form. Submit a low-resolution PDF copy of your entry and, if applicable, two hard copies so that production values can be considered.
Be specific about the objective of the literature, how it was created, and how and where it was distributed. This category will be judged on overall aesthetics, design, print quality, and content.
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Note: Digital submissions are required through the platform, and if applicable, two hard copies must be mailed to:
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2025 Neptune Awards c/o Matt Kuka - 5511 Mimosa St. Crestview, FL 32539
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Public Relations Campaign
This category celebrates public relations efforts or campaigns. Submit a PDF summary, including the program’s rationale, goals, timeline, and final results.
Include sample press releases, graphics, and photos or videos of campaign elements, as well as press clippings and media impressions.
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Social Media Campaign
This category recognizes the best overall social media campaign, with measured results on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or others. Submit a summary of the campaign’s activity, the results achieved, screenshots, and URLs.
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Be specific regarding engagement metrics like shares, likes, retweets, comments, and overall interactions.
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Video (Less than 2 Minutes)
This category recognizes brand promotion videos under 2 minutes in length. Judging will focus on message clarity, digital and audio quality, execution, and overall impact. Submit a PDF overview explaining the video’s purpose, rationale, and how it was created and promoted. Include data on distribution and the number of plays.
Video (2 to 5 Minutes)
This category is for brand promotion videos between 2 and 5 minutes in length. Judging will consider message clarity, digital and audio quality, execution, and overall impact. Submit a PDF overview detailing the video’s purpose, rationale, creation, and promotion. Include distribution data and play counts.
Video (Over 5 Minutes)
This category honors brand promotion videos longer than 5 minutes. Judging will focus on message clarity, digital and audio quality, execution, and overall impact. Submit a PDF overview of the video’s purpose, rationale, creation, and promotion. Additionally, include a 30-second to 1-minute trailer to ensure judges can review all entries efficiently. Provide distribution data and the number of plays.
Video Series
This category recognizes brand promotion video series. Judging will focus on message clarity, digital and audio quality, execution, and overall impact. Submit a PDF overview detailing the series’ purpose, creation, and promotion. Include the video series or a URL where the series can be viewed online. Additionally, provide a 30-second to 2-minute trailer summarizing the series. Include data on distribution and the number of plays.​
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Website (Brand, Corporate, Landing Page, Other)
This category recognizes websites, whether they are brand sites, corporate pages, landing pages, or conversion pages. Submit a PDF explaining the rationale behind the website, its purpose, key design elements, and architecture.
Include metrics such as traffic, user engagement, and other relevant results. If a login is required, please provide test account details.
Only B2C websites will be considered. Be specific about the site’s purpose, whether informational, e-commerce-driven, or community-based.
Include basic metrics such as average page views per visit, time spent on the site, and monthly unique visitors.
NEPTUNE 2025 CATEGORIES
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Entry deadline: December 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
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Please note the entry deadline, this date is final and there will be no extensions provided. The system will automatically prevent entry submission after the deadline.
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Successful entrants will be notified after their entries have been paid for and accepted.
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The 2025 Neptune Awards will be announced in February 2026.