Genmar and Hoffman Communications Redefine the ''Dealer Meeting''

MINNEAPOLIS--Jan. 2, 20056, 2005--

Meeting was held in Las Vegas, NV - September 12-15, 2004 -

In September 2004 Genmar partnered with Hoffman Communications for one of the largest boating events in the country. Typically, each individual boat brand stages a summer dealer meeting to introduce new-year boat models and take dealers orders for 3-5 months of production. This fall, Genmar brought thirteen of their industry-leading brands and hundreds of vendors together all at the same time for The Brands of Genmar 2005, a four-day event in Las Vegas, NV. This event encompassed 4 hotels, 400,000 square feet of convention space, 200 boats on the floor, 13 brands, 70 boats on the water, and 3,500 attendees representing vendors and dealers from 50 countries.

"While the event was an untested concept, it provided many benefits to participants," said Jill Kieser, project manager with Hoffman Communications. "It reflected the power and magnitude of Genmar, provided opportunities for networking and cross-selling, and strengthened the dealers' association with Genmar. Dealers were able to see and test the new products from all boat brands and able to attend one meeting rather than thirteen separate ones. Moreover, the September show dates allowed dealers to stay home, servicing their customers through the peak summer months of boating."

Hoffman Communications provided the event services for The Brands of Genmar 2005. As the sole production company, Hoffman developed the creative and graphic design of the event and managed all of the technical elements for the individual dealer meetings. They were uniquely suited for the event, having worked with several boating companies for many years. They used that experience to provide each brand with a unique experience while managing and producing large-scale meetings for all participants to open and close the week.

"Throughout the process, Genmar and Hoffman were concerned about the individuality of the brands," said Hoffman Communications President Mark Hoffman. "All production and management was brought under Hoffman's roof, creating a potentially difficult situation. To manage the influx of details, each brand was assigned their own project manager from Hoffman. The level of communication between Genmar, Hoffman, the brands and vendors was fluid and continuous. The overwhelming response from all participants demonstrates the effectiveness of good communications and planning."

The advantages were numerous for everyone. Genmar could participate equally in each dealer meeting. The brands benefited through relief of some cost and event management logistics. Additionally, the proximity of Lake Mead provided unique opportunities for dealers and the media to test the products. Dealers who sold more than one boat line could participate in multiple dealer meetings within minutes instead of months.

"For all the perceived advantages, Genmar took risks in staging this meeting," noted George Sullivan, Genmar's Senior Vice President of marketing. "Bringing thirteen individual companies together for one inclusive experience might have ended in disaster. Still, through the expertise of Hoffman Communications and the support of our brands, we were able to make The Brands of Genmar 2005 a real success."

For additional information, please contact Jill Kieser at Hoffman Communications at 612-436-3600.

Genmar is the world's largest independent builder of recreational boats with 15 brands, more than 400 models and products ranging from 12-feet to 65-feet. Genmar products are sold throughout North America and 50 foreign countries, and some of its companies have been building boats since the early 1900s. For more information about Genmar and their brands, visit www.genmar.com.

Hoffman Communications, a creative development and production company based in Minneapolis, MN, provides event management and creative services for corporations around the country. For more information about Hoffman Communications and their clients, visit www.hoffmancommunications.com.