Play Now! Join In!

boot Düsseldorf launches lively new campaign

Neue Play Now Kampagne der boot - Foto: © boot Düsseldorf

At the International Media Meeting in Düsseldorf, boot Director Petros Michelidakis announced the new campaign for the Düsseldorf water sports trade fair. Following the successful multipicture advertising campaign, which marked the brand relaunch at boot 2010, with successful athletes as ambassadors of their sport, the focus is now on water sports enthusiasts.

For everyone who loves watersports
Michelidakis’ explanation of the background to the campaign: “With ‘Play Now’, we are encouraging everyone who loves sports on or by the water to join in and come to boot, in order to experience this unique atmosphere at our event in Düsseldorf for themselves. In the middle of winter, we highlight water sports and create a holiday feel, so that our visitors start to dream about the summer. When you look at the photos and videos, you realise that ‘Play Now’ was developed by water sports enthusiasts for water sports enthusiasts. Passion for the sports is demonstrated here.” ‘Play Now’ stands for fun and entertainment, curiosity and a willingness to try things out as well as for information and discovery and the development of a passion for water and water sports."

Focus on fans
boot Düsseldorf demonstrates its capabilities in eleven categories as the biggest water sports trade fair in the world, with very realistic portrayals of people who are enthusiastic about their sport. The focus is on fans themselves rather than on photoshopped models showing what water sports might look like.

The biggest prize
Last year, enthusiasts were invited via specialinterest magazines, Facebook or Youtube to submit videos of their particular water sport to Messe Düsseldorf. The entries were judged by a jury of experts and the winners were announced at boot 2016. The biggest prize for the winners is now their appearance on ‘Play Now’.

Fascinating and varied activities on and by the water
An authentic, emotional and exciting lifestyle as well as a relaxed holiday atmosphere are communicated, with a presentation as a result of how fascinating and varied activities on and by the water are. In ‘Play Now’, the focus is on the fan-on-the-street, who loves his sport, rather than on professional athletes. The campaign motifs whet the appetite for water sports: the angler, who proudly presents his catch, canoeists before they plunge into a rocky river that drops steeply, kitesurfers racing across the sea, sailors in a stiff breeze, stand-up paddling (SUP) on a lonely river, couples on a luxurious superyacht, windsurfers flying through the air after they have jumped off the sea, divers with a whale shark in the depths of the ocean, wakeboarders skimming across a lake on a cable, a trip on a streamlined motorboat or the next wonderful holiday by the sea.

Experience live at boot
‘Play Now’ is as a result reflecting the feeling at boot Düsseldorf fair too. This is where visitors on gloomy days in January have an opportunity to dream about their holidays and actively try out sports that are only possible in summer otherwise. Wakeboarding, skimboarding, SUP, diving, canoeing, sailing, fishing and – a new addition at boot 2017 – even genuine surfing can be experienced live at boot in individual areas of the 17 halls at the trade fair that are devoted to different sports activities. A fun time can be had in the water, for example, while the visitor can at the same time inform himself and/or buy such new “water toys”.