SUZUKI MARINE IS “BACK IN ALL BLACK” AT THE 2024 MIAMI BOAT SHOW —
MAKING WAVES, WORKING THE PRESS AND CLEANING UP THE COASTLINE
Suzuki Marine USA is known across the industry for generating “buzz” and drawing plenty of attention each year at the Miami International Boat Show. During the recently concluded 2024 Miami Boat Show, however, Suzuki Marine took the excitement and energy to a whole new level.
The highlight of Wednesday’s opening day had to be the press launch of Suzuki’s new Stealth Line of outboards — five new models from 115 hp to 250 hp, all dressed from top to bottom in sleek, matte black styling that can’t help but draw envious stares from other boaters.
In honor of this launch, the entire Suzuki Marine boat show staff was dressed in all black from head to toe, helping to set a theme for this “VIP” event. Before the event was even ready to begin, the boat show crowd and other exhibitors were wondering what was going on inside the Suzuki Marine booth. The booth was entirely surrounded in black velvet rope, with two bouncers (also dressed in all black) guarding the entrance at the front of the booth.
As the event drew near, invited VIPs (press, dealers, boat builder partners and key industry representatives) began filling the aisles around the booth waiting for their chance to get in. This further increased buzz and interest from other area of the show floor, and people naturally wondered what Suzuki was getting ready to do.
Once the ropes opened, the booth quickly filled with a true standing-room-only crowd of press and industry people. Suzuki Marine’s Gus Blakely took to the podium and, after welcoming the 200+ assembled guests, turned the mic over to Brandon Cerka to run through the what’s, how’s and why’s of the new Stealth Line. So many people were crowded around Brandon and the lineup of Stealth Series engines that journalists and others had to hold their cameras and phones up over their heads “paparazzi” style to take photos and recordings.
Adding to the “booth buzz,” a quintet of striking fashion models — also adorned in black — were busy mingling with guests and passing out information about each of the motors in the series. When the food began coming out and the bar opened and the music started, that’s when the event really kicked into high gear.
Suzuki Marine also brought along a special Kanji artist to meet with guests and paint their names in Japanese Kanji characters. Many of the guests took advantage of this and were able to take home distinctive souvenir artworks to hang in their homes and offices.
Everybody in attendance seemed to be very impressed with the new Stealth Line and had a great time. The phrase “I have to get one of those for my boat” was overheard throughout the evening. “This was undoubtedly our biggest, boldest, and best attended Miami Boat Show press event ever,” said Brandon Cerka, Suzuki Marine General Manager Sales & Marketing. “I want to thank the entire Suzuki Marine team for getting behind the Stealth spirit and making this an event that everybody will remember. We’ve certainly set a high bar for future boat shows,” added Cerka.
As big a deal as the Stealth Launch was, this wasn’t the only big thing Suzuki had going on during the show. Friday afternoon, Suzuki Marine representatives headed down to Key West Florida with a group of top boating writers — Jim Hendricks of Salt Water Sportsman magazines, Lenny Rudow of FishTalk and BoatUS magazines, Alan Jones of Soundings magazine, Charlie Levine of Anglers Journal, Kevin Falvey of Boating magazine and John Raguso of The Fisherman magazine. Their mission for the trip was to fish with Suzuki-sponsored captains Robert “RT” Trosset, Robert Trosset III, and Chris Trosset, all Key West legends, and to come back with great articles to write, stories to tell and photos and videos to publish that will promote the Suzuki brand over the coming months and years. Mission accomplished.
While the journalists were down in Key West, Suzuki Marine still had more important work to do during the Miami Boat Show. As the company has done at key boat shows over the past few years, Suzuki Marine gathered staff, dealers, business partners and volunteer members of the public on Saturday to clean up popular Hobie Beach off the Rickenbacker Causeway. About 30 people hit the beach with grabbers and buckets in hand, removing more than 112 pounds of trash from the sand and the water. Much of the trash collected were bits of plastic, which would eventually make their way into the ocean as micro plastic pollution. The fight against micro plastic pollution around the world is something Suzuki takes very seriously and led to the development of the boating industry’s only Micro Plastic Collecting Device for outboard motors.
Through a program developed by Suzuki Marine and the Miami International Boat Show, members of the public who showed up to assist in the cleanup effort were eligible to receive free passes to the final weekend of the boat show. “We want to thank all those who pitched in on Saturday to help clean up the shoreline at this popular family beach,” said Cerka. “And all of the Suzuki Marine USA team members who helped make the 2024 Miami International Boat Show a great success on many different fronts.”
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