Mecum Auctions / Mahogany Bay Boats

The Challenge
A leading auction company in U.S., Mecum Auctions, and the industry leader in the buying/restoring/selling the finest vintage watercraft, Mahogany Bay Boats, teamed up to sell the exclusive The Warner Collection, the largest such collection in the country, of over 100 historic wooden boats, memorabilia, 115 engines, and rare parts. The company wanted to generate maximum publicity around the event to drive qualified attendees to bid on the Collection items via a daylong auction.

The Strategy/Solution
To capitalize on Mahogany Bay’s exclusive collection, Browne+Browne responded with an innovative,
integrated local/regional publicity media plan to compliment Mecum’s national PR effort, and to tap into our agency’s media databases, contacts, and relationships. The plan included news releases, Consumer & Press Preview Day, Media Kits, Media Alerts, live interviews from auction floor, press hospitality, an on-line web presence, and a post event Publicity Media Coverage Report.

Results/Testimonials
• Over 3,500 people attended this unprecedented event and place bids on the 250 auctioned items
• Over $4,000,000 was sold in classic wooden boats, collectibles, engines, water skis, parts, etc. in one day, helping launch Mahogany Bay’s new venture, Retro/Vintage Boats Design.
• Over 30 media outlets covered the event, locally, regionally and nationally
• At another event, Browne+Browne promoted Mahogany Bay’s “History of Wooden Boating in America” exhibit at the Minneapolis Boat Show featuring Guy Lombardo’s 1936 44’ High-Speed Commuter yacht Tempo, generated over 11,500,000 impressions from TV, radio, on-line and newspaper press release coverage.