Leslie Zlotnick and Martino Ruggiero of Yamaha Marine

Leslie Zlotnick and Martino Ruggiero of Yamaha Marine

Bringing a new product to market is hard enough. Creating a new category inside an established dealer network adds a different level of risk. In this episode, Kyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyler-mason/] and John [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhgough/] are joined by Yamaha Marine [https://www.yamahawaverunners.com/]’s Leslie Zlotnick [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-zlotnick-1201193/], Division Manager WaterCraft Marketing, and Martino Ruggiero [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tino1/], Product Manager, to explore how product and marketing align when launching something entirely new. With nearly two decades of collaboration, Leslie and Martino walk through the development and launch of the CrossWave [https://www.yamahawaverunners.com/waverunner/series/Crosswave/Crosswave/], a platform designed to meet changing customer behavior on the water. They share how long-range product planning shapes go-to-market strategy, when marketing should enter the conversation, and how to validate demand before committing to a new category. The conversation also unpacks how Yamaha balanced dealer relationships, organic demand, and limited early information to build momentum ahead of launch. For OEM leaders navigating B2B2X distribution, dealer engagement, and product innovation, this episode offers a clear look at how to align teams, test demand, and bring a new category to life without overengineering the launch. Key Takeaways: * Start with Real Customer Need: Validate unmet needs through research before committing to new product development * Align Product and Marketing Early: Introduce marketing once concepts are viable to shape positioning and launch timing * Let Demand Build Before Overinvesting: Use curiosity and scarcity to generate organic momentum before heavy media spend Timestamps: (00:00) Meet Leslie Zlotnick and Martino Ruggiero (02:11) Marketing and product roles inside Yamaha (03:22) Planning product development five years out (05:46) How Yamaha defines winning in long-range strategy (07:41) Identifying unmet customer needs on the water (09:33) When marketing enters product development (11:07) Positioning a product for multiple use cases (12:48) Balancing niche use with broad market appeal (17:04) Managing portfolio risk and category creation (22:00) Rethinking traditional product launch strategy (26:03) Dealer reactions and early demand signals (29:55) Launching without complete information (33:17) Advice for product and marketing alignment

Tim Wieland of Bosch USA

What do you do when the market wants innovation, but not all at the same pace? In this episode, Kyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyler-mason/] and John [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhgough/] sit down with Tim Wieland [https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwieland/], Director of Corporate Communications at Bosch USA [http://www.bosch.us], to explore how one of the world's largest automotive suppliers approaches mobility, market readiness, and long-term innovation. As Bosch helps OEMs navigate electrification, hybrids, software-defined vehicles, and AI, Tim discusses the challenge of communicating a cohesive strategy across a vast portfolio without losing sight of customer needs. He explains Bosch's technology-neutral stance, why the powertrain market will continue fragmenting for years to come, and how consumer demand ultimately determines which technologies win.  For leaders in B2B2X channels managing dealer complexity or weighing decisions on electrification and AI, this episode offers practical perspective on balancing innovation with affordability, long-term vision with near-term pressure, and brand storytelling with business reality. Key Takeaways: * Build Around Consumer Readiness: Scale technology based on what customers value, understand, and can afford * Use Portfolio Breadth as a Strategic Advantage: Share insights across business units to uncover product, channel, and innovation opportunities * Pair Long-Term Vision with Timely Action: Stay patient on market shifts without losing the urgency needed to win in the moment Timestamps: (00:00) Meet Tim Wieland (01:16) What Bosch Mobility Communications looks like in North America (03:21) Why hybrid technology is gaining ground with US consumers (05:00) Connecting vehicle architecture, software, and system-level thinking (07:28) The challenge of making advanced mobility affordable (09:03) How Bosch aligns strategy, internal buy-in, and market demand (10:40) Why Bosch invests for the future while serving OEM needs today (14:02) Bosch’s technology-neutral view of electrification, hybrids, combustion, and hydrogen (17:20) Why consumer brand awareness still matters in a B2B2X model (20:53) How Bosch built a Super Bowl campaign to grow in the US market (29:20) Balancing patience, profitability, and the pressure to win now (35:20) Why AI will reshape how marketers, agencies, and OEMs operate (42:40) What agency professionals should keep when moving in-house

Bradley Adams of Honda Powersports

Launching a product is one challenge, but launching it at the precise moment your dealers are ready to sell it is an entirely different thing.  In this episode, Kyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyler-mason/] and John [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhgough/] sit down with Bradley Adams [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-adams-a89ba51b7/], Assistant Manager of Public Relations for Powersports at Honda [https://www.honda.com], to unpack how product launches actually work inside a global OEM. From coordinating media events to aligning with dealership floors, Bradley shares how timing, storytelling, and experience design come together in a mediated sales environment. He explains that Honda builds its launch strategies around the rider, rather than just the product, and why successful launches feel more like shared experiences than mere announcements. Additionally, he elaborates on the increasing influence of YouTube creators, the pressure of competitive product comparisons, and how dealer demonstrations significantly impact the final purchasing decision, often more than marketers realize. For OEM leaders managing B2B2X distribution, dealer support, and product launch strategies, this episode provides valuable insights on integrating engineering, media, and sales into a cohesive moment that drives demand and conversions. Key Takeaways: * Build Launch Timing Around Availability: Align media buzz with dealership inventory so demand converts immediately into sales * Design Experiences That Tell the Product Story: Create events that reflect how and where the product is actually used * Equip Dealers As The Final Influencer: Ensure sales teams experience and understand the product to close the gap between interest and purchase Timestamps: (00:00) Meet Bradley Adams (01:45) Inside Honda’s PR and product launch responsibilities (05:37) From racing to media to OEM marketing (12:35) How Honda approaches product launch strategy (13:13) Building launch events around product story and use case (18:42) Why comparison tests influence buying decisions (20:04) The challenge of proving marketing impact on sales (21:28) The role of product materials and messaging in launches (24:39) Dealer influence and the importance of product experience (27:00) Aligning media, dealers, and internal teams (28:12) Constraints that shape real world launch planning (29:56) Teasers, timing, and maintaining audience attention (35:37) Expanding into fleet sales and new channels (38:35) Career advice for succeeding in the powersports industry

Carl Blackwell

Industry marketing gets complicated when the product is sold through independent dealers, built by dozens of manufacturers, and unfamiliar to most consumers. In this episode, Kyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyler-mason/] and John [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhgough/] sit down with Carl Blackwell [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlblackwell/], longtime Chief Marketing Officer of the National Marine Manufacturers Association [http://www.nmma.org] and former President of Discover Boating [https://www.discoverboating.com/]. Over four decades in marketing, Carl worked across restaurants, advertising, the beef industry, and eventually recreational boating. Carl shares the story behind Discover Boating and what it took to build an industry-wide campaign from the ground up. This involved gaining the support of independent manufacturers and dealers, basing decisions on research, and addressing the real barriers that prevent first-time buyers from stepping onto a boat. The conversation also tackles campaigns that have reshaped how boating is marketed, the role of boat clubs as a gateway for new participants, and the challenges the industry faces moving forward. From concerns about affordability to an aging customer base, Carl reflects on how marine manufacturers, dealers, and industry groups can collaborate to increase participation and strengthen the boating sector. Key Takeaways: 1. Earn Credibility With Dealers: Independent dealers respond when marketers respect their expertise and take the time to understand how their businesses actually operate. 2. Use Research To Unlock Category Growth: Discover Boating succeeded because it focused on understanding the barriers that stop first-time buyers from entering the market. 3. Expand The Funnel Before Selling Ownership: Boat clubs, rentals, and shared access models introduce people to the water and create future buyers. Timestamps: (00:00) Meet Carl Blackwell (01:12) Carl’s 40-year marketing career (05:15) Moving from the beef industry to launch Discover Boating (09:00) Building industry buy in for a national boating campaign (11:50) Researching barriers that stop first time boat buyers (14:31) Why dealers must sell boating as a family experience (16:36) Convincing skeptical manufacturers to support Discover Boating (20:25) Boat clubs as a gateway for first time boaters (23:54) Favorite Discover Boating campaigns and creative experiments (27:00) Early adoption of digital, connected TV, and influencer marketing (29:02) Changing the narrative about the “two best days of boat ownership” (33:14) Affordability challenges facing the marine industry (38:00) New models like boat clubs, sharing, and fractional ownership (44:00) The challenge of funding top of funnel marketing

Robb and Dante Young of Young Boats

Selling through dealers can create scale, but it can also create distance between you and your customer. What happens when a manufacturer chooses to own the relationship from day one? In this episode, Kyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyler-mason/] and John [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhgough/] sit down with Robb Young [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robb-young-3358a52a2/], Founder of Young Boats [https://www.youngboats.com/], and Dante Young [https://www.youngboats.com/about/], Vice President, to explore what it looks like to grow a marine manufacturing company without a traditional dealer network. From selling grouper to fund their first prototype to maintaining a two-year backlog during the pandemic, the Youngs share how a factory-direct model shaped their brand, operations, and customer loyalty. Robb and Dante discuss the tradeoffs of bypassing dealers, how direct customer feedback fueled product innovation, and why over 80% of their buyers still own a Young Boat. They also unpack how to manage service across geographies, protect margin in a volatile marine market, and build a team that treats every hull like it has a name on it. For OEM leaders navigating B2B2X distribution, dealer relationships, and channel strategy, this episode offers a clear look at what happens when you design your go-to-market model around trust. Key Takeaways: 1. Design with the End User In The Room: Invite customers into the build process to accelerate product innovation and increase long-term loyalty. 2. Treat Every Unit Like It Has A Name: Connect production teams directly to buyers to drive quality, pride, and repeat purchases. 3. Diversify Services To Weather Circumstances: Expand the business model with service, restoration, and custom lines to stabilize cash flow in volatile OEM markets. Timestamps: (00:00) Meet Robb and Dante Young (04:57) Funding Young Boats through commercial fishing (07:39) Designing a boat that solves real problems for anglers (09:22) Why charter captains became the first true customers (12:08) The advantage of factory-direct customer feedback (13:53) The operational challenges of selling boats factory direct (16:06) The Young 27 and finding an open space in the market (21:05) Surviving the 2008 downturn and protecting the team (26:00) Owner referrals as a substitute for a dealer network (26:55) Building loyalty through the Young Boats owners' tournament (29:10) Reading the market before launching a new model (36:31) Why relationships matter in factory direct manufacturing (41:17) The realities of building boats that survive harsh conditions