Last month, to get ready for the Victoria Day long weekend, the BOATsmart! Team hosted media at the Toronto Harbourfront for BOATsmart! Awareness Day.  The day was designed to raise awareness of safe boating practices and to remind boaters that they are required by law to get their Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) before operating any power craft, regardless of age or size of engine.

Threatening skies and chilly, dismal weather may not be the picture of summer boating, but the weather was certainly not a foreshadowing of event success. Media came on board (literally!), as they interviewed Cameron Taylor and John Witzing of BOATsmart! Canada on everything from safety measures and equipment, to the ins and outs of PCOC cards, including how to get it.

The result of the event and a succeeding media tour with stops in other major markets, was national coverage, promoting long weekend safety and the BOATsmart! exam, an increase in online sales, and  media requests for mid-summer check-ins  on boating safety as they look to BOATsmart! as a helpful resource for boating-related stories.

Step aside Kate Bosworth- Sasha Jackson, the newest surf maven, was in Toronto along with her leading man Ben Milliken to share their rad surf skills and celebrate the release of their new movie Blue Crush 2.

The surfing duo flew in from the beach in L.A. to participate in a full day of interviews with outlets such as Oh So Cosmo! and Much Music, followed by a beach party premiere in Toronto’s entertainment district, and High Road was there.

In ultimate South African surfer style, the beach party was set on a man-made beach in the downtown core, complete with a bonfire, Nando’s barbeque and African dancers. Fans and media scoped out a spot in the sand and joined the cast to enjoy live music from the film and a screening under the stars. There to catch the action, our friends at CP24 were on location to interview the cast.

 In all, the event was a swimming success and an experience the talent and fans won’t soon forget!

Came across this interview recently. U.S. Senator Kirk Watson appears on MSNBC’s Hardball as an Obama supporter, facing off against a Hillary supporter. Host Chris Matthews asks Watson a pretty simple question that leaves him staring helplessly at the camera for much of the segment.

Someone with Watson’s experience and, undoubtedly, his vast PR resources should never have found himself in this position. Especially not on national TV.

It’s yet another reminder that anyone speaking to a reporter – not matter how senior, experienced or smart they may be – needs to put in the prep time, and expect the unexpected.