Insider recently published Ballyhoo Media’s announcement on their nationwide agreement with the Hornblower Group. We reached out to Tyler Zlatin, the Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Ballyhoo Media, to discuss the deal and what it means for the growth of his Company.
Tyler, tell us why this new agreement with the Hornblower Group is a key win for Ballyhoo Media?
Brands are coming to us more and more, asking to activate on waterways in cities across the U.S. They love how our inventory has the ability to make a splash in markets and create engaging IRL moments in uncluttered spaces.
Over the past five years, we’ve been going market by market, operator by operator, piecing together inventory to meet that demand. It works, but it takes time. By partnering with Hornblower, the largest private operator of passenger vessels in the U.S., operating in over 25 cities, we’re able to scale our workhorse inventory rapidly across the nation. The more vessels, regions, and opportunities we can offer brands to advertise on the waterways, the more budget flows in this direction. Hornblower is key to making that happen, and we couldn’t be happier to have them onboard.
Can you tell us about the Hornblower Group and how large a reach they have?
They operate hundreds of vessels across 25+ regions nationwide, from iconic vessels like San Francisco’s paddlewheel boats to extensive ferry systems like NYC Ferry.
Our first launch is in Washington, D.C., where we’re wrapping the exterior of their Potomac Water Taxi fleet, which cuts through Arlington, Alexandria, Georgetown, and other major areas of DC. Long-term, we’d extend this partnership to their other water taxis and ferries, as well as the potential of sightseeing cruises and dinner vessels.
Sounds like a smaller relationship led to this ultimate deal?
Correct! We started working with Hornblower about three years ago on St. Patrick’s Day programming in Chicago with Jameson. Their team loved how Ballyhoo could transform their existing fleet into real-life brand experiences, without any operational headaches.
Will you be deploying both digital and static advertising for Hornblower?
We’re starting with Potomac Water Taxi, which features full exterior vessel wraps that are static, large-format, and impossible to miss. But our focus moving forward is really on what makes sense for each market and each vessel. Some markets are perfect for static wraps. Others might be better for experiential activations or digital formats down the line.
The goal is to create consistent, scalable programs that work for brands. We’re not trying to force a one-size-fits-all approach. We want to package inventory in a way that aligns with how OOH is bought today, but also aligns with how these vessels interact with audiences. Our goal is to reach high-value locals and premium commuters. Sometimes that’s onboard the vessels, and sometimes that’s along the shorelines.
How significant is the contract to your overall business?
The long-term potential with Hornblower is significant. The best comp would be a Vector Media partnering with CitySightseeing, or a Firefly partnering with a major rideshare. Those types of partnerships allow for scale and reach across major metros that once wasn’t achievable for advertisers in a single buy. We view this partnership through the same lens.
Hornblower gives us access to markets and audiences that are otherwise incredibly hard to reach. Places like Georgetown in DC, the riverfront in Chicago, or commuter audiences in other DMAs. All of this will be available in one consistent, scalable program. As we continue to grow this partnership, we’re unlocking waterways as a true national channel for brands. That has always been our goal, and this partnership is critical to getting us there.
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