I feel fortunate to have grown up in an environment where the outdoors was not only an option, but a way of life. It didn’t matter what the season, there was always something to do outside. The fall and winter brought most of my family — father, brothers, uncles, cousins — together every weekend to hunt squirrels, doves, rabbits, quail, or deer. And when spring rolled around, we were quick to grab the fishing rods and hit the local fishing holes or hunt the elusive wild turkey.
It was during these times that family bonds were built, core values were taught and a outdoor lifestyle was instilled. Over the last several years, I have been actively involved in marketing to the outdoor industry. I have been fortunate to spend time with people that have a lifetime of outdoor marketing experience and speak to those that are just entering the category. Although many times they have differing opinions of how brands should market themselves, one topic is consistently mentioned, “How do we get more young people into the outdoors?” Is there a silver bullet that any one company could use to make this happen? I don’t believe so. It’s going to take a very strategic approach, as an industry, to make it work.
An important step to a good marketing plan is knowing your audience. That’s obvious, right? It’s kids. Well, not exactly! In my opinion, that’s only partially true. With video games, computers, cell phones and the many electronic gadgets available, today’s youth has been given many reasons to stay inside. The question I pose, “How do kids get these electronics and who let’s them use them?” That’s right, their mentors, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. And to me, there’s your real audience. If we want to influence today’s youth to get outside we must motivate their mentors, educate on how to mentor and give them the tools they need to succeed. In my opinion, developing effective mentors will be the key to bringing youth back to the outdoors.
So this begs the question, how do we reach them? Here at Keller Crescent, we think it’s going to take more than the traditional methods of TV, print and radio. We believe in a different approach that builds on the traditional advertising model, but utilizes new digital marketing mediums to reach the young mentors of today. This will allow future mentors to get questions answers, interact with other mentors, and better understand the role they play in the future of our industry. This is only the first step in a much larger plan, but based on the sound strategic planning and marketing execution that Keller Crescent offers, the outdoor industry can reinvent itself in way that will build a new generation of anglers, hunters and general outdoor enthusiasts.
We are ready to help you take that step, so give us a call.
Tags: marketing
