From the standpoint of helping a brand “appeal” effectively to consumers, I’m a big believer they need to authentically connect to their lifestyle and sense of self-expression. A lot of my friends in the greater marketing and advertising world think it’s limiting to focus on a particular group of people. However, we’ve always felt the only way to authentically engage your audience is to understand their nuances intimately as both a participant and member of the industry.
I’d stack the action, outdoor, and adventure travel audience and lifestyle up against any in terms of inspiration, devotion and enthusiasm. They are incredibly committed to their brands if addressed at the core of how they see themselves. Rather than telling them who they should be or how they should behave, connect to what they aspire to be. Whether it be a pro like Shaun White, or a die hard enthusiast living the life by putting in 150 days surfing all over the world for nothing but the love of it, creating that association goes a long way to being included in their admirer’s pattern of behavior.
How large is this audience?
- Participation in “core” outdoor sports and Activities is over 100m in the US alone according to the Outdoor Industry Association’s 2010 participation report. That’s nearly 1 in 3 people.
- According to the Snow Industry Association’s (SIA) latest report, 1 in 10 Americans say they ski, ride and/or snow shoe. That’s about 30m people the snow lifestyle appeals to, give or take.
- Check out the Transworld media kit which targets youth Action Sports . Who wouldn’t want to appeal to 25m 14-28 year olds?
Just as a caveat. I agree there is a big difference in the definitions of participation. There is a wide divide between those who actually skateboard regularly and those that just bought skate shoes for the one time they tried skateboarding. However, for our purposes it doesn’t really matter. It’s about appealing to one’s aspirations.
This is in by no means a new thing. Since the dawn of outdoor and action sports, brands both core and non-core have been striving to appeal to this audience. There are some classic examples of brands that have used this approach successfully to promote products that, technically, have nothing to do with the lifestyle but have become integral nonetheless by sponsoring events, movies and athletes as well as running campaigns that clearly connect them:
- For those that can remember Red Bull in the very early 90s. They were very much associated with the underground teen “rave” lifestyle. Shortly thereafter they made a conscious shift to re-associate with “action sports.” One look at their site makes this clear. Given the lifestyle’s ability to inspire emotions of energy, pushing boundaries, and excitement this was a great fit. RB is now closing in on being a $3b company.
- In the 80’s Subaru took their station wagon, which was not much more than a “tin can” on wheels (coming from a fan by the way), and attached itself as an integral part of snow sports industry to amazing success. Here are a few quick recent samples I found:
- I’m particularly fond of the new Nike, Dwayne Wade and Miami Heat. Who would have thought they NBA needed action sports to be perceived as exciting and new. Note you won’t see a basketball anywhere.
- Shoot, even Accenture, a management consulting firm, is using surfing. Thanks Tiger. Glad we could help.
On Twitter
How can this group of people be limiting…… “action, outdoor, and adventure travel audience!” This does include the whole gambit of ages. You are right tapping into emotions, desires, experiences and fantasies takes your audience from a place of control to a place they want to be or dream of. Just look at Accenture, do surfers have the kind of capital they are looking for, maybe not but it is the total fantasy riding the wave to success, this is where the image takes you and that is how the audience is captured.