The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation released an analysis of U.S. consumer audiences to assess and prioritize opportunity areas for focus. The study surveyed more than 3,000 individuals and families, including Hispanics, millennials, anglers and boaters. It reveals new insights that can be applied to marketing efforts throughout the fishing and boating industries.
“At RBFF, we believe in strong research as the basis of everything we do,” president and CEO Frank Peterson said in a statement. “Studies like this help us identify who to target and how to get our message across, all in the name of increasing fishing and boating participation.”
Key findings from the study helped group the audience opportunity into six segments of potential consumers with varying interest in fishing and boating: avid adventurists, active social families, family-focused relaxers; leisure-time enjoyers, lukewarm occasionalists and uncommitteds.
“One of the major trends we’re seeing in this research — and it’s being backed up in other studies we’ve conducted — is that diversity, equity and inclusion will be increasingly important for the future of our industry,” said RBFF marketing director Rachel Piacenza. “We’re using these findings and focusing on the active social families and family-focused relaxer segments, who tend to be younger, more culturally diverse and more socially connected than the traditional angler. We have a real opportunity to use inclusive messaging to bring these consumers to the water and create lifelong anglers and boaters.”
The study found significant opportunity to grow participation among 100 million potential boaters and 88 million potential anglers. It also found that equipment purchases are most frequently carried out by the end user at big-box retailers such as Walmart and outdoor specialty stores.
