Thinking Small

Parents may not want to admit it, but they know their kids have a major impact on their decisions, big and small. That influence extends from how the family spends its free time, but also to major purchases, from second homes and vacations to cars and, yes, boats.
In addition, childhood experiences play a huge role in determining not only the activities adults want to participate in today, but what they think their children will most enjoy and benefit from.
This is not new information. In fact, research conducted six years ago on behalf of the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation clearly underlined the benefits of boating for children and family relationships. However, the industry collectively has done little to attempt to increase the number of youth engaging in water sports.
“While almost every company at some time or another designed an ad that shows kids having fun in and around the water, it has not been an area of real focus in marketing,” says Tom Griffin, executive director of the National Youth Marine Alliance.
That’s why NYMA, with the support of a long list of boating organizations, is pursuing several initiatives to work more closely with the marine industry in driving increased participation in outdoor, water-based activities among kids. (See sidebar below). The group argues that, in addition to the societal benefits of getting more kids involved in water-based activities, increased participation can only help to grow boating.
“As with any industry that is trying to expand – or in some cases survive in a tough economy – they look at the demographics of the first-time boat buyer,” says Griffin. “In the case of the marine industry, that is upwards of 25 to 30 years of age. The challenge for an industry is that somehow they have to excite that target demographic enough to get them to choose boating as a recreational priority. That involves a process, and where the youth population comes in is to accelerate that process. The bottom line is kids can drive boat sales.”
“Through our research on the boater penetration of the general population, we know that we must convert, in the next few decades, a higher percentage of the population to boat ownership than exists today to just maintain sale levels,” comments Carl Blackwell, NMMA vice president of marketing and communications. “From a business standpoint, in addition to the fact that it’s a wonderful experience for our children, it’s vitally important for us that more kids are introduced to the joys of boating at an early age as they represent the future of our industry. That’s not meant to be a cliché, it’s a must for our businesses.”
This fall, the NYMA will launch an e-newsletter for the marine industry to increase its awareness of the importance of the youth market, complete with tips and information for boating businesses on how to engage kids and their parents as part of their marketing strategies. The newsletter will also work as a tool to draw attention to its Project Blue Champions Program, whereby individual companies can help support the NYMA’s work through contributions.
“It doesn’t matter if a company gives $50 or $50,000 to help build the alliance,” says Griffin. “Each and every industry Project Blue Champion is important. We will grow boating, one child at a time, one community at a time.”
The Facts
Studies conducted in 2002 on behalf of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation and the National Marine Manufacturers Association revealed the following insights: