Summer - InsideOutdoor Magazine

The primary reason for the lack of outdoor participation
seems to be a lack of available time, with 71 percent of males
and 64 percent of females saying they do not participate in outdoor
activities because of available leisure time. In all, 44 percent
said they would definitely participate in outdoor activities
if they had more leisure time.
This is at least encouraging. The question now becomes how
to create more leisure time or how to get Hispanics to alter how
they spend their leisure time.
The UCLA/OIF report indicates that the availability of leisure
time in the Hispanic community is actually growing. In
order to capitalize on that time when it becomes available,
outdoor marketers have the challenge of increasing Hispanic
participation now in activities that do not require a large time
commitment, such as trail running, hiking, biking and fishing,
the authors suggest.
“In the future when Hispanics have more time to participate,
the momentum derived from prior outdoor activity involvement
has the potential to encourage further activity in more
time intensive activities,” write the UCLA authors.
In order to capitalize on the interest, the outdoor industry
would be wise to appeal to the social and familial aspects of the
Hispanic community by promoting the social aspects of activities
like hiking, fishing and camping.
“The benefit would be that these activities would not require
more of a time commitment than is already spent with their
family and friends,” notes the UCLA/OIF report.
In addition, marketers have an opportunity to market the
health benefits to these types of outdoor activities. “This might
prove to be an especially good opportunity for parents to spend
time with their children while promoting active lifestyles,” the
authors suggest.
THINK YOUNG
With 19 distinct household segments within the Hispanic
community, marketers need to hone in on those segments which
are most likely to provide the highest return. The UCLA/OIF
study says the most active Hispanics are between 18 and 34 (40
percent are active more than four hours per week). In addition,
38 percent of Hispanics with at least some level of college education
reported activity greater than four hours per week. That
number increases to 41 percent for those Hispanics with an advanced
degree.
In addition, the UCLA/OIF report says 40 percent of males
reported physical activity of more than four hours per week,
compared to just 29 percent of females.
But the most encouraging segment may very well be the Hispanic
youth market.
“The Hispanic market and especially the Hispanic youth
market cannot be ignored by any industry in the U.S. that wishes
to be competitive both today and in the near future,” says the
OIF report. “The sheer size of the Hispanic youth segment and
its incredible growth rate demand immediate attention.”
According to the report, the Hispanic share of the under-18
U.S. population grew from 11.4 percent to 18 percent between
1990 and 2002. This was compounded by a slowing and even
reduction in the number of non-Hispanic youths.
Encouraging for the industry is Hispanic youths appear
to have favorable attitudes toward outdoor activities. In the
UCLA/OIF survey, camping topped the list among those with
at least a medium interest, with 75 percent expressing medium,
high or very high interest. Hiking was second among the most
interested at 55 percent, followed by biking and rock climbing
which both tallied 50 percent medium to very high interest.
Camping and hiking are prime “gateway” activities that
could lead to other pursuits as participants age, and once they
begin having children of their own, they are likely to pass along
their fondness for camping because of its family friendliness
and social benefits.
The other good news for marketers is that younger Hispanics,
regardless of country of origin, are much more likely than older
Hispanics to view English as their dominant language. In addition,
in families with less acculturated parents, kids have a significant
impact on brand purchases, the UCLA/OIF study says.
Some complications are that Hispanic families tend to be
matriarchal, with mothers being the “ultimate gatekeepers”
and teens being shielded from “messages or activities that
are seen as threatening to the family or irrelevant,” note the
UCLA researchers.
Another challenge is that obesity is an issue for the entire
Hispanic population, particularly youths. Research suggests
that there is cultural and social acceptance for being overweight,
but health matters also are a concern for Hispanics, so being
able to promote outdoor recreation as a healthy alternative to
other activities could prove meaningful.
COMMUNICATION
Cultural indicators aside, one of the barriers to entry up
to now has been a lack of meaningful communication about
outdoor recreation to the Hispanic population. Manufacturers
have not done a good job of getting effective messages out, and
retailers can do more within their local communities to cater to
Hispanic consumers.
In their study, the UCLA researchers note that visits to retailers
within or near areas with large Hispanic populations did
not have Spanish-speaking staff available, nor did they provide
promotional literature in Spanish. The effect could be as simple
as out of sight, out of mind. Or worse, alienation.
It stands to reason that those with the best opportunity in
reaching Hispanic consumers are those nearest to the heaviest
concentration of population. Regardless, it appears that a concerted,
cooperative effort between manufacturers, retailers and
other segments of the outdoor industry stands the best chance
in being effective.
All aspects of the industry stand to benefit. The fact there is
clear interest in outdoor activities by Hispanics is an important
and encouraging development. That there is still little participation
is discouraging. The task now is to fix the disconnection.
Instead of continuing to ask why Hispanics aren’t involved
in outdoor pursuits or buying outdoor gear in large numbers,
the latest market research suggests the more meaningful question
is why should they?
There is a lot riding on the answers. Based on the numbers,
that’s a $1 trillion question.
36 | InsideOutdoor | Summer 2007