August 2008

In This Version:

• Stats and Facts on Outdoor Participation
• Fitness Check-Up
• Latest Marketing Insight from Advertising Age
• Signs of the Times
  

Stats and Facts on Outdoor Participation

The Outdoor Industry Foundation funded The Next Generation of Outdoor Participants as a way to better understand outdoor participants and inspire greater involvement of current participants and future generations. With an increased emphasis upon younger segments of the population, this report does not so much focus on trends in specific activities as it does examination of active lifestyles; a more valuable and insightful approach. Information included within this report:

Profile of American Outdoor Participants

• 50% of Americans regard outdoor activities as their main source of exercise
• Nearly 50% of American outdoor participants were involved in 30 or fewer outings in 2006
• 26% of outdoor participants take part in outdoor activities two or more times per week

Favorite Outdoor Activities

The following is a list in order from highest to lowest number of outings by all Americans and includes:

Differences Among Age and Life Stage Groups

• The percentage of young adults who take part in outdoor activities twice a week or more drops between young adulthood and youth to 25%; a 30% decrease from youth rates
  • Among youth ages 6 to 17, they experienced 4.17 billion total outdoor outings in 2006 with an average of 115 annual outdoor outings per participant. Top two most frequent activities: bicycling and running/jogging/trail running
    o Among young adults defined as individuals ages 18 to 24, there were a total of 1.47 billion outdoor outings in 2006 representing an average of 95 outdoor outings per participant; favorite activities: running/jogging/trail running followed by bicycling
• The drop-off rate in outdoor participation rates between the “child” and the “teenage” group is more dramatic among girls than boys
• The drop off rate in outdoor participation for males is sharper between the teenage years and young adulthood
• Participants take part in fewer outdoor activities as they age
  • Youth participants average 3.4 outdoor activities
  • Two groups of adults, ages 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 average 2.6 each
• By young adulthood (ages 18 to 24) participation in indoor activities and outdoor activities reach the same level
• Skateboarders between the ages 6 to 24 years of age are more than twice as likely to bicycle than those who do not skateboard
• Joggers ages 24 and older are three times more likely to go backpacking than those who do not jog
• Participation in urban-associated outdoor activities such as skateboarding, running, and bouldering can lead to a greater appreciation of being outdoors, higher fitness levels, and increased participation in more traditional outdoor activities
• Hispanic participation in outdoor activities is lower across all ages groups than White/Caucasian
• Participation in outdoor activities by African-Americans is lower than that of Hispanics
• African-Americans have lower levels of participation in “gateway” activities such as biking, camping, fishing, hiking and running/jogging/trail running with the exception of running/jogging/trail running.

90% of Outdoor participants were introduced to outdoor activities before the age of 18 (Exploring the Active Lifestyle, Outdoor Industry Foundation, 2004)

Introducing newcomers of all racial and ethnic groups increases the number of “infrequent” participants which may lead to more people who are avid outdoor participants.

(Source: http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/pdf/ResearchNextGeneration.pdf)

Editor’s Note: The reports supported by the Outdoor Industry Foundation are available at no charge and can be downloaded from the website: www.outdoorfoundation.org. What a service this foundation provides for all organizations interested in the health and wellbeing of individuals and the out of doors as well. A special thank you for their valuable efforts on our behalf.

Implications for Parks and Recreation

• Participation in outdoor activities is a positive, enjoyable way in which to meet the CDC requirements for adequate levels of physical activities by Americans which as a reminder is a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week for adults
• Agencies should make a concerted effort to provide access and encouragement to the gateway outdoor activities. Gateway activities (biking, camping, fishing, hiking, running/jogging/trail running) being those that introduce people to outdoor activity and leads to participation in other outdoor activities.
• Skateboarding can lead to good things!
• Since 90% of outdoor participants were introduced to outdoor activities before the age of 18, we should consider it part of our mission to expose the large numbers of youth whose lives we touch with such opportunities
• The extra effort on the part of park and recreation professionals that may be required to reach non-outdoor recreation participants and racial and ethnic group members has the potential to reap benefits for individuals, your organization, and society overall.

Fitness Check-Up

Fitness has long been a mainstay of the offerings by most park and recreation departments and as such it is always a good idea to review trend predictions and check your offerings in relationship to other alternatives. The following list was developed by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Fitness Trend Predictions for this year:

1. Out of the Box Workouts in response to those people who are not overly fond of gyms. This trend reflects the challenge of motivating people for physical activity in other ways reflecting the popularity of music, dancing, and the out-of-doors.
2. Equipment-Free Exercise cuts down on the expense of equipment as well as the intimidating factor that equipment has for some people. This trend focuses upon ways to add greater range of movement to existing workouts.
3. Training with a Purpose is not to be overlooked as an option as ever-increasing numbers of people are participating in charity walks, runs, or marathons as well as people looking to train for a specific, special event such as a tournament, or wedding, etc.
4. Boomer’s Expanded Fitness Focus includes such things as keeping one’s self more youthful, injury-free, and flexible with limber bodies. Don’t forget the emphasis upon physical activity and maintaining brain power as well.
5. Time Won’t Let Me has long been an excuse as to why people can’t workout regularly and the new classes that last 30 minutes or less or focus on one component of fitness or a specific body part are gaining in popularity.
6. W= Whole and Wellness an increasing number of people are interested in pursuing a prevention approach to health and that results in a focus upon all aspects of their well-being, body, mind, and spirit.
7. Fusion Focus as more traditional physical activities and fitness workout are combined with more mindful and meditative approaches. Hard to imagine a Spin-Yoga class, but…
8. Personal Training made the list at the beginning of the 2008 and it will be interesting to see just how recession-proof this individualized, more expensive option remains.
9. High Tech is likely to take the fitness and physical activity world by storm as both the range of technology and the cost of the technology comes down as a way to address the need and interest for individualized use. Think iPODs and PDA downloads.
10. Functional Strength Training The bottom line is that people need to remain fit in order to function in their daily lives and this trend places an emphasis upon activities that enhance strength, endurance, balance, and coordination that result in successful and safe completion of daily life tasks including those that work-related or recreational.

(Source: http://www.acefitness.org/media/media_display.aspx?itemid=277)

Implications for Parks and Recreation

• Take advantage of our emphasis upon “fun and enjoyment” as a way to attract people who avoid or under-participate in physical activity
• Make use of the “term” physical activity rather than “exercise”
• At every opportunity,. continue to re-emphasize the health benefits of physical activity
• Attract the interest and attention of individuals who either are not overly concerned about appearance or who have dismissed physical appearance as a viable option by appealing to overall well-being and higher functioning in daily life.

Latest Marketing Insight from Advertising Age

When Peter Francese talks the marketing world listens. Francese, the founder of American Demographics magazine is currently demographic trends analyst at Ogilvy & Mather. In a recent Advertising Age article, Francese identified 5 demographic trends and then went on to cite the challenge and offer advice as to necessary action to be taken in order to respond to those trends.

Francese’s advise as to how to reach changing consumers includes:

Trend #1: Generation AARP. The average age of heads of households in the United States is 49.5 which means they will be receiving greeting from AARP very soon. When you couple this statistic with the fact that the first wave of boomers will turn 65 in less than three years, you have a significant trend.

The Challenge: As consumers age they develop a tendency to become more risk-averse and less open to new ideas.

Recommendation: Keep in mind that “60 is the new 40” or “30 or whatever” so don’t talk down to these folks. But, it wouldn’t hurt to include references such as safe, experienced, and guarantees in your promotional messages

Trend #2: The Consumer Chasm. The distance between and among consumers is growing exponentially especially as it relates to values, attitudes, and behaviors. Francese cites the vast difference between the world of online and wireless-centric consumers and an older group of newspaper readers.

The Challenge: How is it possible for one organization or one program or service to reach the growing gap among consumers?

Recommendation: Aggressively move into target marketing strategies that place greater emphasis upon ethnographic research which includes culture, beliefs, and the observable behavior of various target groups of people.

Trend #3: Regional Disconnect. Francese wisely reminds us that while we are one nation, but that hardly means we are united or homogeneous.

The Challenge: People living in the Northeast tend to be older, predominantly white, and have fewer children while the Western part of the country is younger and more diverse. In addition to those differences, two-third of the more recent immigrants are living in either the South or the West.

Recommendation: Francese’s recommendations work well for national products as he suggests that products aimed at older consumers target people living in the North and East and that companies trying to reach young consumers pick regions carefully and develop a message that culturally resonates with your target market, For more localized applications such as parks and recreation, we would do well to identify the demographic sub-groups living within our communities and to tailor programs, services, and messages specifically for those groups.

Trend #4: New Faces. There are new groups of people out there who are assuming roles as major consumers.

Challenge: Hispanic women in the United States have a median age of 28 which is 14 years younger than the median age for white, non-Hispanic women. One in five consumers who are 65 years of age or older is Hispanic, Black, or Asian as compared with two in five consumers under the age of 45 falling into one of those racial or ethnic groups. With special interest for Californians, more than one half of heads of households in California or Texas are Hispanic, Black, Asian, or multiracial.

Recommendation: Francese’s recommendation to this trend is short and specific: If you want to be the choice of a new generation, embrace the cultures and voices of that generation.

Trend #5: Immigration Imperative. Over the past 7 years, the population in the United States has increased and 40% of that growth is a result of immigration. Five fairly large states, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, and Connecticut, would have faced reductions in workforce and population numbers if it were not for new immigrants.

The Challenge: The debate around immigration particularly in this coming election year is an important one.

Recommendation: Follow the debate and further legislative action carefully as changes can have an impact upon the economy and also sources for new consumers.

(Source: Peter Francese. “The Changing Face of the U.S. Consumer; What we can learn from Census data, and why it matters for brands.” Advertising Age, 7/7/08)

Amusing “Sign of the Times and Trends”

Old School P.E.., a two hour activity program specifically for adults is built around a more adult-like version of traditional gym class favorites. This two hour program operates on Friday night in the Newport, NH Recreation center; its success built upon the other similar approaches such as dodgeball and kickball leagues and Urban Recess out of Portland, OR. Participation includes “only” a short set of rules in order to avoid that “league feeling”. Rules include spouses or significant others must play on opposing teams; keeping score is out; and a new commissioner who can select the games to be played is chosen every Friday night. This is a real example of the out of the box trend cited previously. Can you say “floor hockey”?

Tom Meyers, an editorial cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, recently cited his confusion and unhappiness with paths he uses for walking in his community. His dismay at the inconvenience and noise that shattered his peaceful experience was because the path was being used by so many other people; people with differing pursuits, i.e. bike riders, strollers, inline skates, skateboarders. What is the world coming to? The response would be a society made up of individuals whose values, attitudes, and pursuits not only vary widely from one another, but often infringe upon one’s own participation.

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© California Park & Recreation Society, 2008. trendSCAN is created for CPRS by Leisure Lifestyle Consulting of Sarasota, FL. Comments and questions can be directed to Dr. Ellen O’Sullivan at leisurlife@aol.com. Please feel free to share interesting trend information with her as well.