The Modern Evolution of Outdoor Marketing
By Mark J. Shutey
The outdoor industry is unique only unto itself. Ask any industry professional to calculate for maximum kinetic energy values, ballistic coefficients, specified leader weights, or adjusted tire pressure (PSI) for a given terrain and you will receive an exacting dissertation complete with diagrams. However, ask these same professionals, “What is the best avenue for marketing their knowledge/product to the public?” and more often than not, the result is a blank stare of confusion.
Over the past quarter century, the outdoor industry has evolved from a reliance on printed publications, brochures and direct mail to outdoor television/radio productions to the development of ecommerce. Modern technology has advanced marketing options at a staggering pace and for most outdoor professionals, it is tough to keep up with this ever-fluctuating progress. While printed publications seem to be nearing an end of their effective life cycles, both television and radio outlets remain top market producers for brand exposure. Both are continuing to demonstrate growth in reach and effectiveness as the marketing world evolves; however, online platforms have established themselves as the future of what is to come.
This future is NOW and includes online video/streaming, email blasts, podcasts, digital marketing, mobile marketing, retargeting, social influencers, direct social advertising; geo-fencing; etc. With new advertising outlets appearing daily and limited advertising budgets, the challenge faced by all outdoor professionals is where to effectively allocate critical advertising dollars to not only maximize your Brand exposure, but effectively attain a return on your investment (ROI). It is important to recognize that a segmented approach which selects one medium over the other is no longer nominal.
One study (Oct. 12, 2018, Marketing Dive, by Erica Sweeney) concluded that advertising campaigns which coordinate across both television and digital outlets boosted sales lift by an average of 32%. With this knowledge, outdoor industry professionals should look toward a more comprehensive approach to marketing their goods and services.
Outdoor Television remains one of, if not the strongest marketing avenue in the industry. Augmenting your current TV strategy with targeted digital and social media campaigns inclusive of retargeting can provide for a broader reach, more touch points, greater overall exposure and increased ROI for Your Brand. This combined approach can effectively deliver your message to garner a prospects interest, and then successfully guide that prospect with each strategic contact throughout the buying cycle. Full integration of a comprehensive marketing campaign for your outdoor product or service can seem more complex than calculating the maximum kinetic energy for your archery setup, but rest assured the marketing professionals at UrgeMedia are up for the challenge.
UrgeMedia, based in Campbellsville, KY maximizes exposure for brands and helps maintain the best “ROI” possible for your marketing dollars. Since 1999, UrgeMedia has been in the media acquisition business, partnering with a variety of brands in the Hunting & Outdoor Recreation space. UrgeMedia acquires advertising components on Television, Digital, Content Creation and partner with Social Media Influencers. For more information about UrgeMedia services, visit https://urgemedia.com