Taking a camping trip in the family RV is far more than just a getaway- it’s an experience that fosters a lifelong connection to the outdoors. A key finding in Watauga’s 2024 Outdoor Customer Growth Report, based on a attitudinal survey of over 1,500 outdoor participants, is that people who grew up RV camping with their families are more likely to develop a deep, enduring passion for outdoor activities as adults. This insight reveals how early family camping experiences can nurture a love for adventure, driving long-term engagement with outdoor lifestyles. For RV dealers and manufacturers, this presents a valuable marketing opportunity. By tapping into these formative experiences and connecting with consumers through their established love for the outdoors, you can attract new RV buyers, build lasting relationships with them once they become a customer, and enable them to create the same experiences and traditions with their families. Understanding this consumer behavior is crucial for shaping strategic marketing plans that resonate with both potential and current RV campers and to achieve greater brand loyalty and growth.
Understanding The RV Buyer
It is important to understand that the love for the outdoors did not happen overnight, but was something that was cultivated over time. Watauga’s Outdoor report reveals that 76% of current RV campers say their first outdoor experience happened when they were under 10 years old. Over 66% of these same RV campers say they have participated in outdoor activities for over 31 years – 24% of them for more than 50 years. This data underscores that RV camping is not just a pastime but a multigenerational tradition, with parents passing down these experiences to their children, who continue the legacy as adults.
Tapping into the nostalgia that an adult might feel for positive memories they made with family and friends when they were children can evoke an emotional connection with your audience. Marketers can incorporate memories into their campaigns and foster a lasting relationship with their customers. Emotional messaging paired with audience targeting can help those messages reach the RV buyer across media channels. An example of this is the recent partnership with GoRVing and Dreamworks and The Wild Robot movie that will be released late September, 2024. The Trailer for The Wild Robot and GoRVing spot shows how the audiences for both brands have a connection through their love with the outdoors. The partnership hopes to “ignite a sense of wonder and inspire families to embark on RV adventures and find their true nature.” The partnership with Dreamworks will provide a whole new audience that may not have considered this type of adventure with their family and ideally start the love for the outdoors, while the children are young. Partnering with a children’s movie also may pique the interest of children in the audience, who can become advocates for the outdoors and ultimately convince their parents (decision-makers) to try the experience.
For marketing directors of RV manufacturers or RV dealerships, it is also important to cast a wide net when it comes to your advertising and audience targeting. RV camping is often a family experience, so marketing efforts should reflect this by targeting a broad age range. You aren’t just trying to reach older adults and parents, when thinking about your audiences. Grandparents are also often involved in family camping experiences. Children can also be an important audience because they often drive the decision-making process for the family vacation. To reach a broader range of people, digital marketing offers tools to engage each age group or segment of the family where they are the most active. For younger adults, video ads on platforms like YouTube and social media channels such as Instagram can be highly effective. Meanwhile, older adults may be more responsive to content shared on online news outlets or Facebook. Children may be reached through YouTube or their favorite streaming channel. Leveraging syndicated research can guide marketers in selecting the best platforms to reach each audience, ensuring campaigns are both precise and far-reaching, resonating across generations of outdoor enthusiasts.
Powering Growth Through Relationships
Another key insight taken from Watauga’s 2024 Outdoor Customer Growth Report is that RV campers are 54% more likely than participants in other types of outdoor activities to consider spending time in the outdoors a top priority. Also, according to the report, RV campers feel the most themselves when they feel a connection to the natural world, so their passion goes beyond camping and is really about loving nature and wanting to be outside.
Understanding RV campers’ deep connection to the outdoors can help manufacturers and dealers guide their marketing strategy to create powerful, authentic relationships with current and potential RV buyers.
Creating a deep relationship with a consumer takes dedication and a consistent approach on the part of the brand. A great way to start building a relationship with this community is to understand where they find their information and what resources they hold sacred as a trusted voice for their passions. As a consumer begins the process of learning about a new activity, there are several sources they use to learn more. The graph highlights the top sources used for first-time research, but they use these same sources to stay informed on their chosen activity.
RV brands can build a foundation of authenticity and trust by first establishing a strong social presence and creating compelling, relevant content- such as blogs or video series- to position their brand as a trusted voice within the RV community. Consistency in content delivery is key; maintaining engagement is a long-term commitment that must be followed in order to build credibility and trust.
Another opportunity to build a genuine bond with current and potential RV campers is by forming partnerships with other influential voices in the space. RV campers are constantly looking for information and inspiration related to RVs, camping, and other related topics. By collaborating with RV content creators and influencers, RV brands can tap into pre-established audiences and expand their reach. These partnerships offer a powerful way to align your brand with trusted RV authorities and deepen your connection with potential customers.
To enhance the reach of your message beyond participating with RV content creators and your own content, implementing a digital advertising campaign can further enhance brand authenticity and visibility. By reaching potential RV customers who are already engaging with outdoor-related content, RV brands can drive traffic to their websites and content platforms, ultimately increasing brand awareness and encouraging RV buyers to explore what your brand has to offer.
Synergies That Can Drive RV Sales
These outdoor-loving consumers are not just fans of RV camping, however. In general, these RV campers also engage in a variety of outdoor pursuits. Finding synergies between RV camping and other types of outdoor activities can provide other avenues in which to reach new RV buyers. These activities, uncovered in Watauga’s 2024 Outdoor Customer Growth Report and listed in this chart, elaborate on the strong correlation between RV campers and other key outdoor activities. It was found that current RV campers are more likely to participate most often in these other types of outdoor activities:
- Snow Boarding (177% more likely)
- Surfing or Windsurfing (177% more likely)
- Jet Skiing (85% more likely)
- Boating/ Water Skiing (68% more likely)
- Mountain Biking (58% more likely)
- Off-roading (50% more likely)
- Fishing (27% more likely)
- Gardening (23% more likely)
- Snow Skiing (23% more likely)
- Hunting (12% more likely)
Knowing there is a correlation between these types of activities and RV camping, outdoor brands can reach and attract new RV buyers in a few different ways:
Brand partnerships – Seeking out partnerships with other brands that share a similar consumer base can be a powerful way to expand reach with RV buyers and enhance brand alignment with other key outdoor activities. Campers Inn, a family-owned RV dealership with over 37 locations has forged a partnership with Field & Stream for their annual Music Fest. The three-day Music Fest draws a camping audience, with festival-goers bringing their RVs for on-site accommodations. The event targets people who participate in other activities, like fishing and hunting, so there is a synergy between those that enjoy these outdoor activities and camping. Campers Inn will be onsite to provide mobile RV services, as well as mobile parts and accessories for anything needed while visitors are camping. Not only does this provide a unique service to those attending the Music Fest, it gives these RV campers the opportunity to engage with the Campers Inn team and experience their customer service first-hand.
Targeted outdoor activity content – Finding a relationship between other outdoor activities and RV camping allows the RV marketer to target their advertising and messaging to the content that these participants consume. Therefore, advertising within this content – whether through native ads, social platforms or video campaigns – offers an effective way to capture the attention of potential and current RV buyers. For example, a hunter who is consuming magazine content endemic to this activity may be drawn to an advertorial reinforcing how an RV brand can enhance their hunting experience. Or a family passionate about boating who are viewing online videos around water sports could be served digital advertising on how an RV brand can extend their adventures on the water. This approach broadens your reach by connecting with outdoor enthusiasts on multiple levels.
Influencers Collaborations- Partnering with influencers who specialize in other types of outdoor activities can further enhance an RV brand’s ability to foster awareness and purchase with new audiences of RV buyers. These influencers often have deeply engaged followers who trust their opinions and rely on them for authentic content. By working with influencers, RV brands can access a highly targeted and passionate audience that is predisposed to becoming an RV camper, creating opportunities for organic brand integration and deeper consumer engagement.
Leveraging Outdoor Passion to Build Strategy
As the RV industry grows, recognizing the lifelong love for the outdoors nurtured by family camping experiences presents a powerful marketing opportunity. These insights are a valuable tool to help shape marketing strategies. By understanding this connection and strategically engaging consumers through digital platforms, partnerships, and authentic storytelling, RV brands can deepen loyalty and attract new buyers. Marketers who tap into this passion for nature, adventure, and tradition will be well-positioned to build relationships that last for generations.
