How to market for the BSA

[Back Pack]

@@Eagledad, sorry for confusing you. I'm not clear myself on where to go next. You raise some great points. I agree that scouting does not do a good job making sure their program is correctly applied and managed so you end up with lower quality in various pockets nationally. It also leads to misperceptions about scouting. That is what I meant by offering better training to counter act that poor implementation of the scouting program. I was also thinking that a clever marketing campaign might obviously tie together how scouting builds character, provides leadership opportunities and personal learning and growth. Someone posted that video of the boy saving the girls from drowning. That was powerful. A few more videos like that focused on the key scouting messages we want everyone to know might get the message across. Maybe I'm wrong but it really got to me. I might be in the minority though.

[Hawkwin]

As far as marketing and using some B level star (I love you Mike Rowe but you are not selling movie tickets!), that is highly unlikely to work.

 

If you REALLY want to appeal to the youth of today, it is somewhat simple (but not easy). I propose three things:

 

1. A Cub Scout cartoon. Make a cartoon that shows how fun it is to be a cub scout.  Make a bunch of cub scout super heros that use their skills to save their communities. Put it on the Cartoon Network. Make action figures that go with the show.

 

2. A Google/Apple app game. It seems everyone has one of these "match 3" games these days. My daughter played a Frozen version of one for a while. Make one that actually give you "credit" for completing aspects of the game. Could even give a unique belt loop or other recognition for people that play the game. Want the trinket you just won?! Click this link to be directed to your local cub scout den for more details.

 

3. Our own YouTube channel. I don't about your kids but mine try to spend every waking moment on their tablets. If we had a cool and fun channel, perhaps narrated by some kid with an English accent (no idea why but both my kids love Minecraft vids of UK people), showing scouts doing wild and crazy fun stuff, they we would be marketing to a captive audience that might want to go out and do what they see online.

 

Kids that are already enjoying the outdoors likely already have an affinity for scouts. The others that are glued to tech are unlikely to develop such if we employ campaigns that are more geared to convincing adults.

 

Make scouting something kids ask their parents if they can join, instead of a thing parents ask their kid (or tell their kid in many cases) to join.

[walk in the woods]

Not sure what this is referring to.... Was it the "tougher than a Boy Scout" thing that was on TV a couple years back?  That was a nice attempt but missed the target IMHO.  Hitting that target is hard I have noticed, with TV shows.  I can think of a few emergency room type doctor shows as examples that are pretty good....but there's something subtle about the way they are produced that make them obviously tiers below something like the old "ER".  You can tell they are trying hard, but they just miss a subtle something that makes them come of as fake or not quite real....

Creek Stewart is an Eagle Scout, runs a survival school, had a reality TV show about surviving in the woods with multiple mentions of scouting on various episodes.  He's been publicly associated with the BSA for the last several years.  https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/06/01/eagle-scout-survival-expert-hosts-fat-guys-woods-weather-channel/, 

[walk in the woods]

 It's not just character but it's the chance to lead, grow and learn. You don't get all of those in sports or other programs right? Many of the other youth organizations are not run by the youth so bsa has that going for it. I'm the last person to be giving marketing advice. I'm just going off of what I know people around me look to scouts for.

Actually, from what I see of 4H and FFA around my part of the world, kids in those programs get plenty of opportunities to lead, grow and learn.  

[Back Pack]

Don't most kids start stuff because their parents sign them up? Not sure games and apps are the right way to get to parents. Wouldn't it be counter productive to promote an outdoor organization using games and apps? I'm not the right guy to know but I buy stuff a lot and i know why I buy it. Mike is more recognizable than some of the other people mentioned. Isn't the point of advertising to get recognition and make people feel good and trust their purchasing decision? If I'm off the mark I'm obviously in the minority here. I'd be more likely to get in scouting if Mike Rowe were to tell me why it's important. He's got credibility and recognition.

[Cambridgeskip]

Don't most kids start stuff because their parents sign them up? Not sure games and apps are the right way to get to parents. Wouldn't it be counter productive to promote an outdoor organization using games and apps? I'm not the right guy to know but I buy stuff a lot and i know why I buy it. Mike is more recognizable than some of the other people mentioned. Isn't the point of advertising to get recognition and make people feel good and trust their purchasing decision? If I'm off the mark I'm obviously in the minority here. I'd be more likely to get in scouting if Mike Rowe were to tell me why it's important. He's got credibility and recognition.

I think you're right for younger ones, cubs with you and beavers/cubs here.

 

When it comes to scouts/venturers/explorers though the gate keeper is the child themselves. Mum and Dad may from time to time say enough's enough, you have to chose, we can't afford to do everything, or it's getting in the way of school work but ultimately it is the child making the call and it is them that you are selling to. It's an unusual 12 year old who turns up because mum and dad think it's good for them.

 

And your average 12 year old doesn't really care about character building stuff. He or she likes lighting fires in the woods with their friends.

[qwazse]

...

 

And your average 12 year old doesn't really care about character building stuff. He or she likes lighting fires in the woods with their friends.

Nearly everybody (be they scouts or sports clubs) pitches character and leadership when recruiting youth.

 

We offer skills that will forestall death.

 

Lighting fires is one thing, lighting them in freezing rain is another.

Swimming is one thing, safely rescuing a tired swimmer is another.

Hiking is one thing, helping an injured hiker stave off shock is another.

Camping is one thing, making the shelter out of found items is another.

Roasting a hot-dog is one thing, a four-course meal is another.

 

None of these skills need to be learned under a "high adventure" or "character/leadership" moniker. They sell themselves if we instill a vision of the pinnacle scouting experience: hiking and camping independently with your mates.

[David CO]

One of the problems in marketing scouting is that many of our scouters insist that scouting should be a boys favorite activity, and won't settle for it playing second fiddle on a boys list of activities. I think this is a mistake.

 

A good marketing campaign should show boys doing some other fun activity or sport,  and then show them changing into a scout uniform and going to a scout meeting.  The message should be, "You can do scouting, too."

[AltadenaCraig]

One of the problems in marketing scouting is that many of our scouters insist that scouting should be a boys favorite activity, and won't settle for it playing second fiddle on a boys list of activities. I think this is a mistake.

 

A good marketing campaign should show boys doing some other fun activity or sport,  and then show them changing into a scout uniform and going to a scout meeting.  The message should be, "You can do scouting, too."

 

I tell our Scouts who play varsity sports "seasonal sports are sprints ... Scouting is a marathon."  I'm happy for them to focus on their sports - even those with multiple sports - so long as Scouting gets them when they're off-season.

 

Club or year-round sports are a challenge; but that can be surmounted as well with a little foresight.

[David CO]

I guess other programs can claim they build character but do they really? It's not just character but it's the chance to lead, grow and learn. You don't get all of those in sports or other programs right? There's only one team captain. Many of the other youth organizations are not run by the youth so bsa has that going for it. I'm the last person to be giving marketing advice. I'm just going off of what I know people around me look to scouts for.

 

Yes, they do.  Really.

[blw2]

I think the show, or whatever it is... would have to show both

adventure to hook-em, but the character building clearly there but not "in your face" so that parents will see it and thing, hey I want that.... but not so much that it ruins the adventure!

As far as marketing and using some B level star (I love you Mike Rowe but you are not selling movie tickets!), that is highly unlikely to work.

 

If you REALLY want to appeal to the youth of today, it is somewhat simple (but not easy). I propose three things:

 

1. A Cub Scout cartoon. Make a cartoon that shows how fun it is to be a cub scout.  Make a bunch of cub scout super heros that use their skills to save their communities. Put it on the Cartoon Network. Make action figures that go with the show.

 

2. A Google/Apple app game. It seems everyone has one of these "match 3" games these days. My daughter played a Frozen version of one for a while. Make one that actually give you "credit" for completing aspects of the game. Could even give a unique belt loop or other recognition for people that play the game. Want the trinket you just won?! Click this link to be directed to your local cub scout den for more details.

 

3. Our own YouTube channel. I don't about your kids but mine try to spend every waking moment on their tablets. If we had a cool and fun channel, perhaps narrated by some kid with an English accent (no idea why but both my kids love Minecraft vids of UK people), showing scouts doing wild and crazy fun stuff, they we would be marketing to a captive audience that might want to go out and do what they see online.

 

Kids that are already enjoying the outdoors likely already have an affinity for scouts. The others that are glued to tech are unlikely to develop such if we employ campaigns that are more geared to convincing adults.

 

Make scouting something kids ask their parents if they can join, instead of a thing parents ask their kid (or tell their kid in many cases) to join.

Helloooo This is Stampyyyy.  Welcome to another....

ha ha... a few years back that is all I heard!!!  I got quite good at doing that british "Stampy" imitation....

 

Creek Stewart is an Eagle Scout, runs a survival school, had a reality TV show about surviving in the woods with multiple mentions of scouting on various episodes.  He's been publicly associated with the BSA for the last several years.  https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/06/01/eagle-scout-survival-expert-hosts-fat-guys-woods-weather-channel/, 

dead link...but I'll make a mental note to go look for it.... must have been on cable tv.  I love watching those survival shows and obviously like scouting...so I'm surprised I hadn't heard of it.  We cut the cable at home many years ago so I'm out of the loop on many thing I suppose....

[Eagledad]

One of the problems the BSA caused with the first year first class program is that it unintentionally steered inexperienced adult leaders to focus on advancement. I can't count how many Wood Badge Scouters I had to counsel who wrote a Wood Badge Ticket Item intending to get 100% of their new scouts to first class in one year.

 

And the continued domino effect of FCFY led to several other problems, one of them being the adventure part of troop programs. Troops over the last 25 years have developed an expectation that high adventure doesn't start until age 14. So, they have let the adventure of the troop program degrade to just camping out once a month. The majority of troops today don't know how to add adventure to a typical campout. Water sports, biking, canoeing, back packing and so on are activities waiting for older scouts. The result of this has also led to the loss of older scouts. When adults limit troop programs to basically first class advancement, older scouts are bored and move on. Without older scout role models, the adults have to step in. Younger scout age boys by nature don't relate to adult role models the same as brotherly older scout role models, so the growth benefits of patrol method are stunted.

 

Troops need to get back to the simple idea of adventure in their campouts. It doesn't have to be mountain top experiences, just outdoor activities that provide growth through independent learning of new skills and practicing their association with the buddies.

 

Our pack had a tradition of taking new Tigers and their parents fishing on their first meeting. We provided everything including breakfast. I can't describe the dozens of faces from these scouts and their parents after catching their first fish. That event alone would be a great commercial to the outdoor program of scouting.

 

Barry

[Back Pack]

Yes, they do.  Really.

I guess it depends on what program you're in. Rec sports don't necessarily build character. Some clubs and organizations are not focused on character development as part of their program. Of course character development does happen simply by living but I think we are talking about character development being a mainstay of the program. A stated objective if you like. That's not what sports or some organizations are about. I do agree that FFA and a few others do have that as an aim.

[David CO]

I guess it depends on what program you're in. Rec sports don't necessarily build character. Some clubs and organizations are not focused on character development as part of their program. Of course character development does happen simply by living but I think we are talking about character development being a mainstay of the program. A stated objective if you like. That's not what sports or some organizations are about. I do agree that FFA and a few others do have that as an aim.

 

Almost all youth organizations and sports groups have character development as a stated objective.

 

For example, the Little League Baseball shoulder patch, which is worn on our uniforms, says, "Character, Courage, Loyalty."  Pretty good values, I think.

Edited September 21, 2017 by David CO

[blw2]

Barry

I think you touched on a lot there....

Thinking back a couple years ago when my son first joined the troop as a webelos crossover.... wow he was gung ho...not about advancement but about the fun.  He was on cloud 9 literately...wanted to be patrol leader, taking the ILST class voluntarily, going to everything.....   Going camping, running around playing zombie tag with the older scouts....grinning ear to ear... 

he resisted the advancement stuff and all the excitement was quickly squelched.  Meetings doing the same lame 1st aid drills that were more talk than do... that he did many times even as a webelos quickly became boring....

what little bit of "high adventure" was starting to get focused on the older scouts about that time... excluding the younger guys....and even that really wasn't all that high.... he was capable of most of it and was raring to go....but couldn't

He crossed in January of 2016.  He is still Scout rank...and no longer wants to go to meetings or anything.  Not even interested in fun outings such as canoe trips and such....

I really think the adult driven stuff, advancement and such squashed it for him....  Some of the guys are still going wit it, so I think it's a personality thing with the scouts, some tolerate this stuff at different levels.