How Come We Never See Advertisements For Scouting?

[Its Me]

I can't ever recall seeing a TV ad or even a radio or print ad for Scouting. Why not place a national ad during on a Sponge Bob Show? Or a Venturing ad during a show that teens want? Demand can be created. Images can be made. If the postal service can make sending mail cool, why can't there be an ad to make scouting look cool?

 

 

[SemperParatus]

I agree more can be done to 'market' scouting. I can only assume that BSA National has done some cost/benefit analysis and must have concluded that the projected benefits are not worth the costs. They seem content to rely on the tried and true (albeit archaic) recruiting methods of word of mouth, school assemblies, etc. I would say that the personal, one-on-one approach is the most effective method of signing up new recruits, although a little national advertising could do wonders at 'softening' them up for the close.

 

Our council does rent billboard space during the late summer/fall to coincide with cub scout recruitment. They used to show Garfield - I guess now they will have SBSP.

[hops_scout]

Normally, the only Scouting ads you are going to see are those that are on late at night/early in the morning. I'm talking the 3AM range, etc

 

It's too expensive otherwise and ones you will find are normally donated space that companies have to do.

[troop251scout]

I agree that costs will be high to do commercials however, wouldnt it pay off in the end when new scouts come out and join... i think that most people just dont know what we do and that is why they dont join!

[FScouter]

Forbes magazine has on occasion run full pages ads for Scouting.

[Its Me]

I know you are all just pointing out places you have seen an ad but most kids aren't up at 3:00 AM and I can say almost none read Forbes. The ads would recuit, shape and define the image. I agree most don't know what we do. The adults may have an idea but how would an eight year boy learn about scouting?

 

(This message has been edited by Its Me)

[9muckraker7]

I think that certain things need to be explained to teenagers of today's youth who do not think highly of scouting and consider it to be "uncool." The truth is that many go on to make these assumptions about the organization without knowing anything at all about it: they do not know about the outdoor program; the concept of youth-leadership; some do not even know what an eagle scout is. These misinformed people are sometimes influenced by stereotypical images of scouting used for comedic purposes (that notorious SNL skit "Canteen Boy;" some animated sitcoms; etc.) and because they do not know anything more about the organization.

 

Meanwhile, the kids whose parents introduced them to scouting when they were 8 years old had come to love it, and they stayed in the organization for many years after, earning the arrow of light and some time after that, become eagle scouts.

 

These scouts were introduced to scouting at such an early age that they did not really care about others' opinions of them as much as today's adolescents do. It is so much easier to just recruit younger scouts (by means of their parents mostly) than to change the mindset of older scouts; I think we've been putting too much focus on recruiting younger scouts for some time now, while ignoring the fact that many adolescents do not know a thing about scouting...perhaps it is up to the scouts on the individual basis to promote scouting in such a way and to recruit their friends who know nothing about scouting...perhaps it is up to the individual scouts to put a good name out for scouting, to be brave in the face of adversity, and to be loyal to the organization they are part of....

 

(This RAMBLING has been edited by 9muckraker7)

[WAKWIB]

I think the medium of the internet is probably one of the greatest and most affordable ways for Scouting to advertise. If your Troop or Pack does not have a web-site, now is the time to step into cyber-space.

 

It also should make us aware that what we say and how we say it on this and other Scouting forums, could be sending either a positive or negative image of the program to thousands of people.

 

TV ads would be nice, but they just aren't happening. So it's really up to each unit,and each Scout and Scouter, to do the best they can to get the word out

[Be_Prepared]

On a local level, the Atlanta Area Council has been running an ad for the past year showing scouts, the Atlanta Braves and scenes shot at the local scout camp: Woodruff Scout Reservation. The ads run during late afternoon and early evening hours.

[dan]

Well since I am a glass half empty sort of person.

Lets say that the network showing the superbowl donated a couple of commercials slots to the BSA. And they used some of those great!?!?!? ideas?!?! from the Just for Fun, Ads gone wild thread, and they become the next beer commercials where most people watch the superbowl for the commercials, and a bunch of youth decides to join the BSA, how in the world would packs/troops/councils/districts support these new scouts. It seems most are doing everything they can just to keep up today with the few youth we have, would this not cripple the program?

Or maybe I am a glass half full sort of person, and say it is working great as it is today???

 

[Its Me]

Dan, new packs, dens and troops would be built. Old units would be influxed with new blood. Our Council has a great Cub Scout camp. It has 70 acres with old oaks and two lakes. We have five council cub outings a year there. I contend that if this property exemplifies how scout resources are used then by and large scout resources are substantially under utilized.

[boots2]

I have knoticed that scouts might not even need to advertise to much outside of letiing scouts tell there friends, because alot of people i know would like to get into scouts but they dont know where the "good" troops are.

[OldGreyEagle]

Ok, I can see it now,

 

Scene Dissolve: : Any Middle/High School, Sammy the Scout is putting his coat away in his locker when 2 friends walk up. The following exchange occurs:

 

Friend 1: Hey Sammy, how was your weekend? Nothing happening around here man, its dead.

 

Friend 2: Yeah, all we did was hang at each others houses playing X-box, just like every other weekend, it gets so boring, where were you?

 

Sammy: Oh, I went skiing with the troop, we stayed at a cabin near the slopes, we watched a movie Friday night, cooked breakfast and skied all day and Saturday night we made pizza in a dutch oven and learned about how to give first aid. Next Month we are doing a backpacking trip for two nights and the month after that canoeing.

 

Friend 1: What? Are you still in the scouting stuff, thats for Nerds!

 

Sammy: Well, if skiing and or snowboarding all-day and walking 20 miles with a back pack and canoeing 30 miles is being a nerd. I am in

 

Friend 2; Sam, didnt you go whitewater rafting for 5 days this summer with those guys and you said you and Bobby planned a survival weekend where all you could bring was stuff packed in a shoebox?

 

Sammy: Thats right

 

Friend 2: And didnt you say that this troop is lead by boys who are elected by the troop and they put together the activities and the adults help make it happen

 

Sammy: Yeppers

 

Friend 1: Ok Ok, so maybe I was wrong, where can we sign up?

 

Perhaps with hollywood talent the script could get punched up a bit but you should get the point. Then all we have to do is buy airtime at local stations and make sure the right demographics are exposed to the medium. (The right people see it)

 

OR

 

We could, as volunteers on a local level, make sure the above scene is played out at least once a month in every school you have a scout. What do you think would have a bigger impact?

 

[Trevorum]

I've long thought we need advertising on TV.

 

The ad spot I see is an x-gamesish montage of guys rapelling down sheer rock walls, whitewater rafting, shooting sports, hiking a breathtaking vista, telling jokes around a campfire, etc. with a pumped up soundtrack and voice over. This could be done in 15 seconds. A national campaign would cost money for sure, but I'll bet it would work.

 

I think Irving needs some marketing gurus.

[dsteele]

How about this one:

 

Scene opens on a little old lady looking forlorn. She says, "I wonder how I'm going to get across . . ."

 

Enter a Boy Scout in full uniform. He offers to help and she accepts.

 

The Boy Scout clips on to a zip line, picks up the little old lady and carries her over a deep ravine. He lands her safely on the other side.

 

She thanks him, looks across and says, "Oh dear. I think I left my purse . . ."

 

Across the bottom of the screen, the text reads . . ."A Scout is Helpful."

 

Does anyone other than me remember this commercial? It aired in several major markets. It aired in the late ninetys and several major names also did Public Service announcements shortly thereafter.

 

If you're interested, those may be found on national's web site at this address:

 

http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=mc&c=pr

 

 

I agree that word of mouth is the most effective way. I think magazine, television and other ads can help (or at least be cool for us to see) but I think you can buy a whale of a lot of flyers and put on boy talks for more bang for the buck than a TV commercial can buy you.

 

What do you think BEST BUY or any other company would pay for the ability to go directly into the schools and have a representative talk to the potential customers vs. using television, magazines and newspaper inserts?

 

Unc.