Diversity in RVing?

[2500hd]

Another thing....MANY of us can now afford RV's and don't even know it. We simply do not know what is available to us because nobody that we know does anything different than we do. The percentage is higher with blacks but I see it across the board with all colors. I do work for people who live in new high end homes and drive luxury cars that appear to be living the good life yet they don't do much other than go to work and come home. A lot of them do a huge trip every couple of years, but other than that it's two $60,000 vehicals and $500,000+ home.

The blue collar workin' man is the one you generally see with a big honkin' F350 and 45ft toyhauler loaded down with beer.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by fjd

snip.... just respect others regardless of color.

Lets go camping and if anyone else wants to go....take the campsite next to me....just be good neoghbirs regardless of race or religion. Camping in the fall is awesome.

Well said indeed.

For me personally, I don't notice race much in my daily life. Other than from a strictly observational standpoint (like "he's wearing a red shirt"). Consequently, I don't notice it in the campgrounds I visit, or the commercials I watch. I could literally tell you nothing about the racial mix of the last CG I stayed in. There were roughly a dozen rigs that I identified by their styles or brands (fifth wheel, Airstream, TT towed with a white Chevy ...) Even last year when I stayed in a VERY crowded park near a largely hispanic area; I would assume most of the campers were hispanic, but I couldn't tell you that for sure. All I could say was that it was quite crowded; I saw many PEOPLE and FAMILIES out enjoying their weekend together.

It's all about the people and their behavior; their skin tone really doesn't factor into things much for me.

The only exception to that is if I need to make some kind of specific observation because I want to retain the information ("yes, officer, the drunk woman was white, about 5'4" 160 lbs, with dirty brown hair and she was wearing a light gray sweatshirt and blue athletic shoes")

[bansai]

If the ethnic background of the person in a Thor commercial influenced your decision to buy an RV, one way or another, please raise your hand. I'll wait.

RV sales aren't driven by pandering to people based on their race. They are driven by a love for the outdoors, word of mouth, forums like this one, seeing them on the road! and a perception of quality (or lack thereof in some cases). You don't market RV's the same way one might market malt liquor.

The marketing budgets for Thor and their competitors are small, trivial at best when it comes to influencing an RV purchase. If 95% of the people in the Jayco commercials were minorities, and I'm not even sure what that term really means anymore.. it's unlikely their sales from that demographic would budge. Anything viewed as pandering has it's own negative consequences. Don't market to me because I'm <insert race here>! Market to me because I love camping!

I don't believe I've seen a television commercial for a camper in 45 years, other than the one that is in this thread.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by bansai

snip...

I don't believe I've seen a television commercial for a camper in 45 years, other than the one that is in this thread.

Perhaps, but I've seen plenty of the "Go RVing" campaign ads in recent years, and I don't even have cable!

Who is "Go RVing"?: "The Go RVing Coalition, formed in 1994, consists of RV manufacturers, component suppliers, dealers and campgrounds."

[bansai]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Perhaps, but I've seen plenty of the "Go RVing" campaign ads in recent years, and I don't even have cable!

Who is "Go RVing"?: "The Go RVing Coalition, formed in 1994, consists of RV manufacturers, component suppliers, dealers and campgrounds."

I haven't seen their ads either, I guess I need to get out more (or stay in more? )
In any event, it doesn't make a difference if the people on the commercial were black, Hispanic, or white or a mix of 20 other races and in what percentage. It doesn't influence RV purchases. If it did, the bean counters at Thor would demand a marketing campaign directed based on race instead of sales.

Edit -
GoRving is also sensitive to the demographics, one that accounts for less than 5% of sales - again this is just business. I think looking into it deeper than that is solutions, looking for problems that don't exist.

Ref: http://gorving.com/discover-rving/ou...pfire-print-ad

and http://gorving.com/discover-rving/ou...swing-print-ad

Half of their current print ads have 'minority' (I don't like that word) exposure. Not enough?

[John7349]

A company's Million Dollar commercial simply wants to target the most likely buyer. I don't believe diversity really plays a roll in this case. Whatever races show up at the campground has no bearing to me. What I have seen so far in a campground are people just enjoying the outdoors, walks, campfires and stopping by just to say hello!. I bet the majority of us have even left the cooler outside when we are out and about (but never in a shopping center!).

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by TimHolt

Like I said, it was more an observation than a political statement of any kind.

But those commercials are sort of self fulfilling prophesies...if you advertise a certain way to a certain crowd, then mostly the certain crowd will buy your product.
Then you see who is buying your product, and you keep advertising to that consumer...it is a circle...

Observation...not a political statement.

The basis of ANY successful ad campaign is the right demographic for the product or service being offered. You make that point abundantly clear with the above statement. It would not be an effective use of advertising budget funds to target a market that shows little or no interest in the product you are selling. You end by saying "It's a circle" but it clearly isn't, it's target advertising and has been used for years. If I sold swimming pools, I would not target Arctic climates to advertise in...

[motorbreath]

How do you know that you haven't seen any Muslims in RV commercials? It is not a race, it is a religion...

Originally Posted by bansai

I do think people in general are a little overly sensitive to race marketing. Haven't seen any Muslims in RV commercials either, oh the outrage! (/sarcasm)

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by TimHolt

...it is a circle...

Kinda like this entire subject.