Pose the phrase “action sports” in a word association game, and one of the first responses you’ll get is “youth.” OK, so we haven’t actually tried this, but we’ll bank on it and we guarantee there are some marketing studies out there at numerous non-endemics to back it up. That said, it’s no secret that action sports’ appeal is increasingly skewing older as the first and second generations that grew up with them, and defined their lives around them, continue to age. Many in the industry see the aging demographics of surf, skate, and snow enthusiasts as a major problem, and while it is a serious issue for sustainability, the good folks over at Board-Trac have been studying the situation and see solid opportunities as well.
Board-Trac recently completed a demographic study of the sports and here’s what they found:
Surf
-60% of surfers in the U.S. are over the age of 25.
-Starting age for surfers has gone from between 10 and 13 years old to 16 years old.
-The older age segments are growing each year since we’ve been counting.
Skate
-17% of the 9 million+ skateboarders in the U.S. are over the age of 25
- 8% are between the ages of 25 and 34; 6.9% are 35 to 44 and almost 2% are over 45
Snow
-60% are over the age of 25 and almost 34% are over the age of 32.
While the downside is that these numbers translate into fewer new participants getting into the sports, they also mean their are opportunities for targeted marketing to age groups that surf, skate, and snow brands typically haven’t focused on.”Opportunities abound among these aging surfers, skateboarders and snowboarders,” explains Board-Trac Managing Director Marie Case. “Think feet. Think shorts and T-shirts. Think shirts. And, don’t forget about the youth obsessed chicks over 35 who surf, snowboard, frequent the beach and practice the lifestyle. The ‘older’ age segments-even in this economy-have more money to spend than their teenage counter parts. Think margins!”
Honolua was launched as an apparel brand six years ago after identifying a gap in serving this demographic. Honolua Marketing Eric Mehlberg says the brand, which is owned by Billabong, is focused on targeting the middle-aged men and “waterman” who hasn’t given up on surf but doesn’t want to run bold logos. Honolua’s focus on this demographic has not only led to strong growth for the brand, but opens up a new, profitable sector for core surf shops. “It comes down on who come into a surf shop-it’s kids but it’s also moms,” explains Mehlberg. “And who buys most middle-aged men’s clothes? Moms.”
Case says brands that can bifurcate their marketing to speak to both their typical younger demographic as well as an older segment are seeing success in this economy, and that when approached through brand extensions, it doesn’t dilute the brand’s message to either demographic. “If a brand extension strategy is executed properly, there are major opportunities for marketing up the demographic ladder,” says Case. “The kids aren’t wearing the same styles as what dad’s wearing, but they are wearing the same brands.”
Quiksilver has actively pursued this market segment with its Silver Edition and now its Waterman Collection offering a great example of a brand executing on this trend through line extensions. “Quiksilver has been making apparel for boardriders for more than 40 years,” says Quiksilver Product Marketing Manager Tobias Coffman. “We have customers who have followed the brand from the beginning and those who are now just discovering us. As a company we pride ourselves on being inclusive and with the Waterman Collection we try not to limit ourselves to strict age perimeters. The Waterman Collection is for the customer looking for stylish quality apparel who likes the Quiksilver brand but wants a more refined look with better fabrics, trims and construction; in that sense he is a graduated Quiksilver customer. Over the past year, we have put our efforts in marketing the diverse waterman lifestyle and we have seen great feedback from our accounts and customers.”
The main thing in looking at this trend adds Case, is that “it’s not about shooting a dart, it’s about getting the data, doing the research, and finding the correct niches to approach.”
