Okay, this will probably come off sounding like I’m bashing today’s youth, but that is certainly not my primary intent. I want to make that statement perfectly clear so I’m giving it first sentence prominence. Problem is, a lot has changed in our world over the past few generations and until we understand and accept this basic fact how can we ever begin to address the attrition of youth among our sporting ranks?
Back during my early teenage years (circa mid-70’s) I was a Boy Scout and as such subscribed to a magazine called Boy’s Life. Inside that magazine occasionally appeared a curious looking ad for the American Seed Company out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The premise of the ad was quite simple. This company would help turn responsible young adults into enterprising salesmen who would peddle this company’s garden seed to family and neighbors with the promise of earning a prize as a sales incentive. It was a win-win deal. The company sold garden seed and flowers…the kid got to pick the prize they earned based on how much seed was sold.
Sounded like a great deal to me. The thought of earning a new fishing rod and reel or even a Daisy Red Rider BB gun was all the incentive I needed. I recall for about two or three years I sent off for the seeds and convinced any adult I could sway into purchasing their garden seeds from me.
Can you imagine a company today even offering guns or archery equipment to a kid as a prize? Moreover, can you even imagine a company today allowing the kid to sign-up to sell their product and then relying eventually on the kid’s good faith to send in the money for everything they had sold?
The American Seed Company flourished for six decades luring gullible kids, such as me, into acting as their nationwide sales force. But slowly, things changed. During the period of 1975 through 1981 over 400,000 kids sent away for the seeds, presumably sold them, but then pocketed all the sales receipts by not sending a single dime back to the company. Eventually, in 1981, the American Seed Company went out of business due to sustaining heavy financial losses.
Funny, even though I was part of this era it never occurred to me to just sell the seeds and not live up to my end of the bargain. Yet, apparently many of my cohorts peddling vegetable seeds on the streets had no conscience whatsoever. Moreover, some kids even had the gall to write the company stating their money got stolen so they could not send anything in, but they still felt they earned _________ prize…and requested it from the company.
I mention this little story because I think it nicely illustrates an important fact that those of us in the hunting and fishing world need to recognize. Back 80 years ago a company could thrive based on trust and commitment alone by simply offering an attractive prize to a kid as an inducement to stay honest and work hard. Not anymore. Nope, starting back roughly 30 years ago things apparently began to change. The motivation of working hard to EARN a prize of their choosing was simply not enough for a growing number of kids.
Let’s relate all of this to the outdoors. A kid growing up in the post-Depression era was easily motivated to spend an afternoon fishing bluegills or hunting bunnies. In many cases the rewards of a successful day afield or on the riverbank meant food for the family’s pot. Not so much the case anymore. Aside from a wide-array of distractions found in the modern world, providing for the family likely never crosses a kid’s mind these days.
Half a century ago kids were expected to make their own entertainment. Building a fort, a tree house, or in some other manner making their own fun was not only the norm, but it was expected of the kids. Wow…how things have changed today! If a child doesn’t have the latest video game or other electronic gadget it is akin to some sort of cruel and unusual punishment.
So, how do we promote hunting, fishing and trapping to a young audience that isn’t anything similar to what our grandparents era was like? How do we best instill the proud heritage of our many outdoor pursuits in a generation that is motivated vastly different than how youth were once raised? It’s a challenge…no doubt, with no simply solution.
You know, the American Seed Company relied on its same sales principles that had worked until it finally ran itself out of existence. Sure, they could blame the kids who ran them into bankruptcy by essentially stealing the company’s money. Or perhaps they could have changed their approach as to how kids were motivated to sell their seed products. The bottom line is we all need to get out of this faulty thought pattern by thinking that what motivated us as youth will surely motivate our children, as well. It just isn’t so.
A commercial enterprise without a well thought out and flexible business plan is one that will surely fail. On the same token, now is the time to begin mapping out a strategy to ensure our sporting heritage isn’t stuck in some old sales rut. Let’s face it, the pitch that we’ve been offering much of today’s youth to get out and enjoy nature for some reason lacks the appeal it once held. It’s up to each of us to adjust our marketing approach to the youth…or someday we, too, might face bankrupting a time-honored tradition of enjoying the outdoors.
2007 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.
good analogy,
glad to see you found your computer under all the dust and cobwebs.
Merry Christmas to you and a bloggingly wonderful 2008
Posted by: Rex | December 21, 2007 at 10:20 AM
Great post!
I hate to sound like my parents (or my grandparents), but when I see how kids today behave and compare it with my own childhood... I'm constantly shocked at the sense of entitlement and lack of motivation shown by today's youth.
And isn't that what they said about us? What does this portend for the future?
Posted by: Phillip | January 04, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Bah. Most kids are just happy to sit in front of their TV of PC and just do absolutley noting of any importance. Some are happy to get outside and do things that are a lot more fun than staring at a moniter. I might be a hypocrite because im yourn and I do spend a decent ammount of time in front of my computer but it is part of my job to do it. I would much rather be outside having real fun.
Check out my site at icefishingpro.com
Posted by: icefishingpro.com | January 12, 2008 at 10:29 PM