In recent years, youth organizations such as Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Girl Scouts of the USA, and Camp Fire have made major strides to reinvent themselves for a new generation (see spotlight on page three). They have embraced social media, placed priority on reaching out to minorities, and continue to use corporate funding and support to launch new initiatives.
Maintaining Relevancy
Nevertheless, the majority of these groups continue to attract fewer and fewer members. In four years, for instance, Girl Scouts of the USA lost 300,000 members. During the same time frame, membership in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America declined by 600,000. (Note: Girl Scouts has 2.3 million members; Boys & Girls Clubs of America 4.2 million.)
“The main problem is that [children] have so much to choose from and [these groups] are just one thing to consider. It’s not like in the olden days when girls didn’t join the math club or soccer team. Quite frankly, what sounds more appealing to a teen girl: the junior varsity lacrosse team or the Girl Scouts?” asks Barbara Zamolsky of Smarty Pants, a marketing agency, and former executive with the Girl Scouts. Moreover, these groups must connect with kids at early ages. If a child doesn’t join by a certain age — typically around eight or nine — they most likely never will.
It’s a key challenge for these legacy groups — both Boy Scouts and Camp Fire celebrated 100th anniversaries in 2010 — to remain faithful to their legacies, while also trying to be cool to today’s children and to persuade moms that their group benefits their children. “We definitely do dual-marketing. With boys, we emphasize fun and doing things. With mom — and we have discovered mom is still the primary decision maker — they want to know [their kids’] involvement will lead to success in life,” says Boy Scout’s Stephen Medlicott.
“Not Hip Or Trendy”
There’s a double-edged sword with a youth group possessing high brand awareness. Nearly everyone has heard of the Boy or Girl Scouts, and that’s part of the problem. “It’s great that everyone knows them, but the image everyone has is [of groups that are] not hip or trendy. When someone thinks of the Girl Scouts they imagine a girl selling cookies in a green uniform. Teen girls aren’t into that,” says Zamolsky.
But youth groups haven’t been around for decades without good reason. They continue to introduce ways to expand their membership numbers. “We used to go to schools and hand out flyers and thought that was the best way to get them interested. Now, the idea is not to target them with information but to make ourselves so attractive, they come to seek us out,” says Medlicott.
Upping The Cool Factor
To that end, the Boy Scouts are focusing on “high tech, high adventure” opportunities. The group recently purchased a 10,000-acre property in West Virginia for extreme sports activities, such as white water rafting, and ATV riding.
BSA is also offering merit badges for action sports activities, including paintball and rock-climbing, as a way to appeal to boys who may feel the group only involves canoes and tents. A reality show is in the works “to show what we do in the wilderness and how we use our skills,” says Medlicott. The group is also inviting girls to participate in its annual Jamboree for the first time beginning in 2013.
Instead of signing up in person or through a teacher, National 4-H Council allows kids to join through Access 4-H Online, a service the group eventually plans to turn into a Facebook-like community for its members.
A key shift with these groups has been to narrowcast their efforts. While most groups allow for ages ranging from 6-18, a growing number of programs have a more specific target. National 4-H’s Butterfly Wings, for instance, is only for 4th-8th graders and Exploring Your Environment for grades 6-8. Similarly, Girl Scouts’ Go Girls Only online community is for girls 5-11; Studio 2B is for tweens and teens.
Another key focus is to maintain a relationship with former young members. All groups are specifically making efforts to reach out to alumni, both online and off line. Camp Fire even operates LinkedIn groups for past Camp Fire members.
Corporate Involvement
Corporate involvement with youth groups via the firm’s philanthropic arms remains robust despite the uncertain economy. Toyota and Coca-Cola underwrite the National 4-H Council’s youth water quality and conservation program. JCPenney has donated more than $30 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) programs over the past 18 years. In March, AT&T committed $1 million to fund a BGCA initiative to combat the high school student drop out rate.
The key reason for the continued corporate support is that these groups provide access to today’s youth without the negative stigma attached to many “youth marketing” efforts. They reach kids under a do-good halo.
Youth groups also provide entree to companies that may otherwise have difficulties reaching this demographic. For instance, Monsanto, provider of technology-based agricultural products, donated $500,000 to develop a two-year volunteer project with the National 4-H Council. It’s relatively safe to say that teens wouldn’t encounter or know about this company without this involvement.
Likewise, the New York Life Foundation, whose parent company provides insurance and financial planning, supports the BGCA and the National 4-H Council. Another insurance provider, Met Life, supports Camp Fire’s health and wellness initiatives.
Corporations and youth groups are currently positioning themselves to fill unmet needs primarily within the educational system. As one youth coordinator jokes, “It’s all about STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).” As girls fall behind in science and technology education, 4-H Council and Girl Scouts are creating programs designed to engage girls in these subjects. Microsoft is working with Boys & Girls Clubs of America on science initiatives.
Health and wellness also remains a key focus. Girl Scouts recently embarked on a social initiative with Dove to raise girl’s self-esteem. Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Camp Fire are also developing or expanding programs to address the childhood obesity crisis. [Non-Profit/Marketing]
Contacts and Connections: Smarty Pants, Barbara Zamolsky, Playground Coordinator, 2151 S. Eaford Dr., Longs, SC 29568; 843-390-4427; bzamolsky@asksmartypants.com; www.asksmartypants.com.
See related article for additional contacts.
© Copyright 2011, EPM Communications, Inc. May not be reproduced without written consent of publisher.