Winter 2013 - The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association

RVIATODAY
R E C R E A T I O N
V E H I C L E
I N D U S T R Y
A S S O C I A T I O N
Winter 2013
Go RVing’s “AWAY” Kicks Off
Second Year
After a successful inaugural campaign in
2012, Go RVing’s “AWAY” national advertising campaign is back for its second year
with integrated advertising now appearing
in the nation’s top television, print and digital media outlets through November to help
boost the RV industry’s resurgence.
The $11.3 million dollar media budget
is highlighted by the campaign’s first-ever
product integration approaches with strong
media partners, including Travel Channel,
Outdoor Channel, Country Living and Garden & Gun. The centerpiece of the effort is
the sponsorship of the popular program Trip
Flip hosted by Bert Kreisher on the Travel
Channel. An entire episode of the program
will feature a family enjoying a surprise RV
experience firsthand. That episode will be
filmed in March and air later in May.
Other product integration efforts include
an RV sweepstakes with the Outdoor Channel and on-site consumer events with Garden & Gun and Country Living (see page 9
for more information).
Another new initiative is a targetedoutreach to the growing Hispanic market
which has shown a strong affinity with the
family benefits of RV travel and camping.
This campaign-within-a-campaign will
focus on affluent English-speaking Latinos
via magazines, radio and digital platforms
beginning in April.
Go RVing’s national television component features a new partnership with
Destination America, Discovery Network’s
newest cable network. With its focus on
exploring the places, people and stories of
the United States, it offers a great fit for the
emotionally-driven messages of Go RVing’s
television commercials. During the year,
Go RVing spots and custom-produced
programming will also be seen on Great
American Country, MLB Network,
Continued on page 8
RVIA Annual Meeting Draws Members to Florida
RV Shipments
Jump by 13%
in 2012
The RV markets saw significant growth
in 2012 with wholesale shipments finishing
the year at 285,749 units, an increase of
13.2% over the 2011 total of 252,407 units,
according to RVIA’s December survey of
RV manufacturers.
This is the highest annual total for RV
shipments since 2007 when 353,400 units
were produced.
Towable units ended the year at 257,551
units, also a 13.2% gain over the 227,577
towable RVs shipped in 2011.
Motorhome had their best year since
2008 with totals climbing to 28,198 units,
an increase of 13.6% over the 24,830
motorhomes shipped last year.
The 285,749 total also bettered the yearend projection of 277,300 units provided
by Dr. Richard Curtin in the Winter 2012
issue of RV Roadsigns, RVIA’s quarterly
forecasting newsletter.
“The RV industry was able to capitalize
on an improving economy and strengthening consumer confidence to post substantial
gains in 2012,” said RVIA President Richard Coon. “We are optimistic that we will
see moderate growth in shipments continue
this year.”
For more information on RV market statistics and other industry research, visit the
“Market Data and Trends” section of www.
rvia.org.
IN THIS ISSUE
RVIA Chairman Gaeddert’s Column...p. 2
Business Strong at RV Shows..............p. 3
2nd World RV Conference Coverage....p. 6
Go RVing Vignettes Add Value............p. 9
The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando, FL will host RVIA’s Annual Meeting with members gathering
there from March 4 – 7 to discuss industry and association issues; attend informative seminars and
presentations; and network with colleagues. Complete event information begins on page 4.
RVs in the News................................p. 10
RVIA Recognized for 50 Years
of Standards Work............................P. 11
Consolidation, “Adjusted” Numbers and “A Pearl of Wisdom”
by Doug Gaeddert, RVIA Chairman of the Board
As we kick off 2013, our industry is
enjoying rising shipments and incredible
reports from RV dealerships and shows
throughout North America regarding
attendance, sales numbers, and strong
interest in RV ownership. That’s great
news. But, I believe this news is even
more encouraging when you consider the
degree of consolidation that our industry
has experienced since 2008; how close
we really are as an industry to “storm
adjusted” shipment highs for the last ten
years; and what this might mean to us all.
To begin, let’s examine the degree of consolidation the RV industry has experienced. If we take a look back to August 2008 just prior
to the economic catastrophe caused by the dramatic bursting of the
“credit bubble” and then fast forward to September 2012, the shift
in numbers in the manufacturing and supplier segments of the RV
industry is dramatic. In just over a four year span, the number of RV
manufacturers in the U.S. has declined nearly 35% with suppliers
tracking at a nearly identical pace, declining by approximately 34%.
The reasons for the reduction in the number of “players” in the
market are twofold. First and foremost, many companies were casualties of the severe economic downturn. Secondly, the consolidation
of the RV market has been driven by the acquisition of both operating companies that were able to stay in business as well as the
purchase of assets of those companies that failed.
Based on conversations with RVDA and RV dealers, I believe
there has been similar consolidation in the retail market. Even
though the number of retail locations might not have declined as
much, the number of ownership positions certainly has. The number of dealers either moving to a multiple location strategy, or those
that had multiple locations expanding their “footprint” has been
substantial and that trend is continuing.
Meanwhile, the fourth key sector of the RV market – the finance
sector – is expanding, not consolidating. After bottoming out in 2008
and 2009, the number of companies participating in the wholesale and
retail credit markets is on the rise. With tightened credit practices and
better margin spreads, those that stayed active in the RV market are
profitable, enticing new lenders to jump into the arena.
Let’s also consider the wholesale shipment numbers. When
looking at RVIA’s industry shipment totals between 2003 and 2012
there is an intangible that needs to be considered. How many shipments were actually “storm- or disaster-related” over this period?
The industry recorded a high of 390,500 shipments in 2006 and a
low of 165,700 in 2008. The grand total for the ten-year period was
3,002,225 units, an average of 300,225 annually.
Everyone vividly remembers hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but
disaster-relief units also were shipped in 2003 and 2004 as a
result of various hurricanes, tornados, floods, and other disasters.
Although impossible to pinpoint the exact number, if we use a
total of relief related units over the ten year period of 250,000,
the annual “adjusted” average would be close to 275,000 and the
“adjusted” peak would probably be in the low 300,000 range.
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With an industry finish of 285,749 units in 2012 and a forecast
in the 290,000-unit range for 2013, our industry is enjoying steady
growth. My personal opinion is that the
2013 forecast is too conservative and
that we’ll break the 300,000 unit mark
in 2013 and challenge what would be an
“adjusted” ten year high either this year
or next!
So, what does this combination of consolidation, more competitive and readily
available credit, and industry shipments
approaching a ten year “adjusted” high
mean to all of us? With fewer “cats to
herd” (easier to agree on things!) and a
“growing pie”, I believe it means that if we continue to communicate
well as an industry and focus on mutual objectives that are not “competitive issues”, we can realize levels of success that our industry,
consumers, dealerships, and companies have never experienced!
In business and life, the key is finding the right groove. As an
industry, we seem to have found our groove after some tough years.
Pete Liegl, the “Wise Man” that I’ve worked for, for a long time,
has a great saying that he’s used with me several times over the
years. It seems to apply to just about anything. “Gaeddert, old boy,
there are two things that will kill a guy…greed and chickens*%#!”
I’ll close by leaving you with that “Pearl of Wisdom” to ponder
as to how you can apply it to your business or life along with my
continued best wishes for success in 2013 and beyond!
RVIATODAY
RECREATION VEHICLE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
President—Richard Coon
Vice President, Public Relations & Advertising—James Ashurst
Sr. Director, Communications—Bill Baker
Chairman—Doug Gaeddert, Forest River, Inc.
First Vice Chairman—Bob Olson, Winnebago Industries, Inc.
Second Vice Chairman—Derald Bontrager, Jayco, Inc.
Treasurer—John Regan, Fabric Services
Secretary—Bob Parish, GE Capital
Chairman Ex Officio—Gregg Fore, Dicor Corp.
RVIA Today is published 4 times a year and is distributed industry
wide. For more information on advertising, please contact Bill Baker
at (703) 620-6003, ext. 331 or bbaker@rvia.org
© 2013 Recreation Vehicle Industry Association
1896 Preston White Drive
P.O. Box 2999
Reston, VA 20191
(703) 620-6003
www.rvia.org
RVIATODAY
Winter 2013
Strong RV Consumer Shows A Good Sign for 2013
Large crowds and robust sales at consumer RV shows in the
first month of 2013 give the industry positive news for the start of a
new year. Building on a third straight year of shipments growth, the
industry is poised for continued recovery in 2013.
Across the country, RV shows are reporting high levels of attendance and strong business. This was the case at the Original Pittsburgh RV Show, organized by Rob Young.
“Our attendance was up 15% this year,
and sales were up about 10% — and last
year was a good year for dealers too,” Young
said. “This has been a record year for us both
in attendance and amount of space sold.”
This experience was shared by Joe Gonsalves,
who runs the Northeast RV and Camping Show
in Hartford, CT. Gonsalves said he increased
the size of his show by 10% this year, to account
for increased demand from dealers and vendors.
“Attendance is up 13% this year,” said
Gonsalves. “And dealers are reporting more sales than in the past few years.”
The RV show in Syracuse reported strong attendance and sales, as
well. “Just from the start of this year — and the last quarter of 2012
— has been booming for us,” said Kevin Bostrom of Camping World,
which runs the Syracuse show. “Shipments and sales are way up.”
In Tennessee, the Knoxville RV Super Show drew more than
15,000 visitors.
“This year’s show is much bigger due to last year’s success,” said
show manager Rob Lynch. “We’ve got 30% more RVs and 15-20
more vendors. We’ve got everything from pop-up campers to halfmillion-dollar motorhomes.”
The Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa saw attendance rise
slightly from 2012 to 54,255 — a new record for the show.
“We didn’t knock the doors off, but it was better than last year,”
said FRVTA President Lance Wilson. “We were very pleased.
Number 1, we want to make sure enough
people are there, and number 1B is we
want manufacturers to sell products. In
most cases, people did very well.”
Similar reports emerged from shows in
Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
RVIA works to capitalize on the
strong consumer enthusiasm for these
shows with publicity efforts that target
local media. This retail show publicity
effort has resulted in show information
and RV lifestyle stories published in
Dayton, OH; Boston, MA; Grand Rapids, MI; Denver, CO; and
South Bend, IN.
Additional coverage is expected in markets of upcoming shows,
including Detroit, MI; Erie, PA; Minneapolis, MN; Seattle, WA;
Charlotte, NC; Richmond, VA; and Austin, TX.
Coverage has been positive with a focus on large crowds, strong
sales, and innovative products at an array of price points. Visit the
“In the News” page at RVIA.org for a more comprehensive look at
RV shows coverage.
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RVIA’s 2013 Annual Meeting Set for March 4 – 7 in Orlando
RVIA’s 2013 Annual Meeting, set for March 4 – 7 at the Loews
RVIA will host the Annual Membership Meeting that afternoon
Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando, FL, will give association members
from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. This will include reports on important assothe opportunity to learn more about association activities, attend
ciation and industry topics (see story on page 5). The day concludes
informative seminars, and network with business colleagues.
with the Chairman’s Reception and Dinner where Past Chairman
“We’re looking forGregg Fore will be
ward to a great event,”
honored for his sersaid RVIA President
vice in the associaRichard Coon. “We’ve
tion’s top volunteer
compressed the schedposition.
ule this year to minimize
Staff will assist
the time away from the
attendees with the
office while maintaining
options of playing
a compelling agenda
golf or taking tours
featuring instructive
of Universal Studios
seminars and associaor Disneyworld on
tion reports as well as
Wednesday, March 6,
entertaining social and
before departing on
networking events.”
Thursday, March 7.
Monday, March 4, is
RVIA’s Strategic
the major day of arrival
Planning Commitwith attendees officially
tee and Executive
kicking off the event
Committee will hold
at the Newcomers and
meetings prior to the
Welcome Reception that
official kickoff of the
Attendees are able to network and socialize with colleagues during RVIA’s Annual Meeting.
evening. The Board of
Annual Meeting on
Directors will convene for their meeting earlier that afternoon.
Sunday, March 3, and the morning of Monday, March 4.
The following day—Tuesday, March 5—will be the focal point
Located in Universal’s Orlando Resort, the Loews Portofino
of the Annual Meeting. It begins with an Alumni Breakfast folBay Hotel lets guests experience the sights and sounds of the Itallowed by a series of in-depth seminars throughout the remainder of ian Riviera while providing AAA Four Diamond Award winning
the morning that focus on issues of key interest to industry memaccommodations, amenities and exclusive resort benefits.
bers. (see story on page 5 for more information).
2013 Annual Meeting Schedule Of Events
Sunday, March 3
8:00 am – 3:00 pm
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
RVIA Strategic Planning Meeting
RVIA Executive Committee Meeting
Monday, March 4
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Succeeding in Today’s RV Market with
panelists Mark Beecher, Bank of the
West; Phil Ingrassia, RVDA; Bob Martin,
Thor Industries; Bill Osborne, Navistar
RV; and Martin Street, Stag-Parkway
12 noon – 1:00 pm Luncheon
1:30 pm – 4:00 pm RVIA Annual Membership Meeting
• Briefings on the state of the association
and an update on Go RVing & PR Efforts
• Presentation of RVIA’s Annual Awards
6:30 pm
Chairman’s Reception & Dinner
8:00 am – 12 noon
12 noon – 6:00 pm
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
6:00 pm
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Major Day of Guest Arrival
RVIA Strategic Planning Meeting (cont’d)
RVIA Registration Desk Open
RVIA Board of Directors Meeting
Annual Meeting Newcomers Reception
Welcome Reception
Tuesday, March
7:00 am – 8:00 am
8:30 am – 12 noon
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RVIA Alumni Breakfast
RVIA Seminar Sessions
Campground Outlook with KOA’s Jim Rogers
Economic Outlook with Dr. Lowell Catlett
Wednesday, March 6 RVIA Staff will assist attendees in arranging golf outings or
Disneyworld/Universal Studio Tours
Thursday, March 7 All Day
Departures
RVIATODAY
Winter 2013
Annual Meeting Seminars Will Focus on Industry, Economic Issues
A dynamic lineup of seminars featuring a noted economist and
numerous RV industry leaders will highlight the Manufacturer/
Supplier Forum on Tuesday, March 5 at RVIA’s Annual Meeting.
The sessions will include:
KOA Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Jim Rogers will examine the outlook
for the campground industry and share his
views on leadership and customer service
based on his experiences from his recent starring role on the popular CBS reality program
Undercover Boss. Rogers’ 40-year career in
the hospitality industry began in 1972 when
he joined KOA as a management trainee. He
Jim Rogers
also worked for Harrah’s Entertainment and
ran his own advertising agency, Curtis + Rogers, Inc. before returning to head KOA in 2000.
Noted economist Dr. Lowell Catlett
will provide an economic outlook through
an upbeat, humorous presentation that will
focus on future technologies and their impact
on how consumers will live and work. Dr.
Catlett is a Regents Professor in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
and Extension Economics and the Dean of
the College of Agricultural, Consumer and
Dr. Lowell Catlett
Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State
University. He is also internationally known as an expert in commodities futures markets and has worked as a consultant to the
U.S. Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, Defense and Labor
and many Fortune 500 companies.
The morning will be capped by “Succeeding in Today’s
RV Market,” a panel discussion featuring the viewpoints from
executives in the manufacturing, supplier, finance and dealer segments of the industry. The panelists are: Mark Beecher, executive
vice president with Bank of the West; Phil Ingrassia, president
of Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA); Bob Martin,
president and chief operating officer (COO) of Thor Industries; Bill
Osborne, senior vice president of custom products for Navistar,
Inc.; and Martin Street, president and chief executive officer of
Stag-Parkway, Inc.
Mark Beecher
Phil Ingrassia
Bill Osborne
Bob Martin
Martin Street
For more information or to register for the event, contact RVIA’s
Huyen Dang at hdang@rvia.org or (703) 620-6003 (ext. 305).
Membership Meeting Will Examine Key RVIA Activities
RVIA’s Annual Membership Meeting, scheduled for 1:00 –
4:00 p.m. on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 5, will provide an
in-depth briefing on association activities for attendees.
RVIA Chairman of the Board Doug Gaeddert and RVIA
President Richard Coon will discuss the state of the association and speak on a range of topics including government
relations, RV standards, industry education, the RV market
outlook and RVIA-sponsored trade shows. RVIA Treasurer
Derald Bontrager will detail the association’s financial
situation.
American Recreation Coalition (ARC) President Derrick
Crandall will update attendees on the efforts of his organization
to address key outdoor recreation issues at the federal level.
There will also be a review of the industry’s programs to promote RV travel and camping. RVIA Vice President of Public
Relations and Advertising James Ashurst will report on the successful first year of the Go RVing “AWAY” national advertising
campaign, preview plans for 2013, and highlight the media coverage being generated by RVIA’s public relations efforts.
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RVIA will also honor industry and association leaders by presenting a host of awards, including the Distinguished Service to
the RV Industry Award, at the meeting.
A S S O C I A T I O N 5
Global RV Leaders Gather at 2nd World RV Conference
The 2nd World RV Conference drew 216 RV industry leaders
from 16 countries to the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel in Tampa,
FL from Jan. 17 – 20 to examine the growing international RV
market.
The event, sponsored by the RVIA, brought together executives
representing RV manufacturing and supplier companies, RV dealerships, campgrounds, and trade associations to share market information and statistics; discuss standards and technical issues, and
to explore how industry members can work together in an increasingly connected world RV market. Nearly half of attendees hailed
from outside the United States.
“The interest in RVing is flourishing throughout the world
with emerging markets in China, Japan, Russia, Brazil and South
America joining established markets in the United States, Canada,
Europe and Australia” said RVIA Chairman Doug Gaeddert of Forest River, Inc. “The strong attendance at the conference, particularly by those coming from outside the U.S., is a clear indication of
the increasing global footprint of the RV industry.”
Plenary Sessions
The Plenary Sessions, held the mornings of Jan. 18 and Jan.
19, were the centerpiece of the 2nd World RV Conference. The six
presentations provided key market statistics and trends; reviewed
popular RV products; and examined the future prospects and challenges for each world market. Those providing reports were (in
photo below, from left to right):
• “North America” presented by Richard Coon, president of
Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA).
• “Europe” presented by Stephane Cordeille, chief executive
officer of Thetford Corp.
• “China” presented by Ye Shengji, deputy secretary general of
the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM)
• “Japan” presented by Keiki INOMATA, a director with the
Japan RV Association (JRVA) and executive managing director of Neat RV Co.
• “Australia” presented by Stuart Lamont, chief executive
officer of the Caravan, RV and Accommodation Industry of
Australia (CRVA)
• “South Africa” presented by Keith Laing, managing director
of Jurgens Ci and a member of the Leisure Industry Manufacturers Association (LIMA);
6
“The world is getting smaller, and it’s important that we understand not only what is going on in our own market but also what’s
happening in other markets,” said Lamont. “What happens in
Europe or the United States may happen in Australia, and vice
versa. That is why it is critical for us to communicate and share
information.”
Cordeille added that while RV markets have inherent differences based on their location, there are fundamental basics contributing to RVing’s global appeal. “RVing gives people freedom
and gets them back into nature,” he said. “Our business…our way
of vacationing and traveling is a great way of linking family generations together. That is the true value of our product,”
Keynote Address
Marco Annunziata, chief economist and executive director of
Global Market Insight at General Electric, Co., was the keynote
speaker at the luncheon on Jan. 18. In his remarks via a video
conference link, he provided attendees with his view of economic
conditions. “I believe the economy will struggle in the early part of
2013 before gaining momentum in the second half of the year with
that growth continuing through 2014,” Annunziata said. “I believe
we will see an economic growth rate of 2 – 2.5% in the United
States and in larger emerging markets while Europe will continue
to experience volatility with minimal growth over the next several
years.”
Concurrent Workshops
The 2nd World RV Conference also featured a series of concurrent workshops on Jan. 18 that focused on various industry-related
topics. There were session focusing on “World Product Standards,”
“Advertising and Promotion,” “World Campground Standards,” the
“RV/Caravan Rental Business,” and the “Newest Emerging RV/
Caravan Markets.”
The 2nd World RV Conference was made possible through
the generous support of the event sponsors: Carefree of Colorado;
the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association; Cummins/Onan;
Dometic Group; the Florida RV Trade Association; Freightliner
Custom Chassis; GE Capital; Lazydays; Thetford Corp.; RVDA of
Canada; and Thor Industries.
It was announced that Australia will host the 3rd World RV
Conference in 2015. The first World RV Conference was held in
Dusseldorf, Germany in 2008.
RVIATODAY
Winter 2013
2nd World RV Conference attendees enjoy the Opening Reception.
The conference gave industry colleagues ample opportunities to
discuss the global RV market. In photo above (from left to right)
Winnebago’s Russ Garfin chats with Dometic’s Joachim Kinscher
and Tecnoform’s Roberto Kerkoc.
(From left) Hans Karl Sternberg, secretary general of the European
Caravan Federation, Eleonore Hamm, president of the RVDA of
Canada, and Doug Gaeddert, chairman of RVIA, speak at the
“RV/Caravan CEO-Chairman Panel Discussion.”
Attendees are welcomed to Lazydays as they prepare to tour the dealership.
GE Capital’s Marco Annunziata briefs attendees on the global
economic outlook via a video conference link.
Members of the large Chinese delegation at the 2nd World RV
Conference before boarding the ship for the dinner cruise.
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A S S O C I A T I O N 7
Go RVing’s “AWAY” Kicks Off Second Year
continued from page 1
National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, the Outdoor
Channel, and the SPEED Channel.
The broadcast plan also includes direct response advertising on
many other popular networks from March through September. All
of these outlets, which include Animal Planet, TBS, TLC, USA,
HGTV and ABC Family Channel, have a good record of running
Go RVing spots at optimum times of day and delivering strong lead
response.
Digital media advertising remains a centerpiece of Go RVing’s
effort with banner ads appearing on top websites and search
engines. Consumers are able to link directly to Go RVing.com
through ads that are running on lead-generating sites such as
Google, Bing Yahoo, and Facebook.
The 2013 print buy includes magazines that offer a strong
demographic for the ads and a good editorial environment. Issues
featuring Go RVing ads began to appear in February and will continue through September. See the media schedule below for a listing of magazines in the buy.
The “AWAY” campaign will drive consumers to GoRVing.com,
where prospects are provided comprehensive information to help
guide them through the purchase process and RV travel experi-
ence. New to the site this year is the “Find My RV” interactive
tool to help consumers explore and identify what RV type best suits
their needs. It also offers other tools that allow visitors to compare
typical family vacation costs, watch videos featuring real RVers,
and sign up for more information from participating Go RVing dealers, manufacturers, show promoters and campgrounds.
Consumers who opt-in to be contacted will be posted in the Go
RVing leads database in the industry-only area of the site, ranked
by level of purchase interest.
Go RVing’s “AWAY” campaign returned the emotion-driven
approach of the past and proved to be very effective after being
launched last February. An Advertising Effectiveness Study conducted in late 2012 found that more than one-third of the core
target market (families age 30 – 49 and empty nesters age 50 – 64)
recalled seeing RV advertising in 2012 and 25% remembered seeing Go RVing ads specifically, up from 18% in 2010.
In examining the likeability of the ads, 77% of core families
(up from 63% in 2010), 72% of empty nesters (up from 50%) and
80% of Latinos (up from 50%) viewed the ads favorably. The ads
also moved the needle on consumer motivation with 44% of core
families and 26% of empty nesters saying they were more likely to
consider buying an RV. That is up from 28% and 13% respectively
in the last effectiveness study.
Go RVing “AWAY” Media Schedule
National Television – Go RVing’s “AWAY” television spots will
appear on popular cable networks from March through November, including:
Destination America
March – Sept.
Great American Country
Feb. – June
MLB Network
April – Sept.
National Geographic
Feb. – June
National Geographic WILD
Feb. – June
Outdoor Channel
March – Aug.
SPEED Channel
Feb.— Nov. National Online Media – Go RVing’s digital media will run
from March through September on highly visited search engines
and websites, including Facebook, BudgetTravel.com, ShermansTavel.com, Scholastic.com, Military.com and AARP.org
8
National Magazines – Go RVing’s print ads will appear in 15 widelyread magazines to reach the most qualified prospects, including:
Better Homes & Gardens (April & May issues)
Budget Travel (May/June & July/Aug. issues)
Coastal Living (May & June issues)
Family Circle (April, July, Aug. issues)
Good Housekeeping (April & May issues)
Guideposts (April & May issues)
Ladies’ Home Journal (March & June issues)
Midwest Living (March/April & May /June issues)
National Country Market Reader (April issue)
National Geographic Traveler (May, June/July & Aug./Sept. issues)
Reader’s Digest (March & May issues)
Redbook Kidbook (Sept. issue)
Scholastic Parent & Child (May issue)
Southern Living (March & May issues)
Woman’s Day (March and may issues)
RVIATODAY
Winter 2013
RV Sweepstakes, Vignettes Add Value to Go RVing Campaign
A national RV sweepstakes and numerous RV travel and campnel.com, targeted emails, and the network’s social media outlets,
ing vignettes custom-produced by Go RVing’s media partners will
including a Go RVing co-branded trip itinerary widget.
once again be key elements of the industry’s national “AWAY”
Filming was completed in Nashville last month on the two
advertising campaign in 2013.
60-second “On the Road with GAC” vignettes featuring country
These vignettes will air on popular networks throughout the
music recording artist Chuck Wicks. The spots showcase how
year, including Great American Country (GAC), SPEED and the
Chuck uses his RV to escape the bright lights and pressure of
Outdoor Channel.
Music City by camping, huntAfter a very successful
ing and fishing with his father
sweepstakes last year, the
John and his dogs. A Forest
Outdoor Channel will once
River XLR Hyperlite sport utilagain offer an RV as a grand
ity RV, also selected through
prize in the network’s “Spring
a lottery, is featured in both
Fever” sweepstakes and four
vignettes, which are airing on
National Park RV vacations as
GAC through June 30 and on
other prizes. Forest River was
GACtv.com.
selected in a lottery of RVIA
Go RVing is once again
members to provide a Flagstaff
teaming up with SPEED perClassic folding camping trailer
sonality Rutledge Wood for
as the grand prize. Last year’s
three 60-second vignettes that
sweepstakes promotion with
feature Wood interviewing
Outdoor Channel drew 165,000
RVers at Texas Motor Speedentries and 23,173 consumer
way about why RVs are great
Chuck Wicks and his dad John star in the “On The Road with GAC” vignettes.
leads.
for family travel and how their
Additionally, the Outdoor Channel will air four vignettes with
units are ideal for tailgating at NASCAR races. It will air 546 times
network talent Pat Reeve and Nicole Jones, hosts of the hunting
throughout racing season on SPEED.
show Driven, and angler Mark Zona, host of Zona’s Awesome Fish“These vignettes add tremendous value to the campaign by
ing Show, talking about the appeal of RVs with outdoor enthusireinforcing the messages in our television commercials as popular
asts. These will air throughout April as part of the “Spring Fever”
network personalities enjoy and endorse RV travel and camping in
sweepstakes. The Outdoor Channel will also be promoting the
an entertaining and informative way,” said RVIA Vice President of
benefits of RV travel and the sweepstakes through outdoorchanPublic Relations and Advertising James Ashurst.
Go RVing Brings Message to Consumer Events
The Go RVing campaign is expanding its outreach effort to
include consumer events, for the first time. As part of its ad buys
with Garden & Gun and Country Living magazines, Go RVing
will display RVs at major events attended by consumers in the
ad campaign’s target demographic.
“We’re excited about this new way of reaching consumers
who share characteristics with RV owners,” said RVIA Vice
President of Advertising and Public Relations James Ashurst.
“This will give families an opportunity to see RVs for themselves
and learn how RVing is a fun, flexible and affordable way for
families to spend quality time in the outdoors.”
The first event was Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE),
held Feb. 15-17 in Charleston, SC. Now in its 30th year, SEWE
featured more than 500 artists and exhibitors from around the
globe, presenting their products to more than 40,000 attendees.
Go RVing’s on-site exhibit featured a Winnebago Aspect type
C motorhome and a Forest River V-Cross Vibe travel trailer.
Both units were selected in a member lottery.
As part of its media buy with Country Living, Go RVing is
sponsoring the “Sisters on the Fly” seminar, to be held at three
Country Living Fairs — June 7-9 in Rhinebeck, NY; Sept. 13-15
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in Columbus, OH; and Oct. 25-27 in Atlanta, GA. Total attendance at the events is expected to exceed 63,000.
“Sisters on the Fly” are a group of 2,400 women who travel
the country in RVs. They conduct seminars designed to educate
consumers on the RV lifestyle, and how easily the RV experience can be customized. The seminars will be held on the Main
Stage at each Country Living Fair. In addition, Go RVing will
have space to display an RV at each of the three fairs.
A S S O C I A T I O N 9
RVs Remain Hot Topic In Winter Media Coverage
Through the winter months, RVIA’s work with reporters and
producers has produced a steady stream of positive media coverage. Coverage included stories about the industry’s continuing
recovery from the economic downturn, positives about the RV
lifestyle, and cable TV specials about what’s new in RVs.
A few of the highlights:
• A Nov. 27 Associated Press story from the Louisville show
reported on the industry’s accelerating recovery from the
recession. This story appeared in media markets nationwide,
including Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, DC,
Columbus, San Diego, Chicago, St. Louis, and New York. The
story also was published on major online outlets, including
Yahoo! Finance and Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
• On Nov. 30, BudgetTravel.com published a story offering
tips for renting and traveling by RV. The story mentioned rising RV shipments, and presented RVs as an accessible and
fun way to travel.
• A Dec. 10 story in The Wall Street Journal reported that
RV sales are expected to rise in 2013. Growth was predicted
to be strongest in lower-cost models, with travel trailers and
fifth wheels expected to be in highest demand.
• On Dec. 20, Winnebago CEO Randy Potts appeared on
FOX Business where he talked about the positive outlook
for the RV industry. The segment also featured a Winnebago
Tour outside FOX’s New York studio.
• On Dec. 21, AnimalFair.com suggested that readers should
consider an RV for traveling with pets. The tip pointed out
that no boarding, no cargo holds and built-in pet stations
could make traveling with pets more convenient and more
fun. More than half of RVers travel with pets, according to
RVIA research.
• On Jan. 1, HGTV broadcasted “RV2013,” this year’s version of
the annual RV special. The show featured three families touring
the RV show in Hershey and presented the latest trends and newest models. RVIA works with producers throughout the production, and the show continues to be HGTV’s highest-rated special.
• On Jan. 18, FOX Business broadcasted live segments from
the floor of the Tampa RV Supershow, as well as interviews
with Richard Coon (pictured above) and other RV industry
executives. FOX told the story of the RV industry’s strong
sales and prospects for continued recovery.
• On Jan. 28, NBC’s Today show aired a segment featuring a
family with 12 children that bid goodbye to car pools and work
cubicles, sold their house and now live full-time in their RV.
Go RVing Super Bowl Road Trip Generates Media Coverage
Football journalist Kerry Byrne and Go RVing teamed up for
a 1,500-mile RV road trip to the Super Bowl, featuring tailgate
events from Boston to New Orleans. Byrne and celebrity chef
Steve DiFillippo traveled in a motorhome provided by El Monte
RV to promote RVs as a fun and flexible way to travel, tailgate
and experience the big game.
The tour included an appearance on the highly-rated FOX
& Friends (see photo) morning show on Sunday, Jan. 27 to talk
about how to host the perfect RV tailgate. They filmed a video for
ColdHardFootballFacts.com featuring former Baltimore Ravens
wide receiver Qadry Ismael, and produced video and written
content that appeared online at FootballNation.com, PulseTV.
com, and Yardbarker.com.
Byrne also appeared on sports radio nationwide to talk about
the RV trip to the big game, including national outlets ESPN
Radio and Sirius XM, as well as major markets including Pittsburgh, Houston, Chicago, Boston, Baltimore and Denver.
Byrne and an RV provided by Brent’s RV in Metairie, LA also
participated in a couple major Super Bowl events: the “Road to
the Super Bowl Tailgate” on Friday, Feb. 1, and the Super Sunday Funday Tailgate on game day.
Byrne is founder of ColdHardFootballFacts.com, and is considered an authority on the “gridiron lifestyle” of beer, food and
10
football. He also writes about food and drinks for The Boston
Herald, and has a regular column at SI.com (the web home of
Sports Illustrated magazine).
In addition to the Super Bowl road trip, RVIA PR identified
fans who would be traveling to the game in their RVs and promoted their stories to local media. This strategy resulted in more
than a dozen media broadcast, online and print placements in
Baltimore and New Orleans.
RVIATODAY
Winter 2013
RVIA Celebrates 50 Year Role in RV Standards Process
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recognized
RVIA with a special plaque to commemorate the 50th anniversary
of the association’s involvement with the standards-making organization.
In the photo, RVIA President Richard Coon (left) and RVIA
Vice President of Standards and Education Bruce Hopkins accept
the plaque.
In a letter accompanying the plaque, ANSI President and CEO
Joe Bhatia wrote, “We congratulate RVIA on
the contributions it has made in advancing
the safety and quality of recreational vehicles,
and thank you for your significant contributions in support of ANSI and the standardization community.”
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Recreation Vehicle Institute (RVI), one of
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the RV industry organizations that preceded
RVIA, began working with ANSI on RV
standards in 1963. After RVI and the Trailer
Coach Association (TCA) merged in 1974 to
form RVIA, RVIA continued the relationship
with ANSI in helping guide the standardsmaking process on behalf of the RV industry.
ANSI is a nonprofit association that
establishes procedures and guidelines to
create recognized minimum safety standards
for products used by both consumers and
industry.
ANSI sanctions standards that have been
created following rigid committee procedures
that allow all affected entities a voice in
At GE Capital, we’re not just bankers, we’re builders. We bring
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RVIA manufacturer members must display
the association seal to certify their compliwww.gecdf.com
ance with the various standards that apply
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RVIA’s Committee Week Set for June 3 – 6 in Washington, D.C.
RVIA’s Committee Week 2013 will take place from June 3 – 6 at
the Mayflower Renaissance Washington in Washington, D.C.
Over the course of the four-day event, standing committees, the
Executive Committee and the Board of Directors will meet to set
the association’s plans for the upcoming fiscal year. The Go RVing
Coalition will also meet on Monday, June 3.
In addition to the full-slate of committee meetings, other key
events on the schedule, include:
• RVIA’s Capitol Hill Advocacy
Day – RVIA members will visit
Capitol Hill to meet with legislators
and their staff to discuss key issues
critical to the RV industry.
• 2014 RV Market Outlook –
Dr. Richard Curtin, director of consumer research at the University of
Michigan, will provide the first forecast for the RV market in
2014 and examine the current economic climate.
• Networking Events – Several joint-committee luncheons
and receptions will give Committee Week participants the
opportunity to establish, renew and build upon the relationships critical to business success.
The Mayflower Renaissance Washington is a luxury hotel and
historic landmark. Proclaimed by President Truman to be Washington, DC’s “Second Best Address” after the
White House, the hotel is on the National
Registry of Historic Places and a Historic
Hotel of America. Located just blocks
from the White House, metro stops and
dining and cultural hot spots, the 4-diamond property offers a splendid center for
exploring the city.
For more information about Committee
Week, contact Doreen Cashion in the Meetings and Shows Department at (703) 6206003 (ext. 324) or dcashion@rvia.org.
2013
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March 4 – 7
RVIA Annual Meeting – Orlando, FL
June 3 – 6
RVIA Committee Week – Washington, DC
Oct. 11 – 20
61st California RV Show – Pomona, CA
Dec. 3 – 5
51st National RV Trade Show – Louisville, KY
RVIATODAY
Winter 2013