As their sales continue to decline, outdoor companies are trying a new marketing strategy: attacking President Trump’s environmental agenda. The outdoor recreation industry has been vocal in its opposition to Trump’s rollback of national monuments and climate change policy.
2016 was a lousy year for the outdoor industry, particularly the last three months of the year, during which overall sales declined by double digits. At least 10 major sports retailers have gone bankrupt in the last 18 months, including The Sports Authority and Sports Chalet. This has left many outdoor brands working overtime to reach the coveted and experience-driven millennial demographic.
Hoping they can profit off of President Trump’s low approval rating with millennials, and the emphasis this demographic places on environmental sustainability, companies have become increasingly political in their messaging to consumers.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has given these companies plenty of fodder. In April, Trump signed an executive order to review the Obama administration’s designation of millions of acres as federally-controlled land, seeking to give power back to the states. In its review, the Interior Department most notably proposed resizing the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah — a move that was supported by the state. Trump likewise rattled environmentalists with his decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord.
In April, Patagonia president and CEO Rose Marcario slammed Trump in a blog post.
“Trump and his team prefer to cater to fossil fuel interests and state land grabs for unsustainable development rather than preserve a vital part of our nation’s heritage for future generations by protecting federal lands owned by every citizen,” the Patagonia president wrote.
At around the same time, Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) urged its customers to contact Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke about the importance of conservation.
Casey Sheahan, president of KEEN Footwear, denounced the Trump administration for its efforts to strip national monument status from several monuments. Sheahan argued that it “opens up portions to potentially extractive activities” like oil and gas mining, and called it a “disservice” to their customer base.
What Sheahan and others fail to realize is that these “extractive activities” have the potential to create high-paying jobs for the same demographic they are targeting. Without well-paying jobs, millennials aren’t able to purchase expensive outdoor gear. Sadly, the push for environmental sustainability of our land often ignores the realities of economic sustainability for our country.
