Mitch Baranowski of the BEMPORAD/BARANOWSKI MARKETING GROUP is working with the Appalachian Trail Conference, on a new campaign and is helping them think through its implications.

They’re hosting a focus group for hiking/outdoor enthusiasts and are looking for folks who are not ATC members. The focus group will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004 from 7:30-9:00 pm at their offices in Manhattan. If needed, they are happy to reimburse focus group participants $50 each for incidental expenses such as transportation, parking and meals.

Here are the details on the focus group at a glance:

What: Appalachian Trail Marketing Focus Group

When: Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004 – 7:30 – 9:00pm

Where: 200 Park Ave S., Suite 1516 (entrance on 17th Street) -- Tel 212.473.4902

Getting there: The closest subway stop is 14th St – Union Square, accessible by the 4, 5, 6, N, R, Q, W and L trains. Parking garages may be found on Irving Place between 16th and 17th Street, and on Lee Strassberg Way (15th Street) between Irving Place and Park Ave South.

Why: They’ll be looking at ideas designed to help promote and protect the AT and secure the next generation of trail users and maintainers.

What to expect: Participants will be asked to respond honestly to a series of open-ended questions about marketing ideas in development. The meeting will be facilitated by a moderator and videotaped for archival purposes only. Beverages and snacks will be provided.



If you are interested in participating please contact Mr. Baranowski. His contact info is:

Mitch Baranowski
BEMPORAD/BARANOWSKI MARKETING GROUP200 Park Ave South, Suite 1516
New York, NY 10003
Tel 212.473.4902 ext. 202
Fax 212.473.6914
Cell 646.456.5380
mbaranowski@bbmg.com
http://www.bbmg.com (http://www.bbmg.com/)



This effort is not sponsored by American Hiking Society. This is an Appalachian Trail Conference project that we thought we would offer our members the chance to participate in if they so choose.



Thank you for being a member of American Hiking Society – the nation’s only national advocacy group for hikers.



Peter Olsen

Membership Manager

American Hiking Society

1422 Fenwick Lane

Silver Spring, MD 20910

301-565-6704 ext. 207

POlsen@AmericanHiking.org

www.AmericanHiking.org (http://www.americanhiking.org/)



Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir

I understand that this is aimed at 'outdoor entusiasts' but is this to market the Appalachian Trail itself or the ATC? :-?

What is this about exactly? Whenever I see the word "marketing" involved with the AT it makes me nervous...

If you have been following the ATC reorganization, they have decided to become a much more visible group. The plan is to increase the member base to 3 or 4 times the current membership. In order to do that, I suspect they will have to do major marketing campaign and this event sounds like part of the development of the campaign.

Hi Peakbagger,

Yes, I am an ATC member. I thought they were just streamlining the organization. I did not know that they were going to go the media route for public exposure. New york is the place to go if you want media exposure, I guess. I hope they think about getting 3 or 4 times the maintainers too. I think they will need them. I think this will put more pressure on the trail even if it is not intended to. Just my opinion.

Hi Peakbagger,

Yes, I am an ATC member. I thought they were just streamlining the organization. I did not know that they were going to go the media route for public exposure. New york is the place to go if you want media exposure, I guess. I hope they think about getting 3 or 4 times the maintainers too. I think they will need them. I think this will put more pressure on the trail even if it is not intended to. Just my opinion.

I have misgivings about the wisdom of some of the proposed changes, but the problem the ATC seeks to solve is obvious. At least 4 million people use the trail every year. Fewer than 40,000 are ATC members.

The ATC reorganization seeks to increase its base of support in hopes of being able to do a better job on behalf of the trail.

Weary

couldn't they have conducted their study closer to the actual AT, and not their offices? In my experience, you have to know what you're selling in order to sell it. Wonder where they get their info from.

have fun, give support if you're in NYC!

If they want to know how to get urban folks interested in hiking maybe the location is OK.

This marketing firm must have skipped the chapter on sampling and in particular self selected samples. The ATC might be devoting resources to a "Park Avenue" flawed study.

Maybe this is just one of a series of focus groups held at various times and locations.

I am going to trust the collective judgement of the ATC, but I am very curious.

Your right about the location being possibly a little silly, but myself and two of my fellow SOBO 03's who have transplanted to NYC will be there representing the non-urbanite vision of the trail. The issue I would like to see addressed is one I admittedly don't know the answer to. How do you encourage people to use the trail without loving it do death?