Latin_KNOW: The Latino Marketing Report: Boy Scouts Target Latino Youth

Here's a story with a twist. Not only are the Boy Scouts reaching out to the Latino population to up their faltering membership numbers, but according to the following article, they are not having an easy time with recruitment due to and interesting impairment: it seems that Latinos associate the group with "sissies".

Phoenix scouts and leaders say the Boy Scouts have been incorrectly labeled as a club for rich or dorky kids, and it's been hard convincing many Latino kids, especially immigrants, that the group shares their values and works toward the good of boys.

I don't think it's the immigrant children who need convincing, it's their parents. This article talks about a "culture hurdle" being the culprit for such low recruitment rates. This is true. What the Boy Scouts doesn't seem to get is that the overwhelming majority of recent immigrant parents are VERY reluctant to allow their children to participate in activities away from their homes and without their direct supervision. It's just a fact. They are not used to sending their kids off to summer camp, tend to not allow sleepovers and are suspicious of adults that are not part of the family interacting with their children. Throw in the fact that with recent scandals involving children within the Boy Scout organization they have a reason to be more suspicious, and there you have it.

Latino parents' values and habits are different. THIS is the culture hurdle.

In any campaign, be it marketing or recruitment, it's important to look not only at language but the mindset and value system of the group you are looking to target. It's not enough to translate your marketing materials into another language, you must get inside the minds and hearts of the people you are reaching out to. What do they believe? What do they need? Where do you fit in? I know, it doesn't really sound like marketing talk, but it's the truth. Try to take a shortcut and chances are your campaign will fail.

Thanks to Hispanic Tips, a great new Latino news site, for this and many other tips. Hispanic Tips is chock-full of information, so check it out. If it's not there, it probably didn't happen.

Boy Scouts woo Hispanics
Group faces culture hurdle, label of 'sissy'

Betty Reid
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 20, 2005 12:00 AM

Boy Scouts of America is courting the Latino population.

It's a charge that started in 2000 when the Boy Scouts of America National Council discovered they were not reaching out to America's fastest-growing minority population. But Hispanic youngsters are not coming out of the woodwork to join.

Phoenix scouts and leaders say the Boy Scouts have been incorrectly labeled as a club for rich or dorky kids, and it's been hard convincing many Latino kids, especially immigrants, that the group shares their values and works toward the good of boys.

Alex Estrella, for example, is familiar with the barriers. The 16-year-old south Phoenix resident joined the Scouts when he was in first grade and plans to continue with the program through high school.

Alex saw a troop he joined with 16 members fall to four. While recruiting on campuses, some students tell him they are busy with sports, while others taunt the institution.

"We get called 'sissies.' It's sad because they don't know what they are missing," Alex said. "I try to explain, shooting 12 gauges and rifles. If they find that sissy, then honestly, they don't know the definition of sissy."

Arizona Republic READ MORE

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Latin_KNOW: The Latino Marketing Report

Comments and insights on marketing and communications campaigns targeting the US Latino / Hispanic community.

July 22, 2005

Boy Scouts Target Latino Youth

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