Section 1 – Audience Definition (20 Marks)

According to the Canadian Tourism and Market research report, the current adventure market is valued over $12 billion dollars ($12,397,950,000.00) (AMR, 2022). This niche market is a sizable and profitable industry to tap into.  This market is very valuable based on the most recent stats Can report. 2021 data found that nearly 8 in 10 (78%) households in Canada reported participating in outdoor activities that would be classified as adventure related (Stats Canada, 2021). The report indicated that the interest and audience growth rate for this audience is 1.5% every 2 years. This audience on average spends approximately $1,601 on their adventure excursions. This includes products, supplies, travel etc. what this means to dry culture is that focusing on pouring the resources to appeal to this demographic will align their brand with the industry growth. According to Made in Canada, this adventure audiences are willing to invest in higher quality backpacks if that means they are quality, durable, and reliable (Made in Can 2021). The report also indicated that this segment in 75% more likely to travel to pursue adventure. 

This market’s audience can be segmented into 2 key groups that will be an important defining characteristic for Dry Culture’s target Audience. These segments are Soft Outdoor Adventure Enthusiasts and Hard Outdoor Adventure Enthusiasts. 

Firstly, the soft adventure enthusiasts. This audience is defined as Canadians that have taken leisure trips within the last 2 years, and in many cases engaged with adventurous activities/leisure. Some of these activities would include but not limited to: 

• Hiking (58%)
• Camping (58%)
• Backpacking/adventure traveling (58%)
• Car Camping (58%)
• Biking (38%)
• Kayaking or canoeing (37%
• Motor boating (37%)
• Sailing (16%)
• Windsurfing (14%)
• (Percentages are based on the audience preferences from Stats Can, 2021). 

Soft adventure enthusiasts tend to have regional preferences which leads to high pockets of this niece within regions of Canada. These are British Columbia (47%), Alberta (40%), Quebec (37%), and Ontario (36%) (Stats Can, 2021). This is due to the regional market shares and subcultures of the adventure enthusiasts in each area. Within these areas. Dry Culture will be primarily focusing on the British Columbia and Ontario.

This target audience tends to range on the younger end of the adult age spectrum and accounts for 23% of Canadian adults which is a target audience size of 9,200,00 (MBTA 2021). Three-quarters of the entire audience falls in the 18-34 and 35-to-44-year age group. These age groups tend to be adult-only households (61%). Which aligns with the relative younger audience.

This audience tends to be more affluent than the tactical domestic traveler in Canada. The States Can report found that the average income for this Audience is between $54,900 to $106,717 (MBTA 2021). This income range is also reflected by their education status. Over ¼ of soft outdoor adventure enthusiasts have at least one university degree (26%) and approximately 40% have some type of post-secondary education. 

The buying behavior of this audience prefers to invest in equipment that will last over time, rather than cheap equipment. As such they prefer quality products that offer durability, functionality, and reliability. Their buying behavior is driven by seasonality factors, April to September tends to see a buying behavior spike for this audience (MBTA 2021). However, they buying habits remain consistent throughout the year. This audience also is less likely to consider paid advertisements to be use, and prefer more organic delivery of ads (TNS Canada, 2021). 

The gender for this audience is split 50/50 male to female (MBTA 2021). 

Key values of this audience:  

• Enjoying the experience of being outdoors
• Values experiences over possessions 
• Enjoys getting away from urban environment. 
• Exploring new places 
• Experience new actives. 
• Dedicated to one activity at a time. 
• Environmental conscientious 
• Prefer personalization. 

Part 2 of this segment is Hard Adventure enthusiasts. Based on the Stats Can report there are currently 2,800,000 hard outdoor enthusiasts (7%) of the Canadian adult population (Stats Can, 2021). This group is defined as Canadians who have taken any active or leisure trip in the last 2 years with the main criterias being to seek and experience high excitement adventure and or includes the following activities: 

• Rock Climbing (58%)
• Mountain Biking (34%)
• White Water Rafting (21)
• Scuba Diving (25%)
• Surfing (5%)
• Hand Gliding (1%)
• (States Can 2021)
• Note: the findings indicate that the audience had much participation in soft adventure culture, but their preferences reside in the hard adventures. 

Hard core adventure enthusiasts tend to be more western Canadian oriented. The preferences regionally are 19% British Columbia, 18% Alberta, 13% Ontario, and 12% Quebec. 

The target audience for hard adventure culture screws slightly in favour of man (67%) and woman (33%). This audience is on the younger end of the spectrum with 58% being 18-35, and 30% being 35-45 years of age. Similar to the soft adventure enthusiasts, this segment generally lives in adult only households (69%). Roughly 31% have children under the age of 12 in their household. 

This audience also tends to be more affluent in the middle-to-lower class income bracket $54,900 to $106,717 (MBTA 2021). This audience also has a lower level of university education, 22% with a higher 49% that have taken some form of post-secondary education. 

Since this audience is younger their behavior allows them to travel more than the older generation. This means on average they spend more than the average adventure enthusiast. According to consumer reports, this segment prefers to invest in high quality products that will be durable, resistant, and well designed. Since the audience is younger, they also want adventure campaign gear that will adapt to the various environments that they are going to. This audience also is less likely to consider paid advertisements to be used, and prefer more organic delivery of ads (TNS Canada, 2021). 

Key values: 

• Thriving in the Outdoor Environment
• Prioritizing Experiential Learning
• Seeking Remote and Untouched Terrain
• Venturing into Uncharted Territories
• Prefers Adrenaline-Pumping Activities
• Commitment to Challenging Points 
• Valuing Personalized and Tailored Experiences 

Key Motivators

• Seeks products that will be compatible with intense adventure. 
• Loves personal challenge 
• Motivated to explore 
• Loves to connect with nature
• Social-oriented lifestyle 

Second audience: 

Urban explorers/commuters or “Urban Ambassadors.” This demographic, aged 25-45, is drawn to urban culture over rural settings, as indicated by a study from the University of Waterloo (2010).

The term “Urban” is defined in relation to this target audience. It represents a diverse cultural hub, offering unexplored areas for dwellers to immerse themselves in. Urban culture is marked by its distinct style, design, convenience, and connectivity preferences. Urban areas boast abundant resources and access to diverse communities, which resonate with the preferences of our target audience.

Urban Ambassadors navigate the urban landscape through various modes of transportation, with a notable portion opting for cycling, walking, or public transit. According to recent data from Stats Canada (2020), 12% of urban commuters rely on public transit, 6.9% walk or cycle, and 70% use vehicles. While this analysis acknowledges urban commuters use primarily vehicles, the primary focus is on those who walk and cycle.

Stats Canada identifies Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, and Kelowna as cities with large urban commuter populations, followed by Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, and Ottawa (Stats Can, 2020). Urban dwellers, especially in denser urban areas, exhibit higher rates of bicycle ownership (42%) compared to rural areas (29%), emphasizing their preference for sustainable transportation.

In terms of income and education, Urban Ambassadors typically earn between $50,000 to $100,000 annually, with 40% holding university degrees and 26% having some form of post-secondary education (Stats Can, 2020). This also is reflected in their careers, with many working office-based jobs, remote online work, or freelance jobs. This requires their products to have a functional and practical requirement.  The gender is also mixed and does not have any preference.

Values:

• Sustainability: Urban Ambassadors prioritize sustainable living and seek products aligned with eco-conscious values.
• Sleek Design: They appreciate well-designed products that blend style with functionality that would match their “braided” aesthetic. 
• Work-Life Balance: Maintaining a busy yet balanced lifestyle is important, with a focus on incorporating leisure activities into their daily routines.
• Alternative Transportation: They prefer commuting via bicycle and public transport, contributing to a greener urban environment.
• Practicality: they need everything around them to be fully functional and practical, meaning each product needs to optimize their life experience. 

Motivations:

• Thrilling Experiences: Urban Ambassadors seek out adventurous and unconventional experiences within the urban landscape.
• Off-the-Beaten-Path Discoveries: They enjoy exploring hidden gems and discovering unique spaces off the mainstream radar.
• Preference for Alternative Options: They gravitate towards products and experiences that offer something different from the mainstream, valuing authenticity, and individuality.

Leisure active preference 

• Urban exploration 
• Hiking 
• Cycling 
• Walking tours 
• Outdoor fitness 
• Traveling to the beach
• Adventure sport

Persona

Urban Explorer/Commuter

This audience introduces Yerrie Ryan. Her motivations and frustrations are based on her behavioral habits as they relate to the target audience. As explained in the profile above, these urban explorers are predisposed to prefer biking to work. They also prefer city explorations like indoor rock climbing, hiking through local parks, and, during the summer months, walking to local city parks for picnics and other active summer activities. Based on the audience profile, Yerrie Ryan is the ideal customer because her values align with Dry Culture’s, which is to seek adventure, value sustainability, and prioritize durability of their products. Her income is average for her role, which allows her to have a higher level of disposable income for urban adventure gear. Her preferences include organization, and she has a passion for exploring the areas around her. All her goals, interests, and motivations are based on the audience description and profile mentioned in the first analysis. The best urban location for this audience is Toronto, due to it’s proximity to Dry Culture’s home base, but also the fabric of the Toronto climate and culture.

Adventure Enthusiasts

This target audience traduces Zack Braun. His motivations are based of the consumer profile analyses above and include spending their money of high-quality adventure gear, traveling to destinations for adventures to seek out freedom and gain experiences over possessions. Zack is a well-established photographer and content creator who thrives at what he does. He likes mountain biking, hikes, backpacking and photography. He moved to BC to be around Adventure more which tends to be accurate according to the States Can report, indicating that younger adults who consider themselves to be adventure enthusiasts move to western province as the lifestyle is more appealing and relevance to their desires.

Urban Explorer/Commuter

Adventure Enthusiasts