Women who fish are happier and healthier, according to new research from Take Me Fishing, a national brand from the non-profit Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF). The research takes a deep dive into female attitudes and behaviors around fishing, and the result is a new campaign from Colle McVoy called “Find Your Best Self on the Water.”
The campaign will support the research that proves women who fish have significantly greater grit, confidence and self-esteem than women who don’t. The centerpiece is a 60-second spot, directed by Fern Berresford, that, through footage and rhythmic copy, shows how girls who fish build traits like confidence, determination and resilience on and off the water.
The goal of the campaign is to inspire more women to feel comfortable trying the activity and promote RBFF’s mission to protect and restore the nation’s aquatic natural resources by increasing participation in recreational angling and boating.
We’ve been working with RBFF for more than a decade and this study was an important step in our efforts to draw more people to the activity. Growing up in the land of 10,000+ lakes has thankfully given me, and many of the folks on our team, the opportunity to fish every season,” Lydia Choi, associate creative director of Colle McVoy told Adweek.
The campaign also includes public service announcements, print, digital and social media extensions, influencer partnerships and earned media activations. A large portion of the media buy is through an alliance partnership with Disney, aand integrated media partnerships with Vanity Fair, Forbes and Hypebae will launch next month.
The research
Among women who fish, 1 in 4 say it improves their mood, brings them peace, and helps them manage their mental health and long-term stress. Women who fish have greater perseverance and are more likely to say that setbacks do not discourage them, and almost half of women who fish say that fishing teaches them patience and helps to develop their confidence. Even with all the positive benefits, 75% of women who fish do not feel well-represented in marketing and advertising.
“Fishing has a profound impact on a woman’s life,” said Rachel Piacenza, senior director of marketing, RBFF. “Our research shows this and our newest campaign is going a long way to accurately and inclusively depict this key audience, ideally inspiring more females to feel comfortable trying this life-enhancing activity.”
Take Me Fishing ‘s 2023 campaign aims to confront the barriers that prevent women from starting the hobby and inspire women everywhere to challenge themselves to try something new on a dedicated web page.
“We were overwhelmed by the fountain of benefits that holding a rod out on the water can provide for women. The impact of the study astonished even the most seasoned researcher,” said Choi.
The research, conducted in partnership with global market research firm IPSOS, consisted of a survey of active and lapsed female and non-anglers to better understand the benefits, behaviors, and barriers they experience.
A women-led team conceived and developed the “Find Your Best Self on the Water” campaign.
“Throughout the making of this campaign, the icing on the cake has been that the core team bringing this to life, from the agency and client side, is made up of all women. While on status calls, we frequently find ourselves in awe of this when we realize our job is to empower more women to experience the benefits of fishing out on the water,” said Choi.