Maybe today’s youth are just turned off by how grumpy and crusty all the old kitres are!downunder wrote: ↑Fri Sep 21, 2018 4:34 amAnd I knew instantly that you and "Adventure Logs" are Yanks using Dude all over the place on this forum (EU). You are more than welcome to start the US forum, or:
Learn your manners. Dude might be 2x older than yourself and 3x more involved in this sport.
I don't really understand using a"dude" on the Forum where everyone is way over 40ties (or 50ties, or 60ties)...Very selfish, and shortsighted term in my books.
1) Middle aged wealthy men are less influenced by marketing than teenagers.longwhitecloud wrote: ↑Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:40 pmif u have kited for some time you will have noticed a big shift upwards in the average age of kitesurfers
it seems the industry targets middle aged wealthy men with their marketing these days with a lot more focus than they used to
they can do that
best died, cab many left, other kites companies now really struggle with the high risk of the kite industry
kiting has also become super fragmented thx to effort political kite pressures
you dont need an industry but industry can really push exciting stuff onto young riders to get them stoked.
so did they forget that by attracting youth into kiting they will building future higher income customers?
yup....
slingshot seem to be one of few brands with youth based marketing.
CaptainCore wrote: ↑Fri Sep 21, 2018 11:05 amFor years and years watersports, like waterskiing, windsurfing and yes kiting all hope the push to sell to kids will reap big dividends, Governing bodies like in our case the RYA all try it, but the fact is, you need a drivers license, some wheels and yes some disposable income unless you're lucky to have rich parents or parents already in the sport. Then what happens? The Boys? they discover their dicks, or off to Uni (College) things change they vanish and Girls? the boys have all vanished so what's the point.
So market to older folk who once the decision is made tend to stick with their choice of sport, plus they have the income, time, mobility to support it. No Brainer really, yet still we waste our time with kids.
This is pretty spot on. Quiet little beach around here. We only have 4 or 5 regular guys (all 50+) who show up when it's windy. 2 of them have sons who they nudged into the sport and bought all the gear for them, but the young guys rarely show up. I think kiting isn't social enough for them. Kids around here are more into playing spikeball on the beach, a little skimboarding, but mostly just "hanging out" and trying to pick up girls.surfinsmiley wrote: ↑Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:57 amAt our local beach there are 20 or so core kiters. all 50 plus years old.
There are probably 100 more casual summer kiters. One teenager a couple of 40 plus year old women and pretty much everyone else in the casual group are 40 plus.
You can buy old kites from our group of core kiters in great condition for a few hundred bucks. If any of the young crew were actually interested, there are kites and teachers and conditions aplenty.
I think most young crew are happy riding the skatepark that over looks our kite beach.
Just never really see any interest from the young fellas...
So, the marketing is just aiming at the people that actually want to ride kites!
Dude! Blame American Idol -- all the young dudes think their "natural talents" mean they don't need to work at it, so when they realize it's going to be a year before they're throwing down the kewl moves, they give up. So it's only the crusty old water dudes who can see the end goal and understand the effort involved and just get to work...
It may have a lot of options but it's certainly not cheap. I can't really find a decent 12 meter kite from 2015 or newer for under $500.jumptheshark wrote: ↑Fri Sep 21, 2018 1:21 pm
Kiteboarding has probably the ripest second hand market of all sports.
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