Take Me Fishing Launches Funny New PSA Campaign
OutdoorHub 02.21.12
New public service announcements use humor to drive home the importance of fishing licenses and boat registrations in protecting America’s waterways
Why should boaters and anglers actually want to purchase a fishing license and register their boat? The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) answers this question in its recently launched 2012 Take Me Fishing Public Service Announcement (PSA).
The new “This is a Test” television and radio spots are a fun, retro take-off on 1950’s PSAs. They focus on the actual need to buy a license or registration, while using humor to catch the public’s attention and win its support.
“The fact is, no one cares more about protecting America’s waterways than anglers and boaters,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “We respect these resources because we enjoy them. RBFF’s Take Me Fishing PSAs are letting people know that by doing what they are supposed to do anyway, purchase a fishing license or register their boat, they play a meaningful role in aquatic conservation.”
The potential impact of the PSA campaign is significant. Already, anglers produce more than $600 million a year in fishing license sales and $200 million in private donations for conservation efforts. Boaters generate some $570 million a year in fuel taxes for the Federal Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which supports conservation of coastal wetlands and fisheries. The 2011 Take Me Fishing PSA “Protecting Memories” generated more than 43,000 placements in media outlets across the country and $6.95 million of in-kind media for RBFF – extending the reach of the national Take Me Fishing advertising campaign.
“With the new PSA campaign, we hope even more outdoor enthusiasts will get on board and obtain their license and registration,” added Peterson.
RBFF plans to extend the PSA campaign with a social media component this spring. Additional information on how to protect aquatic resources is available on the conservation pages of TakeMeFishing.org.
