ALEXANDRIA, VA - A new study released by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) reveals that RBFF's Take Me Fishing™ brand and Take Me Fishing advertising continues to achieve high levels of awareness, and that the campaign is positively affecting decisions to participate in boating and fishing. The study, based on an online survey, found that consumers who recall a Take Me Fishing print ad are more than three times more likely to intend to go fishing, take someone fishing, or go boating for the purpose of fishing as consumers who do not recall the ad. In another analysis, the study scored Take Me Fishing print advertising 74.4 out of 100 on its ability to influence readers' decisions to go fishing in response to the ad's call to action.

"These are exciting results for RBFF and our stakeholders," said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. "They prove the Take Me Fishing campaign is positively affecting behavior and boosting participation. This coming year, we're expanding the campaign. And we're working right now on future ads to keep the campaign fresh, effective and motivating."

The survey reached 2,000 people among three target groups: those interested in the outdoors, those interested in both fishing and boating and those known to have been exposed to the Take Me Fishing advertising campaign.

KEY FINDINGS:

Awareness of the Take Me Fishing logo increased in 2011 across all audiences, and is up to 61 percent among those interested in fishing or boating, an increase of 16 percent over 2010.

Brand awareness (measured by recall of the phrase "Take Me Fishing") increased from 30 percent in 2010 to 48 percent in 2011, a more than 50 percent jump over 2010.

Take Me Fishing ads have a powerful effect on intentions to participate:

Those who recall a Take Me Fishing ad, compared with those who do not recall the ad, are 3.6 times more likely to go fishing, 3.6 times more likely to take someone else fishing and 3.5 times more likely to go boating for the purpose of fishing.

Consumers who recall a Take Me Fishing ad are 3.6 times more likely to go to the TakeMeFishing.org website than those who do not.

Awareness of direct mail advertising (via RBFF's Fishing License Marketing Program) is up six percent in 2011 (15 percent) compared to 2010 (9 percent).

The study was based on a survey conducted by EurekaFacts in September 2011. An executive summary of the report is available online at www.rbff.org/research. To request a copy of the full report, please e-mail rbff@rbff.org.

About RBFF
RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation's aquatic natural resources. RBFF helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing™ campaign and Anglers' Legacy.