Author:
Taylor Walston
This year, the Archery Trade Association is conducting four bowhunting lifestyle photo shoots with the goal ofcreating authentic bowhunting and outdoor lifestyle-focused imagery that reflects a more diverse and inclusive population. The photos will be available to state agencies, nongovernmental organizations and other industry members, and we encourage them to use these photos online and in their marketing materials to more accurately reflect the diversity of the bowhunting public. This country is a wonderfully diverse one, and these photo shoots will, hopefully, start allowing bowhunters of color to see themselves represented in marketing material.
The ATA is seeking to provide imagery that will allow bowhunters of color to see themselves represented in marketing material. Photo Credit: ATA
“Typical imagery for bowhunting lacks diversity and is not relevant to local residents,” Jennifer Mazur, the ATA’s senior director of outreach and education, said. “We understand that in order to grow the sport, people need to be able to see themselves participating.”
According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau population projections from 2018, by 2020, 49.8% of children will be minority and the U.S. population will be a majority-minority country in 2045 — meaning that no single group will make up a majority of the population. Hunting and outdoor recreation communities have traditionally overlooked minority populations, and with declining license sales, it is imperative to welcome and recruit the fastest-growing demographics in our country.
“When a young person of color looks at the Park Service, they don’t see anyone like them, and so they don’t see that as a viable place to go,” Jon Jarvis, the National Park Service director under President Barack Obama, said. This is also true for imagery used around the hunting industry. There needs to be a better representation of the nation’s demographics in marketing materials and websites dedicated to recruitment of new hunters.
All of the models in the photo shoots are active bowhunters. Photo Credit: ATA
The ATA is collaborating with our partners NubAbility and Hunters of Color to ensure that all of the models in the photo shoots are active bowhunters. These photo shoots are the result of the 2022 Multistate Conservation Grant Program sponsored by the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Digital imagery will be indexed and distributed for state agencies and NGOs on the CAHSS R3 Clearinghouse page for accessibility and ease of use. ATA members of any membership classification interested in using the photos are welcome to reach out to us for the images. Webinars summarizing lessons learned, successes working with diverse audiences, and how to use the images effectively and authentically will be provided. A full report will be given at the R3 symposium, AFWA meetings, and other regional and national conferences.
The images in this article are a preview of the first of four photo shoots. Photo Credit: ATA
The ATA has just concluded the first of four photo shoots. The images can be expected online in early 2023. You can find a few pictures from the photo shoot accompanying this article as a preview of what’s to come. The ATA encourages the archery and bowhunting industries to use the photos from these sessions in their marketing campaigns. Our industries are more diverse than can be seen in typical marketing materials, and it’s time that we address that lack of inclusivity to broaden our appeal.
If you have questions about the photo shoots, contact Jennifer Mazur, senior director of outreach and education, at (507) 233-8139 or jennifermazur@archerytrade.org.
