Go RVing ‘Away’ Ads, Website Ready to Launch

Go RVing’s new “AWAY” television commercials will air for the first time next week on the SPEED Channel, during the network’s lead-up to the Daytona 500, and on Great American Country (GAC).

According to a press release, the Go RVing TV spots are scheduled to debut on Feb. 21 during SPEED’s NASCAR Race Hub, which airs between 6-7 p.m. Eastern. Throughout the week, spots will continue to air on a variety of racing programs, including NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice, Gatorade Duels, NASCAR Victory Lane and Trackside.

On Feb. 26, the day of the Daytona 500, Go RVing commercials will run on NASCAR Raceday, between 9 a.m. and noon Eastern, and during the post-Daytona 500 weekend racing schedule.

Also debuting next week is a new custom RV vignette featuring SPEED racing analyst Rutledge Wood and his family. This mini-travel feature can be seen for the first time Feb. 23 on NASCAR Raceday Duels (1 p.m. Eastern), and will continue to air through November.

Next week on Great American Country (a Scripps cable network), Go RVing ads will run a total of 65 times during lifestyle and music programs throughout the day, including GAC Wakeup Call, Xtreme Bulls, Paula’s Home Cooking and Top 50 Videos of the 2000s.

The commercials and vignettes will drive viewers to the new GoRVing.com, relaunched with improved functionality and more interactive tools to build consumer interest and leads. Visitors will be able to explore all RV types, compare typical family vacation costs, watch new videos featuring real RVers, search for dealers, manufacturers, suppliers, retail shows and campgrounds, and sign up to receive more information from Go RVing and its industry partners. Completely redesigned to mirror the new “AWAY” campaign creative, the website serves as the landing spot for all advertising and public relations initiatives.

Starting Feb. 27, the three new “Find your AWAY” TV commercials will continue to roll out along with custom Go RVing programming on MLB Network, National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Wild, Outdoor Channel and the Cooking Channel. Beginning in March, the campaign will be running on over 40 cable networks in total.

The March–October 2012 print plan includes 20 popular magazine titles across a variety of new and proven genres. Watch for upcoming ads in Better Homes & Gardens, Country Living, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Guideposts, Ladies Home Journal, People Country and Woman’s Day. Scannable bar codes in the ads will take smartphone users directly to a new mobile version of GoRVing.com.

New “AWAY” web banner ads begin running next week on dozens of Internet sites. Go RVing’s online presence will continue to build through September as the ads appear on search engines including Google and Bing, along with highly visited sites including Facebook.

“The industry responded very favorably to the new, emotion-driven ‘AWAY’ creative when it debuted in Louisville last December, and we’re hoping an equally strong consumer response will help boost RV awareness and demand,” said RVIA Vice President of Public Relations and Advertising James Ashurst.

The Go RVing ads will be seen by approximately 1.5 billion adults in the campaign’s core family target audience over the course of 2012.

 

Registration Continues for Trouble Shooter Clinic

Registration is under way for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) next Trouble Shooter Clinic, scheduled for Feb. 27-March 1 in South Bend, Ind. According to a press release, this is the second clinic featuring the revised format with tracks covering Foundation, Chassis, Power Sources and Appliances.

“The new tracks offer more for the experienced technician”, says RVIA’s Sharonne Lee, director of technical information. “Enrollment in the new tracks is limited and certified technicians are encouraged to sign up before all of the seats are taken. Certified technicians get more hands-on and diagnostic experience with the new tracks. Tracks are taken independently, and technicians can now get training suited to their individual needs, rather than having to take the one size fits all approach. Another benefit is the tracks make it possible for technicians to be away from the shop for a shorter period of time and provide continuing education credits for recertification.”

Following is a synopsis of what will be covered in each track. Attendance to the Chassis, Power Sources or Appliance track requires the technician to be certified or have previously attended the Foundation Track.

Foundation – 3 days, 24 hours CE Credit, $360

• Propane – Covers storage and handling, safety connections, thermocouples, venting, regulations, testing devices, control systems and common problems.

• Pre-Delivery Inspection – Covers the purpose of a thorough PDI and what items should be inspected and documented.

• Preventive Maintenance – An overview of the knowledge and skills necessary to provide routine inspection and maintenance to keep the customer safe and happy.

• Customer Care – A presentation to help technicians improve customer satisfaction.

• Fire & Life Safety – A presentation of safety requirements pertaining to smoke and CO alarms, propane detectors, fire extinguishers, floor penetrations, and glass or mirror requirements.

• Basic Electricity – A presentation of 12 VDC and 120 VAC. Includes hands-on exercises covering safety; testing meters and procedures; and common problems and solutions.

• Water Distribution/Drainage-Waste Water/Monitoring Systems – Will cover water supply line, drain lines, holding tanks, fresh tanks, and monitoring installations, sizing and repair. Also will include testing methods and the new waterless valve installations at fixtures.

• Pumps – Covers pump operation and selection. Hands-on exercises with common problems and troubleshooting.

• Thetford Sanitation – Covers basic diagnosis and repair of toilets, use of wastewater chemicals and Thetford customer service policies and procedures.

Chassis – 2 days, 16 hours CE Credit, $240

• Axles and Frames – Explanation and identification of components of axle, brakes and suspension systems. Hands-on training on brakes, bearings, seals and measuring of axles and frames.

• Hydraulics – Includes theory and operational characteristics; demonstration of different leveler and slide operations; discussion of effective ways to troubleshoot and make timely repairs.

• Towing & Hitches – Covers the proper selection, installation and set-up including brake controls, weight distribution kit, sway controls and fifth-wheel hitching systems.

Power Sources – 3 days, 24 hours CE Credit, $360

• Generators – A comprehensive course covering both Onan and Generac generators including component identification and function, reading and understanding wiring schematics and hands-on performance of operational tests.

• Converters – This course will cover the operating characteristics of three types of power converters and their appropriate applications. Hands-on performance diagnostics will be performed on each type.

• Power Systems – This class covers 30- and 50-amp input systems, load panels, basic energy management, line generator switches and neutral current in in-phase and out-of-phase power sources.

• Batteries – Covers battery technology, inspection, testing equipment, specifications and terminology.

• Inverters & Transfer Switches – This course covers inverter/charger and transfer switch basic operation, installation wiring, programming, troubleshooting and board replacement in the field.

• Energy Management Systems – Covers the basic operations, board replacements and troubleshooting, including interfacing.

Appliances – 4 days, 32 hours CE Credit, $480

• Water Heaters – A comprehensive course covering both Atwood and Suburban water heaters including specifications, installation and sequence of operation. Course includes the water heater tear down, testing and reassembly.

• Air Conditioning and Heating – Comprehensive courses covering Airxcel air conditioners and heat pumps and Dometic air conditioners. Instruction includes component operation, installation and troubleshooting. Students will perform a cooling performance and use meters to diagnose components.

• Refrigerators – A comprehensive course covering both Norcold and Dometic refrigerators covering absorption refrigeration versus gravity, heat transfer, component operation and completion of a cooling performance tests.

• Furnaces – A comprehensive course covering both Atwood and Suburban furnaces including specifications, installation and sequence of operation. Course includes the furnace tear down, testing and reassembly.

More information and an application can be found on the RVIA website, www.rvia.org, or by calling Nancy Jo Bell-London at (703) 620-6003, ext. 355.

GO RVing Vignettes Entertain, Inform Consumers

Custom-produced RV travel and camping vignettes will be a key element of Go RVing’s all-new “AWAY” campaign launching in February.

There will be a dozen vignettes airing on popular networks throughout the year, including SPEED, Great American Country, the Cooking Channel, the Outdoor Channel, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, the NFL Network and CBS Sports.

Vignettes include:

• Go RVing teamed up with SPEED personality Rutledge Wood for a 60-second vignette featuring his family enjoying a beach getaway in a Vesta provided by Monaco RV LLC. It will air throughout racing season on SPEED beginning Feb. 21.

• In early February, two 60-second vignettes featuring country music artist Chuck Wicks were shot in Nashville utilizing a Lance travel trailer that will be awarded as the grand prize in “Go RVing’s Ultimate Country Music RV Giveaway” sweepstakes with Great American Country. Wicks is featured enjoying a weekend getaway with friends in one spot and on a hunting trip with his Dad in the other. The custom spots begin airing on March 19 on Great American Country to promote the sweepstakes.

• Four vignettes featuring Outdoor Channel talent Pat Reeve and Nicole Jones, hosts of the hunting show “Driven,” and angler Mark Zona, host of “Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show,” will start airing Feb. 27 to promote the “Spring Fever” sweepstakes being sponsored by Go RVing. This promotion will award a 2012 Columbia Northwest Somerset folding camping trailer to an Outdoor Channel viewer. Outdoor Channel will also promote the advantages of RV travel to their audience through outdoorchannel.com, targeted emails and their social media outlets.

• In a continued partnership with both National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild, the networks will promote the new series, “Untamed Americas,” with three 30-second vignettes that include RV targeted messaging accompanied by b-roll footage. The vignettes air Feb. 28 through May 28 on both networks.

• A first-time venture with the Cooking Channel includes a 30-second custom vignette highlighting simple, RV-friendly recipes in conjunction with “The Perfect 3,” a new show featuring recipes made from three ingredients. This will air during the program from April through June, including a Memorial Day marathon.

• To promote RV tailgating, a vignette on the dedication of NFL tailgating enthusiasts will air in the fall of 2012 on NFL Network. Meanwhile, CBS Sports will celebrate college football traditions with an in-studio feature about the unique tailgating traditions of each team’s fans during Inside College Football or SEC Studio Show. A Go RVing Football Series will feature on-screen custom RV animations and factoids during SEC football match-ups.

 

RVIA Seeking Candidates to Run for Board Seats

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) Nominating Committee has issued a call for candidates from the association’s membership to run in this year’s board election.

There are seven positions up for election this year including seats for four Manufacturer, two At-Large, and one Supplier representatives.

The RVIA board has the highest level of authority in the association’s organizational structure. It is responsible for association affairs on a broad policy basis. The board meets three times per year: in March, during Committee Week in mid-June, and in mid-September.

“We encourage any association member with an interest in working on the key issues facing the RV industry to run for a seat on the RVIA Board,” said RVIA President Richard Coon. “The board plays an integral role in guiding the work of the association and shaping the future of the RV industry.”

Each RVIA manufacturer and supplier member company is afforded a single vote in the association elections, scheduled to take place electronically in August. Newly elected board members will begin serving their terms on October 1. The deadline for nominations is June 8.

Those interested in becoming a candidate for the RVIA board elections should contact RVIA’s Mac Bryan at (703) 620-6003, ext. 334, or mbryan@rvia.org for consideration by the RVIA Nominating Committee. That group is chaired by Matt Miller of Newmar Corp. and includes Norm Jacobson, Lance Camper Manufacturing Corp.; Jonathan Randall, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.; and Doug Whyte, Dometic Corp.

Agenda Set for Annual RVIA Membership Meeting

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) Annual Membership Meeting, scheduled for March 8, from 8 a.m. to noon, will provide attendees with comprehensive briefings on association activities along with a look at the RV market in Europe.

The meeting is one of the highlights of RVIA’s Annual Meeting, taking place March 4–9, at the Ranchos Las Palmas resort in Palm Springs, Calif.

Hans-Karl Sternberg, secretary general of the European Caravan Federation (ECF), will deliver the keynote address at the session. He will detail the current status of the European RV market and examine how the industry is becoming increasingly more global in nature.

RVIA Chairman Gregg Fore and RVIA President Richard Coon will discuss the state of the association and speak on a range of topics including government relations, RV standards, industry education, the RV market outlook, and RVIA-sponsored trade shows. RVIA Treasurer Derald Bontrager will detail the association’s financial situation.

There will also be a review of the plans for Go RVing’s new “AWAY” campaign, launching in February, and a look at the media exposure being generated for the industry through RVIA’s public relations efforts. RVIA Vice President of Public Relations and Advertising James Ashurst and RVIA Public Relations Committee Chairman B.J. Thompson will deliver this report.

RVIA will also honor industry and association leaders by presenting a host of awards, including the Distinguished Service to the RV Industry Award, at the meeting.

For more information about RVIA’s Annual Meeting, contact Huyen Dang in RVIA’s Meeting and Shows Department at hdang@rvia.org or (703) 620-6003, ext. 305.

 

Industry Panel Visiting Indianapolis Next Week

Literally days after the city of Indianapolis proved to the world that a mid-size Midwestern city like Indy could professionally host a world-class event like Super Bowl XLVI, a delegation of RV industry people will be visiting the Hoosier State capitol next week (Feb. 13-17) to gather information regarding a possible relocation from Louisville, Ky., of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) National RV Trade Show, RVBUSINESS.com has learned.

While virtually no one would agree to comment on the upcoming industry junket to Indy, people close to the situation say it’s a natural follow-through from statements issued late last year by the leadership of both RVIA and the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) in which both confirmed that an adhoc panel of industry people had been formed to investigate possible alternative convention sites and that neither organization was averse to considering alternative locations for their respective national shows.

RVIA for years has held its national convention at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, while RVDA’s Con/Expo has long been in Las Vegas.

Why Indianapolis?

It’s a logical site, some are arguing, for a change of pace that might reinvigorate the industry and its approach to national shows during a post-recessionary era when attendance has been flat for both organizations’ key annual events. Only Elkhart County’s Annual RV Open House Week, a rather informal new September industry gathering, seems to have gained any momentum over the past two years.

While Indy partisans clearly want the national show at an earlier date – more closely aligned with the Open House in September or October – they also think that Indianapolis, because of its proximity to northern Indiana’s RV-building center of Elkhart County and its exemplary convention facilities, may be the logical answer.

The facility in question is the Indiana Convention Center, about which the convention center’s website says this:

“Thanks to a dramatic 2010 expansion, the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium (which are joined by a climate-controlled walkway) now offer a combined 745,000 square feet of exhibit space (nearly doubling the convention center’s previous size), making the linked structures one of the nation’s largest convention facilities.

“By itself, the Indiana Convention Center offers 566,000 square feet of exhibit space, plus 83 meeting and ballroom spaces (including the Sagamore Ballroom–which, at 33,000 square feet, qualifies as the Midwest’s largest ballroom). The center is connected by skywalks to 4,719 hotel rooms — more than any other convention center in the nation.

“Lucas Oil Stadium — home, as if we needed to tell you, of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts — is a multi-use, all-weather venue that (independent of the Indiana Convention Center) offers 179,000 square feet of exhibit space. Seating 63,000 for games, concerts and meetings, the stadium also includes 12 meeting rooms and a retractable roof.”

Only time will tell what becomes of this latest twist in the industry’s search for a new approach to its national shows, and the simple fact that a delegation is visiting Indianapolis, we’re told, does not mean that any decisions on this matter are particularly close at hand.

In fact, insiders indicate, Louisville and other cities are still in the mix and 2013 is the absolute soonest that any move to a new locale like Indianapolis could be made. “This is just the first step in the process,” said one individual, who asked that his name not be used.

 

 

RVs are Showcased on High-Profile TV Specials

The Rachael Ray Show and HGTV’s House Hunters RV Special are focusing consumer attention on RV travel and camping with new programs this winter.

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) and Fleetwood RV Inc. recently worked with a production team from the Rachael Ray Show to provide a motorhome that will be featured in an upcoming program focused on health, wellness and fitness. The show will feature an array of guests onboard and around the motorhome. Several of the guests were interviewed inside the RV.

The Rachael Ray Show is a popular and influential syndicated talk show reaching two million consumers daily. The episode is expected to air in late February.

HGTV has begun airing a half-hour RV hunting spin-off of its highly-rated House Hunters series. The House Hunters RV episode was initially broadcast in December 2011 and will be rebroadcast throughout the year.

RVIA worked with producers to help them find a suitable family for the special using the Go RVing Facebook page, and working with RV industry groups. The show featured Jason and Nikki Wynn, a couple seeking an RV to embark on a two-year full-time road trip. The Wynns toured three different motorhomes and were shown choosing the one that best fit their needs.

If the show receives a good audience response, more episodes could be produced.

 

RVIA Strives to Reform Lacey Act on Wood Use

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) is working with a coalition of wood producers, suppliers and other manufacturing and retail groups to enact reforms to The Lacey Act, which criminalizes trade in protected species of animals and plants, including potentially wood used in the manufacture of RVs and other products.

“In the three years since the Lacey Act was amended to cover plant and plant products, countless American businesses may have been unknowingly breaking the law by buying or transporting commonly imported plant and plant products, potentially including wood used in manufacturing RVs,” Matt Wald, RVIA’s director of government affairs, said in a press release. “Rather than attempting to list the species to be protected or delegate that task to regulators, Congress simply barred the importation or sale of any plant or animal taken in violation of any law anywhere.”

Section 3372, (a)(2)(B) of The Lacey Act reads, “It is unlawful for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any plant taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law or regulation of any State, or any foreign law, that protects plants.”

The only clarity that the U.S. Department of Justice has provided is contained in a letter to Congress, stating that an individual or company “unknowingly possessing a musical instrument or other object containing wood that was illegally taken” would not face criminal charges. This letter did not clarify whether products containing wood that was illegally taken will be seized. In the case of Gibson Guitars, in one of the few enforcement actions taken under the new authority of the Lacey Act, products deemed to be in violation of the Lacey Act were indeed seized by the federal government despite the fact that Gibson had no way of knowing that the product they were using was in violation of the Lacey Act.

“The Lacey Act was meant to give federal agencies the power to go after criminal enterprises that were knowingly trading in illegally sourced plant and plant products, but by making the scope of laws and products covered by Lacey so vast, Congress made it virtually impossible for law-abiding companies to comply – thereby creating unknowing and unintended ‘criminals’ out of honest, law-abiding business owners and consumers,” said Wald.

The problem of this virtually limitless scope can be easily addressed, according to RVIA. The Lacey Act should be revised to be more focused and more transparent about the foreign laws that can give rise to a violation under U.S. law. In addition, the federal government should identify in advance the foreign plant protection laws that are the subject of concern, so that businesses can meaningfully perform due diligence on their supply chains with respect to those specific laws, rather than on open-ended and potentially unknowable list of foreign laws that creates unlimited and unknowable potential liability for RV manufacturers and all American businesses that use and/or sell imported wood and other plant products.

Most critically, the Lacey Act should provide that “innocent owners” (those who have neither knowledge of any wrongdoing regarding the origin of the plant product nor intent to break the law) are not liable to prosecution nor seizure of finished goods.

 

RVIA PR Staff Helps Promote Local Retail Shows

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) recent local RV retail show publicity efforts have resulted in show information and RV lifestyle stories being published in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Kansas City, Mo.; Ft. Myers, Fla.; Allentown, Pa.; Lake Charles, La.; and Tampa, Fla.

According to a press release, more show coverage in the coming weeks is expected in Boston, Jacksonville, Fla., Houston, Minneapolis and Richmond, Va.

RVIA said that coverage has been positive with the focus placed on innovative products as well as the large crowds and strong sales being reported at the shows.

“The reason I think sales were so good this year was the pent-up demand we’ve heard so much about,” said Dave Kelly, marketing director for the Florida RV Trade Association which annually hosts the Florida RV SuperShow at the beginning of January. “People will put off their recreational purchases only for so long. I think we might finally be turning the corner.”

“We had a very exciting event,” said Bart Caple, who heads the Lake Charles, Louisiana RV show. “Attendance was very strong, one of our best shows in years, and attendees were buying RVs. Most of the dealers reported strong sales, better than last year. Overall, the atmosphere was very optimistic.”

Vilma Fraguada, vice president at GS Media & Events, which produces shows throughout the country, added, “Attendance at the spring shows has been strong and filled with qualified and well informed buyers.Dealers have reported successful closings and most have exceeded their sales expectations. Young families are looking at RVing as an affordable way of spending quality time with their children and loved ones. Manufacturers continue to bring innovative upgrades and products that enhance the RV lifestyle.

 

RVIA Appoints Committee Chairs to Serve in ’12

RVIA Chairman of the Board Gregg Fore has appointed the following members to serve as chairs of the association’s standing committees for 2012:

Annual Meeting: Jonathan Randall, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.; Audit: Derald Bontrager, Jayco Inc.; Awards: Doug Whyte, Dometic Corp.; Canadian Coalition: Terry Elias, Leisure Travel Vans/Triple E RV; Financial Services: Bob Parish, GE Capital; Industry Education: Jeff Rutherford, Carefree of Colorado; Lawyers: Ken Brinker, Gulf Stream Coach Inc.; Market Information: Andy Baer, KZRV LP; Membership: Kevin Phillips, Thetford Corp.; National Show: Jim Jacobs, Jayco Inc.; Nominating: Matt Miller, Newmar Corp.; Public & Legislative Affairs: Walt Bennett, Thor Industries Inc.; Public Relations – B.J. Thompson, B.J. Thompson Associates Inc.; RV Service Training Council: Mel Adams, Airxcel Inc.; Standards Steering: Matt Miller, Newmar Corp.; Strategic Planning: Doug Gaeddert, Forest River Inc.; Supplier: Craig Floyd, TRC.

“As an association, we are fortunate to have members who enthusiastically agree to share their expertise and time as committee chairs,” said Fore. “The work done by the committees under their leadership is critically important to RVIA’s efforts to advance the RV industry. We are very appreciative for their willingness to serve.”

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