It's Definitely A Guy Thing: For Men, Big-Time Sporting Event Trumps Trip To Paris, New RPMC Survey Shows

Longer days and shorter attention spans signal that summer has arrived in full force - but for many Americans, the choice of preferred destinations continues to be shaped by world events, an apparent reluctance to stray from well-known itineraries, and the realities of gender.

Gauging evolving attitudes of Americans on-the-go, RPMC (www.rpmc.com) has released a benchmark study of 1,000 consumers conducted in late May by market research firm Synovate of Chicago. The survey sheds light on consumer aspirations in the U.S. amid a changing world, increased opportunities and greater mobility.

Posing the question -- "assuming money and time were not an issue, which one of the following would you most like to do?" - the survey offered consumers five alternatives: have a VIP-type experience at a major sporting event (e.g., Super Bowl or the Final Four); have front-row seats at a major musical event in a distant venue (e.g., U2 concert in London), rub shoulders with celebrities during a blockbuster entertainment event (e.g., the Grammy Awards), spend a week in Hawaii or a week in Paris.

In the survey's most telling finding, men preferred Notre Dame (Indiana) to its namesake cathedral on the Seine - just 16 percent would rather spend a week in Paris than have that VIP experience at a major sporting event. It is, without doubt, a guy thing: when presented with options for ultimate dream experience, some 22 percent of men chose the sports happening, as opposed to just 6 percent of women. Both genders did prefer sports over these entertainment or music-related opportunities -- somewhat surprising considering the culture's fascination with celebrity, but confirming the nation's passion for athletics.

"There's definitely a comfort zone when it comes to event experiences and travel," said Murray Schwartz, partner and co-founder, RPMC "It's fascinating that, to some degree, we all dream big, but when given choices, we sometimes opt for the familiar. That said, we're seeing signs individuals and organizations are beginning to challenge themselves again, in this post-9/11 world."

With a presence in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta and London, RPMC is best known for bigger-than-life promotional events and for creating "inside the ropes" experiences that money can't buy. The company provides access to the most electrifying people, places and events in the entertainment and sports industries for its clients - leading national and international brands, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Mattel and Budweiser.

Sultry Hawaii remains everyone's favorite hot spot -- a preference that may well be due to an uncertain world and a growing affinity for tried-and-true destinations. Both genders across a wide age group, from ages 35-44 and 45-54, made Hawaii their number one pick, tallying a decisive 54 percent.

Respondents generally were much cooler to Paris than Honolulu, perhaps indicating that residual resentment against France persists three years after the Iraq invasion. Somewhat surprisingly, even women preferred Hawaii to Paris (by a wide margin -- 52 percent to 21 percent).

The more education you have under your belt, the more likely it is that you'll keep Paris on your wish list. Those with a post-graduate education favored the City of Light by a better than 15 percent margin, over those with some college and high school. Interestingly, the post-graduate group is relatively less enamored of Hawaii - 13 percent fewer of them want to head to the islands than the rest of the sample. Still, post-grads aren't too stuffy - they're also the most likely to go for the VIP sports event (at 17 percent, by a three-point margin).

The Young and Old Are Restless
Across the board, the higher your income, the more popular all the alternatives - travel and events alike. Among income groups, those at the highest rung were also those most interested in the VIP sports option. Significantly, those at the lowest end of the income spectrum - with annual incomes of less than $25,000 - were most apt to dislike all five alternatives; nearly 25 percent voted for "none of the above."

On an age basis, in what may reflect the stresses and strains of the workaday world, the vast middle opted for Hawaii - an identical 54 percent for the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups. Among those interested in Paris, populations at opposite ends of the age spectrum (18-24 and 65 and up) were most receptive, at 26 percent and 24 percent respectively. About 10 percent of those 18-24 would prefer to bump up against celebrities at an awards show - making young people the demographic most interested in that alternative.

Among the survey's other findings:
• Regions Don't See Eye to Eye. By a slim margin, those in the Northeast tend to favor Hawaii - but by a much more substantial margin, they are the least likely to jet off to Paris than respondents in any other region. Among would-be VIP sports buffs, the Midwest wins hands down. By a margin of two to one, those in the Northeast are relatively more likely to want to rub shoulders with the glitterati at a blockbuster entertainment event. Twice as many Northeasterners and their counterparts out West are interested in those front-row concert seats as those in the Southeast and Midwest.

• Who Likes Celebs Best? On a racial/cultural basis, the only significant finding of note shows that nearly three times as many non-whites as whites indicated a desire to hang out with entertainment notables at the Grammys or the Emmys.

• On Your Own - and Cheering. Among the event alternatives, the self-employed are most enthusiastic about those front-row seats at a major sports happening (21 percent, to 15 percent for those employed fulltime, 11 percent for retirees, 10 percent for part-timers).

• If the Knot is Tied - or Not. Married couples like Hawaii somewhat more than unmarried folks (51 percent to 44 percent); unmarried folks prefer Paris, but just barely (19 percent to 18 percent).

For a copy of the survey data, please send an email request to: info@edgecommunicationsinc.com.

About RPMC
Calabasas, Calif.-based RPMC taps into the power of excitement through its extraordinary access to the worlds of entertainment, music, sports, travel and pop culture. The company provides marketing, promotion and travel incentive services that help companies build their business.



Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Reader Comments:

Be the first to leave a comment for this article

Tweet