Boy Scouts Turn 100
Words of the Day
“Be Prepared!” — Boy Scout Motto
An Iconic Brand Shapes Generations Of Boys Into Leaders
Think Boy Scouts, and oft times Norman Rockwell images pop into your mind! Rosy cheeks framed by cropped hair gazing at
the
pedastal of goodness itself defined these intrepid explorers throughout the 20th Century.
Never cynical, always trustworthy. Times were much simpler when the Boy Scouts of America was born in 1910.
Much of America was rural, and people were tied to the land through camping, hunting, fishing and life in the outdoors. As the generations moved forward, boys continued to play outside, bicycling the neighborhood, engaging in sandlot ball, and numerous other activities. However, fast-food, a fast culture, video games and other such activities loomed on the horizon.
The Boy Scouts are entering the second century with membership on the decline — iPods, Smart phones and laptops have taken the place of camping, hiking and canoeing.
Yet the Boy Scout brand lives on — and is pushing forward to reach a multi-tasking, plugged-in, time-challenged youth culture. In very real ways, the BSA is pushing the envelope on its Rockwellian image.
The head of the Boy Scouts now blogs to reach a whole new generation, embracing the future without giving up the ideals of the past — “doing a good turn daily,” and burnishing the “Be Prepared” motto!
As it eyes the future, the BSA has targeted three growth areas:
- Integration of new technology into the Scouting program … a partnership with MIT to help boys earn an newly created Inventing merit badge; and a new uniform pocket designed to carry a smart phone.
- Focus on reaching the growing Hispanic community … the handbook has been translated into Spanish to embrace this expanding culture.
- Advocate children’s health … the BSA will launch a youth health initiative in 2011 in an effort to reverse the trend of childhood obesity.
On the threshold of a new century, the Boy Scouts — and it’s iconic brand — is embracing change with the enthusiastic gusto and zeal of a patrol leader readying his troop for a camping expedition, extending the magical adventure of Scouting to a whole new generation!
For that promise and inspired potential, the Boy Scouts can blaze the trail as winner of this week’s Golden Mic.
Golden Mic
Each week, Wordsmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
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