New data from Nielsen shows New Zealand outdoor retailers are changing how they allocate advertising spend as competition increases for a large and commercially valuable audience.
According to Nielsen Consumer & Media Insights (CMI), around 2.21 million New Zealanders identify as outdoor enthusiasts through their participation in or interest in activities such as fishing, hunting, tramping and camping.
The audience is broad, with 54.3 per cent male and 45.7 per cent female, and nearly half aged between 20 and 49. It is also an active and engaged consumer group, with 67.4 per cent comfortable shopping online. Almost half say quality is the most important factor when buying clothing, while 37.2 per cent say they prioritise quality over cost.
Top activities in the past 12 months included walking or power walking (33.0 per cent), fishing (29.9 per cent), camping (29.6 per cent), swimming or diving (26.0 per cent), and going to the gym or working out (21.7 per cent).
Nielsen Ad Intel data shows total advertising spend across a group of major outdoor retailers remained relatively stable in 2025, increasing 0.9 per cent year-on-year to NZ$34.3 million, up from NZ$34.0 million in 2024.
Rebel Sport was the largest advertiser in the category in 2025, increasing spend by 21.8 per cent year-on-year. It was followed by Hunting & Fishing New Zealand, Macpac, Kathmandu, Torpedo7 and Bivouac Outdoor Clothing & Equipment.
By channel, radio attracted the highest share of spend at NZ$11.1 million in 2025, followed by general display ($7.7 million), television ($5.6 million), social media ($4.7 million) and out-of-home ($3.5 million).
The data shows differing approaches to channel investment across the category. Rebel Sport increased spend across digital, radio and out-of-home while reducing television investment. Macpac increased its out-of-home spend, while Kathmandu reduced overall advertising investment year-on-year but remained the largest out-of-home advertiser among the retailers analysed.
Torpedo7 increased total ad spend by 17 per cent, driven largely by social media investment. Hunting & Fishing New Zealand remained heavily focused on radio, which accounted for the majority of its spend.
Nielsen Ad Intel Pacific commercial lead Rose Lopreiato said the data highlights the value of the audience and the variation in media strategies.
“Outdoor enthusiasts are a valuable audience because they are not only highly engaged in the category, they are also active shoppers who care about quality, lifestyle and performance,” she said.
“What Nielsen’s data shows is that brands are using very different media strategies to connect with them.”
The data also shows 48.7 per cent of outdoor enthusiasts are concerned about the impact of stress on their health, indicating potential for messaging beyond outdoor activity alone.
