Australian outdoor and sports retailers lifted their advertising investment by 4 per cent in 2025, reaching $91.9 million, with social media commanding the largest share at $39.9 million, according to Nielsen Ad Intel.
Among individual brands, Anaconda led the category with $17.6 million in spend, followed by BCF on $13 million and Rebel Sport at $6.6 million.
Across channels, metro TV drew $20 million, while general display accounted for $11.4 million. Regional television attracted $10.8 million, with out-of-home coming in at $4.3 million.
Approaches to media varied widely. Anaconda and BCF focused on broad reach, investing across television, social and digital display, while 4WD & Outdoor Supacentre took a more concentrated approach, prioritising social and radio.
Kathmandu’s strategy was heavily weighted toward social, in contrast to Macpac, which remained more reliant on television than its competitors.
Advertising activity surged toward the end of the year, with November and December emerging as peak months as brands competed during key promotional windows.
The sector is targeting a substantial audience, with around 15.4 million Australians identifying as outdoor enthusiasts through activities such as fishing, camping and bushwalking.
This audience skews slightly male at 53.8 per cent, with nearly two-thirds aged under 55 and a strong concentration among 18–39-year-olds.
“Brands are making very different choices about where and how they invest to stay visible,” said Rose Lopreiato, Pacific commercial lead at Nielsen Ad Intel.
“Some are backing broad reach across television, social and display, while others are placing more focused bets on specific channels.”
Nielsen CMV data also highlights a nuanced consumer mindset: 73.3 per cent of outdoor enthusiasts are willing to pay more for quality products, while 66.9 per cent prefer to wait for sales – pointing to a market that values quality but remains highly responsive to promotions and timing.
