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CALIFQRNEA PARIC & RECREATIQN SQCIETY
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Report on Results of
Market Research to Support
CPRS Bui/ding the Brand Initiative
March 16, 2009 ~
Presented by
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March 9, 2009
Jane H. Adams
Executive Director
California Park & Recreation Society
7971 Freeport Blvd.
Sacramento CA 95832
Dear Ms. Adams:
LSC and Hiner & Partners, Inc. (HPI) are pleased to present this report documenting the
results from the market research conducted in support of CPRS' Building The 8rand
initiative.
Specifically, this market research, which built upon prior CPRS research, was designed to
identify perceptions toward parks and recreation among external constituencies, namely
California elected officials and state residents. We believe that this broader and deeper
approach met the goal of providing CRPS with definitive data that can be applied to a range
of organizational initiatives, in particular CPRS communications and messaging.
On behalf of Hiner & Partners, we truly valued the opportunity to have worked with you and
your associates on this most worthwhile endeavor.
Sincerely,
6~+
Lauren Schlau
Principal
900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1116 Los Angeles, California 90017
Phone:[213] 533-8909 ? Fax:[213] 489-1009
e-mail: IaurensC~llsconsult.com website: www.lsconsult.com
City of Los Angeles certified Women Business Enterprise
California T2vel Industry Association, Califomia Travel & Tourism Commission, Travel & Tourism Research Association
California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
Background 1
Key Findings 1
Implications for Branding and Messaging 3
DETAILED FINDINGS 5
Background 5
Need For Research 5
Research Team 6
Approach 6
Phase 1 - Qualitative 6
Phase 2- Quantitative On-line Survey of California Residents 8
Detailed Findings Results/Outcomes 9
Park and Program Usage 9
Types of Recreational Programs Attended in the Past Six Months 10
Who Accompanies Respondent on Park Visit 12
Benefit Statements 12
Highest Level Priorities 12
Mid-Level Priorities 13
Priority Ratings 13
Delivery Ratings 15
Unmet Needs 17
Quadrant Analysis 18
Respondent Demographics 23
Residence Locality 23
Marital Status 23
Children Living at Home 23
Country of Birth 24
Ethnicity/Race 24
Household Income 26
Employment Status 26
Respondent Age Group 27
Gender 27
APPENDIX 1- Benefit Statement Priority Ratings Pairings 28
APPENDIX 2- List of Elected Officials Interviewed 35
APPENDIX 3- Phase 1 Screener and Discussion Guide 36
APPENDIX 4- CPRS Residential Discussion Guide 41
APPENDIX 5- CPRS Elected Officials Discussion Guide 44
APPENDIX 6- Phase 2 Questionnaire 46
Lauren Schlau Consulting and HINER & Partners Page i
California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Buiiding Initiative
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Background
"Building the Brand," one of the California Park & Recreation Society's (CPRS) most vital
projects, was initiated to provide CPRS members with compelling message and
communications tools to use locally to build political, community and financial support.
However, "Building the Brand" did not address the highest priorities as to what parks and
recreation shou/d deliver and does deliver as perceived by California residents and elected
officials. To uncover these perceptions, CPRS commissioned a comprehensive market
research study, the results of which are to be used as the basis for a brand promise and
new messaging to support local parks & recreation agencies. The promise and messaging
are not to replace "Building the Brand," which targeted the profession, but to provide ways
to communicate to and garner support among external stakeholders, that is, residents and
elected officials.
The study was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 consisted of in-depth qualitative interviews,
from which various statements on parks and recreation benefits were developed. Phase 2
was a quantitative Internet survey sent to 800 California residents, wherein respondents
rated how they perceived the benefit statements as to their priority and delivery.
CPRS staff and the Brand Advisory Committee (BAC), an ad-hoc group of CPRS members,
worked closely with the consultants and provided critical input and direction to the process.
Key Findings
Phase 1 Findings
1. "Parks" &"programs" are very different, and each has many different components that
describe what constitutes a"park" or "program."
2. Most program users are also park users, but fewer park users utilize programs, and the
benefits of one are not the same benefits of the other.
3. Users struggle to describe how parks & programs benefit their community or
neighborhood, but more easily could do so on a personal level, and that of their family
and friends.
4. Like the residents, elected officials described benefits mainly on a personal level, based
on the experiences of individual constituents or themselves personally.
Lauren Schlau Consulting and HINER & Partners Page 1
Caiifornia Park & Recreation Society
2409 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Phase 2 Findings
1. Based on how many and how often California households use parks & recreation
programs, it is clear that these spaces, places, facilities & services are an essential
component of the everyday lives of Californians. Virtually every Californian household,
that is, 98%, reports having visited a park or participated in a program during the past
year, and two in every three households did so at least once in the past month. In
addition, half of California households (50%) reported that someone in their household
participated in a structured park program at least once in the past year.
2. Echoing the Phase 1 findings, Californians more often prioritize the personal benefits
over community or neighborhood benefits. Residents struggle to describe how parks &
programs benefit their "community" or their "neighborhood," but easily express, and
prefer expressing the benefits on a personal level: the private, internal benefits to"me
personally" or as an extension of the personal, to family and friends.
3. Frequent use combined with the feeling among users that the benefits are especially
personal, rather than social, translates to strong, well-informed opinions about what
should be prioritized (or most valued) and about what is, and is not currently delivered.
4. After soliciting these opinions (about what is most valued and how well the range of
potential benefits is currently delivered) several conclusions can be drawn about the
highest priorities of Californians.
? Topping the list of the most highly valued/highest personal priorities is the
preservation of and access to, outdoor spaces
? Two types of outdoor spaces are specifically indicated:
o Space that is minimallv developed, in a nearly natural state
o Space with facilities for olav (esoeciallv related to children), exercise and
group sports (for both children and adults)
? Non-structured (self-directed) use of these spaces is preferred by a majority of
Californians, with one exception:
o Californians placed a high priority on structured/directed activities and
programs tarcaeted to iuveniles as a positive alternative to crime & mischief
? Benefits that motivate these preferences are:
o These types of spaces make a communitv a better place to live now and in
the future
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California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
o The serenitv and awe of nature must be available (to see, touch, smell, &
hear) now and in the future
o Children, especially, and adults need outdoor spaces for glav and for exercise
o Friends & family need these types of spaces for arouo sports
5. Next highly rated priorities include:
? Activities to facilitate social/community connections, advance human develooment,
lifelong learning, and other social objectives.
? Non-sports programs & activities
Implications for Branding and Messaging
These findings have implications for how park & recreation agencies, on the whole, across
the state might communicate messages that are congruent with resident opinions.
1. Personal versus Social Benefits
Both phases of this study found support for stressing the personal over the social
benefits when developing messages to be used with the general public (as opposed
to messages directed to professionals). In the priority rankings, Californians put the
personal benefit statements atop the list. Social benefit statements are consistently
ranked lower.
2. Self-Directed versus Directed Uses
The-more widely held preferences favor self-directed benefits.
3. Discuss the Future
Virtually all of the highest priority statements have a connection to the future.
"Make your community a better place to live now and in the future" was the highest
ranked statement. As well, high priority was assigned to benefits for children, even
by residents who don't have children. The two land preservation statements also
reflect the future. ,
4. A Better Place to Live
The statement: "Make your community a better p/ace to live now and in the future"
turned out to be very powerful. It ranked very near the top of the priority list. What
does it mean, especially given the position that residents expressed personal over
community benefits? Given the context of the other highly rated statements with
which it is grouped we conclude that Californians equate a better place to live with:
• Access to the serenity and awe of nature
Lauren Schlau Consulting and HINER & Partners Page 3
California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
• Outdoor spaces for play and exercise for children and adults alike
• Facilities for group sports
• Lowered levels of juvenile crime through (a place that offers) positive
alternative activities
That is, in the context of a discussion with residents about parks and recreation spaces,
facilities and services, the phrase "a better place to live" Iikely will evoke these images.
To summarize, parks & recreation messaging targeted to the general public will be more
relevant and responsive to expectations if it speaks to supporting the self-directed efforts of
individual residents toward a better personal future in a better place to live.
Lauren Schlau Consulting and HINER & Partners Page 4
California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
DETAILED FINDINGS
Background
In 1998-99, the California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) undertook a strategic planning
process, "Vision Insight Planning" (VIP) to create an action plan into the 21~` Century. The
VIP Action Plan focused on the theme that parks and recreation create community, and
stated as one of its major outcomes that parks and recreation (and parks and recreation
professionals) will be recognized as an "essential service."
Subsequent to, and as called for in the VIP Action Plan, CPRS embarked on a brand
development and communications plan, "Building the Brand." The VIP vision, We Create
Community throuqh Peoole. Parks, and Proarams, was considered as a possible brand
promise. In order to gather members' input, draft concepts were tested among CPRS
members in an e-survey conducted in November, 2007, with over 600 responding.
Members ranked both the mission and values as follows:
Mission and Values
Mission Values of Parks and Recreation
(in members' priority order) (in members' priority order)
1. Provide recreational experiences 1. Healthy lifestyles
2. Promote health and wellness 2. Service to community
3. Strengthen community image and sense 3. Fun and celebration
of place 4. Accessibility
4. Protect natural resources 5. Diversity of experiences
5. Foster human development 6. Lifelong learning
6. Strengthen safety and security 7. Personal development
7. Increase cultural unity 8. Environmental stewardship
8. Support economic development 9. Professional growth
9. Facilitate community problem solving 10. Spirituality
Source: CPRS
Need for Research
"Building the Brand" is one of CPRS' most vital projects, providing CPRS members with ,
compelling message and communications tools to use locally to build political, community
and financial support. As such, while the responses above provided direction, they did not
reveal clear priorities of parks and recreation benefits or as to what parks and recreation
deliver to the general public who use the services or to elected officials who are critical for
funding and political support.
Lauren Schlau Consuiting and HINER & Partners Page 5
California Park & Recreation Society
2409 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Buiiding Initiative
This research was not designed to replace "Building the Brand" flndings or VIP vision. It
was intended to fill a knowledge gap, that is, to identify what Californian residents and
elected officials perceive as their priorities relative to parks and recreation spaces, facilities
and services.
The outcomes of the research will provide a basis (or foundation) for developing a brand
promise and messaging to residents and elected officials to garner support for their local
parks and recreation. A brand promise is a statement that describes the underlying core
essence of what the service or product is and purports to deliver to the user. It is not to be
confused with brand messages or brand slogans, which are generally more temporary and
changeable.
Therefore, CPRS commissioned a market research study to identify broad concepts that
both internal and external stakeholders agree are priorities, and are compelling, unique and
descriptive of what parks and recreation services deliver.
Research Team
Lauren Schlau Consulting (LSC) was responsible for overseeing the project. LSC is a Los
Angeles based consultancy specializing in tourism and economic development, and has
provided market research services to numerous not-for-profit membership organizations,
and public and private sector entities. Lauren Schlau, Principal, was the project manager.
HINER & Partners, Inc. (HPI) is a Long Beach based market research firm with extensive
experience and expertise in market research methodology, in particular in-depth inter-
viewing and statistical data analysis. Harry Hiner, President, was HPI's primary consultant.
Approach
This study was conducted in two sequential phases, described as follows:
Phase 1- One-on-one In-Depth Interviews (IDI) of California residents and elected
officials to identify end-states and motivations for using parks and recreation
programs/services.
Phase 2- On-line survey of California residents to quantify the importance and delivery
of parks and recreation programs/services from which to identify key concepts and
develop communications statements.
California residents have certain perceptions, utilization patterns and preferences related to
parks and recreational programs, which in turn impact park and recreation professionals.
Having identified residents' underlying perceptions, utilization patterns and importance of
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Buiiding Initiative
various parks and recreation services, CPRS is creating targeted messages and
communications to help members garner critical local public support and provide preferred
services. As well, elected officials are key to CPRS members' political and financial support,
it also was critical to learn their perceptions.
In facilitating the study, CPRS members and executive staff formed a Brand Advisory
Committee (BAC) that provided insightful guidance and input to the consultants throughout
the study process.
Phase 1 - Qualitative
The first step was to hear the language used by residents and elected officials to describe
the impacts of parks & recreation programs on them personally, their family, neighborhood,
and community. This was done through qualitative, in-depth, one-on-one discussions with
sixteen residents based on their usage of parks and recreation programs. The consultants
also conducted telephone interviews with ten elected officials from localities around the
state, identified by CPRS members (the officials interviewed are listed in Appendix 2).
These interviews were designed to reveal, among other things, the end-states, i.e., the
expected outcomes or consequences that people seek from their decision to be involved
with parks and recreation programs (regardless of how successfully they are delivered),
versus only evaluating "features" that is, parks and recreation services. Features, per se,
are seen to be less influential in utilization decisions than perceived consequences from
experiencing the feature. A park may have a nature walk (feature), but the key is that a
user gets something from access to or using it; is it peace of mind, or motivation to exercise
more consistently, or both? A feature may be the first thing a person says when asked why
they use or support parks and recreation services, but upon probing, that person will convey
what he or she gets from the feature. Communications that speak in the language of end-
states are much more relevant and meaningful.
The tasks undertaken in Phase 1 were as follows:
? Background: The Consultant Team reviewed CPRS VIP Action Plan and other related
reports and research.
? IDI Questions: Two guides, one to pre-screen/recruit IDI participants, and the IDI ,
discussion guide itself were developed. After BAC review, each guide was finalized
based on their input. The overall topics covered are as follows (discussion guides are
presented in Appendix 3):
Residents
• How do you use parks (space, facilities, and programs)?
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
• What programs do you choose?
• Why do you choose to do that?
• How are you, the family, the neighborhood, the community influenced
by having parks and recreation?
Elected Officials:
• Why are you an advocate of parks and recreation?
• How are individuals, families, neighborhoods, and the community
affected by parks and recreation?
• What is essential in your community?
• How do you prioritize essential services to be delivered?
? Duration, Location and Number: One-hour in-person in-depth interviews were
conducted among sixteen California residents who were identified via a screener as
users of parks, facilities and/or programs. They represented a mix based on the specific
types of parks used or the environment, e.g., small, medium, large; city, county,
regional; rural versus urban, etc.
The sessions were held in focus group facilities in two locations:
• Southern California: in Pasadena among residents from the Los Angeles area
• Northern California: in Emeryville among residents from the San Francisco Bay
area
Elected Officials from across the state were selected from a list provided by CPRS and
interviewed by telephone. Those interviewed are listed in Appendix 2.
Phase 2- Quantitative On-line Survey of California Residents
Incorporating the major concepts and other pertinent results from Phase 1, the Phase 2
questionnaire was developed. The focus was to determine the relative importance and
perceptions of delivery/performance of each hypothesis statement among a cross-section of
California residents.
A total of 825 Californians responded to an on-line Internet survey in late October 2008.
The respondents came from an established on-line "panel" that was weighted and balanced
to represent statewide and regional demographics.
The survey results were analyzed statistically and qualitatively to determine rankings of
perception statements relative to the importance of parks and recreation services and which
would be most conducive and compelling as the basis for messaging. The statements that
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California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research ta Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
fell statistically into Quadrant B in the box scale shown below (and discussed in detail later)
are those on which messaging/communications are selected.
Cell A- Unmet needs: rated as Celi B- Important and delivered: to
important but not delivered be used to develop messaging;
sufficientl • otential future use considered immediate messa e lanks -
Importance Cell C- Neither essential or Cell D- Not essential but delivered:
delivered: these should be these need promoting if or before they
avoided in messaging are used
Delivery
Detailed Findings Results/Outcomes
The quantitative survey results were tabulated in terms of both the "total" respondents and
by selected segments (as shown in the detailed tables accompanying this report). These
segments included residents in different types (sizes) of community, in varying family sizes,
with varying income, age, and frequency of park use.
Park and Program Usage
? Of the total respondents, 98% had visited a park and 50% had attended a structured
park program in the past twelve months.
Table 1- Attended a Park and/or Structured Program in Past 12 Months
Attended a Park
Yes 98%
No 2%
Total 300%
~ ~
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~il`b
Yes 50%
No 45%
Don't Know 4%
Total 100%
Note: Some totals do not equal 100% due to rounding
Lauren Schlau Consulting and HINER & Partners Page 9
California Park & Recreation Saciety
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Only 20/o of respondents reported not having visited a neighborhood, community, city,
county or regional park, and lla/o reported rarely using during the past year. Thus 980/0
could be considered park users of some type.
? As shown in Table 2 below, of all respondents, 420/o attended at least several days
per week (16%) or once per week (26%). Two-thirds (68%) do so at least monthly.
? Of the 500/o who reported using a structured park program, 300/o attended at least
several days per week (9%) or once per week (21%), while one-half, or 500/a,
attended at least once per month or more often.
Table 2- How Often Visit Park or Park Program
A#tend'ed `
'KNE
A'll Park Pro' ram' "s
Base 848 428
Several da s er week 16% 9%
At least once a week 26% 21%
At least once a month 26% 20%
Subtotal 1 x er month or more 680/o 50%
At least once eve uarter 10% 21%
At least once eve six months 8% 17%
Once a ear or so• seldom or rarel 11% 11%
Never 2% 0%
Don't Know 1% 0%
Types of Recreational Programs Attended in the Past Six Months
Respondents who attended a structured program in the past six months indicated the type
of program they or a household member attended. These are shown in Table 3.
? Nearly four in ten or 380/o attended a sports program for children or teens such as
soccer, baseball, swimming, etc.
? Nearly three in ten or 290/o attended a youth class, camp, or instructional program.
? Another 280/o went to an adult art or fitness program, and 280/o attended a lecture,
class or other adult instructional program.
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California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Table 3- Types of Recreational Programs Attended 7777 -
~ T 7 , E
.°Tot01*
Base: attended a structured ro ram 373
A s orts ro ram for children or teens e. . soccer, baseball swimmin etc. 38%
A outh class cam or instructional ro ram 29%
An adult art or fitness ro ram such as Yo a aerobics 28%
A lecture class or other adult instructional ro ram 28%
Before or after school ro rams 26%
An a uatics ro rem such as lessons ublic swims la swimmin 21%
An adult s orts lea ue 21%
A teen ro ram activi or event 10%
An older adult ro ram activi or event 9%
Another type of recreation ro ram s ecial event excursion concert etc. 42%
* Totals more than 100% due to multiple response
For programs that can be identified, we have categorized them by children/youth versus
adult as described below and shown in Table 4.
? The programs split about evenly between those who attended child/youth programs
and programs that were adult oriented.
Table 4- Types of Recreational Programs Attended by Child/Youth versus Adult
~
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~
skn«,` s a u
Base: attended a structured ro ram 373
Child Youth
A s orts ro rem for children or teens e. . soccer, baseball swimmin etc. 38%
A outh class cam or instructional ro ram 29%
Before or after school ro rams 26%
A teen ro ram activi or event SO%
Adult
An adult art or fitness ro ram such as o a aerobics 28%
A lecture class or other adult instructional ro ram 28%
An a uatics ro ram such as lessons ublic swimmin la swimmin 21%
An adult s orts lea ue 21%
An older adult ro ram activi or event 9%
Other or Either Cate o
An a uatics ro ram such as lessons ublic swims la swimmin 21%
Another type of recreation ro ram s ecial event excursion concertetc. 42%
* Totals more than 100% due to multiple response
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California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brend Buiiding Initiative
Who Accompanies Respondent on Park Visit
? In general, a majority of respondents, 55% were accompanied to the park by a
spouse/partner, while 53% was accompanied by their children.
? Nearly one-half, 48% went with their family, and 46% went with a friend, while only
5% said they typically went to the park alone.
? Thus, these results indicate how often (and important) family is related to parks
and/or recreation program attendance.
Table 5- Accompaniment on Park Visit
TOYsII*,`*:
5 ouse si nificant other, artner 55%
Child ren 53%
Famil 48%
Friend s 46%
No one 5%
* Totals more than 100% due to multiple response
Benefit Statement Concepts
The following concepts, based on the benefit statements, were the highest rated in terms of
priority by Californians.
Highest Level Priorities
? The preservation of and access to, outdoor sl2aces
? Two types of outdoor sl2aces are specifically indicated by these priorities:
• Space that is nominallv developed, in a nearly natural state
• Space with facilities for plav (especiallv related to children), exercise and
aroup sports (for both children and adults)
? Non-structured (self-directed) use of these spaces is preferred by a majority of
Californians, with one exception:
• Californians placed a high priority on activities and groarams taraeted to
juveniles as an alternative to crime & mischief
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California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
? The benefits that motivate these preferences are:
• These types of spaces make a community a better place to live now and in
the future
. The serenity and awe of nature must be available (to see, touch, smell, &
hear) now and in the future
• Children, especially, and adults need outdoor spaces for olav and for exercise
• Friends and family need these types of spaces for qroup soorts
Mid-Levei Priorities
? Activities to facilitate social/community connections, advance human development,
lifelong learning, and other social objectives.
? Non-sports programs & activities with at least 55% of Californians rating each
statement as important.
These mid-level priorities include:
• Provide parks & facilities nearby where you and your friends, neighbors, or family
can get together
. Promote pride in your neighborhood or community
. Promote personal health for people at every stage of life
. Provide facilities, such as community, teen and senior centers, where programs
activities, events and gatherings can be held
• Develop parks & recreation programs to increase property values and, over time,
the overall wealth of the community
• Provide senior citizens places & activities for staying active and socially connected
• Provide places where you might have new & different experiences away from
your home
. Create a stronger sense of community among residents in your neighborhood
Summary of Priority Ratings
This section details the benefit statement ratings, in terms of their value/priority to the
respondent, and then how well respondents perceived the services were delivered.
Respondents were first asked to rate the list of benefit statements indicated below on the
survey form: "We'd like to know your personal priorities about parks and recreation
programs. Please rate each item in the list below by selecting a number between 1 and 7
where 1 is "least valued (your lowest personal priorities)" and 7 is "most valued (your
highest personal priorities").
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California Park & Recreation Saciety
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Buiiding Initiative
Top Rated Statements
? As shown in Table 6a, the top three rated priority items were: provide places where
children are free to play & be active, by 85% (rating these items a 5, 6 or 7 on the
rating scale), make your community a better place to live, now and in the future, by
86%, and provide parks, facilities & trails where you can exercise on your own, by
84%.
? Another high percentage, 80%-82%, prioritized the statements: providing safe,
hea/thy and fun places & activities during non-school hours for children & teens;
providing open spaces (greenbelts, flowers, landscapes) among the housing &
commercial areas to help beautify the community; preserve land in its original,
natural state and protect wildlife for future generation; and, to help to reduce
juvenile crime by providing positive, alternative activities.
Table 6a - Summary of Top Priority Rated Items* by Percentage and Mean Score
In youc op~ni~~ Iocai park ,~~cr~a'bon age~cies sh4uid . - , Rabt~g= ~ ~ea~ Scor~=~~:
~
r~J#S*L~a..w
k. Provide places where children are free to play & be active 85% 5.85
v. Make your community a better place to live, now and in the future 86% 5.81
g. Provide parks, facilities & trails where you can exercise on your own 84% 5.70
a. Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to assure they are 81% 5.68
there for future generations
c. Provide open spaces (greenbelts, flowers, landscapes) among the housing & 82% 5.67
commercial areas to help beautify your community
q. Provide places & activities during non-school hours for children & teens in your Sl% 5.61
community that are safe, healthy and fun
r. Help to reduce juvenile crime by providing positive, alternative activities, life 80% 5.61
skills development & an opportunity to meet role modeis during non-school hours
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California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Table 6b - Summary of Other Priority Rated Items* by Percentage and Mean Score
Percan~
~!Y~ yaur opimoo 14ca1 parl &recreatron agencies sbould : Raiing° Mean Score"
7#0 1
h. Ensure access to calm, quiet, natural settings away from tasks & chores 78% 5.53
i. Provide access to awe-inspiring places of natural beauty 780/o 5.53
z. Provide the athletic fields, gyms, pools and other facilities where group and 80% 5.52
individual sports and activities can be held
b. Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to reduce human 76% 5.50
impacts on our environment such as global warming
d. Provide nearby settings where you can see, hear, touch & smell nature 78% 5.50
f. Provide parks & facilities nearby where you and your friends, neighbors, or family 78% 5.37
can gettogether
m. Promote pride in your neighborhood or community 75% 5.29
aa. Provide the facilities, such as community, teen and senior centers, where 74% 5.28
programs activities, events and 9atherings can be held
s. Promote personal health for people at every stage of life 74% 5.27
u. Develop parks & recreation programs to increase property values and, over time, 73% 5.21
the overall wealth of the community
y. Define & teach good stewardship of the land to all of our residents 70% 5.16
p. Provide senior citizens places & activities for staying active and socially connected 72% 5.14
o. Create opportunities for people at every stage of life to learn new skills & explore 71% 5.13
new interests
e. Provide laces where ou mi ht have new & different ex eriences awa from home 72% 5.12
w. Create a stronger sense of community among residents in your neighborhood 71% 5.10
t. Organize fun activities for your family, neighbors & people of all types in your area 68% 5.01
cc. Provide programs that help parents of young children and caretakers of seniors to 66% 5.00
free up time for themselves
bb. Promote your sense of connection to your neighborhood or community 66% 4.97
x. Help you and others in your community find avenues to more vibrant lives 63% 4.81
n. Provide o ortunities for eo le of diverse types to learn how to live to ether 56% 4.57
I. Or anize activities that hel ou & our nei hbors meet & et to know each other 56% 4.51
Q. Provide o ortunities arks and activities where ou mi ht meet new eo le 55% 4.50
j. Provide spaces where dogs are free to run & play off-leash 55% 4.36
* Rating scale: 7= highest to 1= lowest
Delivery Ratings
Respondents then rated each statement as follows: "Based on everything you have seen or
heard please tell us your opinion about how well California parks and recreation agencies in
your local community and across the state deliver on these things. Please rate each by
selecting a number where 1= Does Not Now Deliver At All and 7= Delivers Extremely
Well."
? The delivery ratings varied notably from the priority ratings. First, the percentage of
respondents rating delivery as °5" or "6" or "7" was about two-thirds of that for the
priority ratings. This suggests that respondents believe much more strongly about
the priorities of park and recreational services versus their delivery. This pattern is
further reflected in the mean ratings, and particularly clear in the cross-tabulations,
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brend Building Initiative
showing these same summaries by top box ("7" rating), and top two boxes, ("7" +
"6" rating).
? The highest rated items for delivery, the only three achieving a mean above 5.00 (on
a 7-point scale), are that agencies:
. provide parks, facilities & trails where you can exercise, by 68% of respondents
. provide p/aces where children are free to play & be active, by 69%
• provide parks & faciliYies nearby where you and your friends, neighbors, or family
can get together, by 65%
Table 7- Summary of All Delivery Ratings* by Percentage and Mean Score
- ~ xc s5 ~ ~ ~ : .a~'~' y • a u. ~ ; x ~ Percent a ~ _ `i~ OW-R7E1r~A ~r~cs~817~c1'e
~ „ ~ Ra~ng_ ~ Mean Score ,
> ~i ~ ' ~ 3~io~ agencies DELIYER each Item m
: asN" .-`7 "F
5. ~ 7 ~O 1J 34
~ ~ :~~s?
vta n ~ ssa~ a
Vti ....n. e> . =..4 -,.....n: ° . .
g. Provide parks, facilities & trails where you can exercise on your own 68% 5.12
k. Provide places where children are free to play & be active 69% 5.09
f. Provide parks & facilities nearby where you and your friends, neighbors, or family 65% 4.98
can get together
z. Provide the athletic fields, gyms, pools and other facilities where group and 65% 4.91
individual sports and activities can be held
c. Provide open spaces (greenbelts, flowers, landscapes) among the housing & 61% 4.78
commercial areas to help beautify your community
d. Provide nearby settings where you can see, hear, touch & smell nature 59% 4.77
h. Ensure access to calm, quiet, natural settings away from tasks & chores 61% 4.76
a. Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to assure they are 59% 4.72
there for future generations
v. Make your community a better place to live, now and in the future 57% 4.70
aa. Provide the facilities, such as community, teen and senior centers, where 55% 4.65
programs activities, events and gatherings can be held
i. Provide access to awe-inspiring places of natural beauty 57% 4.63
b. Preserve land in its original, naturel state and protect wildlife to reduce human 56% 4.62
impacts on our environment such as global warming
p. Provide senior citizens places & activities for staying active and socially connected 52% 4.57
e. Provide laces where ou mi ht have new & different ex eriences awa from home 54% 4.56
q. Provide places & activities during non-school hours for children & teens in your 52% 4.55
communi that are safe health and fun
m. Promote pride in your neighborhood or community 51% 4.47
Q. Provide opportunities (parks & activities) where you might meet new people 50% 4.47
u. Develop parks & recreation programs to increase property values and, over time, 50% 4.44
the overall wealth of the community
o. Create opportunities for people at every stage of life to learn new skills & explore 460/6 4.39
new interests
t. O anize fun activities for our famil nei hbors & eo le of all types in our area 489% 4.35
s. Promote personal health for people at every stage of life 477/6435
X. Help you & others in your community find avenues to more vibrant lives 46% 4.31
bb. Promote your sense of connection to your neighborhood or community 44% 4.24
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
'E ~ ~ °~a PCTL'@OL
040 s ~cre~~t~oi~ 4gen~ies LivER eac~ 1 score`~
1-7 id 1) .
cc. Provide programs that help parents of young children end~caretakers of seniors to 43% 4.23
free up time for themselves
w. Create a stronger sense of community among residents in your neighborhood 41% 4.20
. Provide s aces where do s are free to run & la off-leash 44% 4.13
. Define & teach ood stewardshi of the land to ail of our residents 41% 4.13
r. Help to reduce juvenile crime by providing positive, alternative activities, life skilis 40% 4.06
development & an opportunity to meet role models during non-school hours
n. Provide opportunities for people of diverse types to learn how to iive together 38% 3.99
1. Or anize activities that hel ou & our nei hbors meet & et to know each other 37% 3.96
* Rating scale: 7= delivered extremely well to 1= does not deliver at all
Unmet Needs
A"pairing" of individual responses was done to determine the share of Californians who
combine a rating of a statement as a priority with a low level of delivery. The share of
Californians who do so indicates the level at which the statement is considered an "unmet
need." These findings may be useful when targeting funding resources. These results are
shown below in their order of the overall priority.
Table 8- Unmet Needs Statements
~ ~
E. Make our communi a better lace to live now and in the future 86% Provide laces where children are free to la and be adive 85% Provide arks facilities & trails where ou can exercise on our own 84% Provide open spaces (greenbelts, Flowers, landscapes) among the housing & 82% commercial areas to hel beauti our communi
~ ~a 7281%1.
Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlite to assure they 81% are there for future enerations
Provide places & activities during non-school hours for chitdren & teens in 81% 36%
our communi that are safe health and fun
Provide the athletic fields, gyms, pools and other facilities where group and 80% 24%
individual s orts and activities can be held
Help to reduce juvenile crime by providing positive, alternative activities, life 80% 44%
skills development & an opportunity to meet role models during non-school
hours
Provide access to awe-ins irin laces of natural beau 78% 27%
Ensure access to calm uiet natural settin s awa from tasks & chores 78% 27%
Provide nearb settin s where ou can see hear, touch & smell nature 78% 27%
Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to reduce 76% 29%
human im acts on our environment such as lobal warmin
* Percent is the share of California households who rated the statement a priority AND also rated the benefit as
undelivered.
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Quadrant Analysis
The intersection of all the statements in terms of both priority and delivery is illustrated in
the following quadrant graphics. Each statement is lettered and appears in one of the
quadrants as discussed earlier (on page 7) and shown below for reference.
Cell A- Unmet needs: these Cell B- Important and delivered;
are rated as important but not to be used to develop messaging;
delivered sufficientl considered immediate messa e lanks
Importance
Cell C- Neither essential or Cell D- Not esseotial but are
delivered: these should be delivered: these need promoting if or
avoided in messa in before the are used
Delivery
The mean rating on both Priorities and Delivery was used to plot each statement (a
statement key is presented on the following page).
Table 9- Statement Mean Rating for Priority and Delivery
5.
k
5. : •
5. •
s. r g a ~ g
5.
s. f
s. aa •
s. ~ •
Importance e. y ~r $ ~p
s.t ~
5.
4. Cg :
4.
4.
n
4.
4. f2
4. ~
4. ~
3.75 4 4.25 4.5 4.75 5 525
P@1f0ff118I1C@
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Buiiding Initiative
Statement Key (for Table 9)
a) Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to assure they are
there for future generations
b) Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to reduce human
impacts on our environment such as global warming
c) Provide open spaces (greenbelts, flowers, landscapes) among the housing &
commercial areas to help beautify your community
d) Provide nearby settings where you can see, hear, touch & smell nature
e) Provide places where you might have new & different experiences away from your
home
f) Provide parks & facilities nearby where you and your friends, neighbors, or family
can get together
f2) Provide opportunities (parks and activities) where you might meet new people
g) Provide parks, facilities & trails where you can exercise on your own
h) Ensure access to calm, quiet, natural settings away from tasks & chores
i) Provide access to awe-inspiring places of natural beauty
j) Provide spaces where dogs are free to run & play off-leash
k) Provide places where children are free to play & be active
I) Organize activities that help you and your neighbors meet & get to know each other
m) Promote pride in your neighborhood or communiry
n) Provide opportunities for people of diverse types to learn how to live together
o) Create opportunities for people at every stage of life to learn new skills & explore
new interests
p) Provide senior citizens places & activities for staying active and socially connected
q) Provide places & activities during non-school hours for children & teens in your
community that are safe, healthy and fun
r) Help to reduce juvenile crime by providing positive, alternative activities, life skills
development & an opportunity to meet role models during non-school hours
s) Promote personal health for people at every stage of life
t) Organize fun activities for your family, neighbors and people of all types in your area
u) Develop parks & recreation programs to increase property values and, over time, the
overall wealth of the community
v) Make your community a better place to live, now and in the future
w) Create a stronger sense of community among residents in your neighborhood
x) Help you and others in your community find avenues to more vibrant lives
y) Define & teach good stewardship of the land to all of our residents
z) Provide the athletic fields, gyms, pools and other facilities where group and individual
sports and activities can be held
aa) Provide the facilities, such as community, teen and senior centers, where programs
activities, events and gatherings can be held
bb) Promote your sense of connection to your neighborhood or community
cc) Provide progrems that help parents of young children and caretakers of seniors to
free up time for themselves
Lauren Schlau Consuiting and HINER & Partners Page 19
California Park & Recreation Society
2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Using the mean (or average) ratings to plot the statements as shown in the graphic in Table 9
risk errors in interpretation. As a further check on the highly valued / highly delivered
statement selection it is prudent to look at how many individual respondents actually paired a.
high rating on value / priority with a high delivery rating (and the other combinations of
response pairings).
Statement "k" is a good statement to examine. In the Table 9 plot statement, k is in the far
upper right side of the plot, with the highest average importance and delivery, implying
everyone in California places this as a high priority and a well delivered item. Yet, as you can
see in the graphic below, only 36% of respondents rated it as both a very high priority AND
awarded it a positive "delivery" rating (see the upper right, dark green box). While this is still a
very high percentage relative to other statements, it is not a majority of Californians. These
charts show how all respondents paired their responses (the sum of the color shaded boxes is
100%). (Graphics for all statements appear in Appendix 1.)
Table 10a - Pairings Ratings for Statement llk":
Resuft for. "Pinvialss p?aces whereahr7dre?rarofiee to playand be aefive••
De1MetY
NotDelMerod DaYv~
f~.g isFS+~
Highesi , , . 46%
m
,
N~~~y Other
P?lorltJes 39/.
Non-Prlorlty OWN 15%.
~
31l4 68'i4 10pq4
Using this chart we can evaluate whether or not this statement, suggested by its placement
in the plot in Table 9 as a good messaging plank, holds up. In this case, the statement
does qualify as a recommended message for several reasons:
• Share of Californians who value / 12rioritize this statement is hiah, at 85%. Find the
total who prioritized this statement by summing the top two rows. The top row sums
to 46% and is the percentage of Californians who rated this statement a 7 on the 7-
point priority scale. The next row sums to 39% and is the percentage who rated this
statement a 5 or a 6 on the priority scale. Together, these two rows sum to 85%.
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Buiiding Initiative
. Relativelv few who prioritize this statement believe it is not delivered. Continue your
focus on the top two rows and examine how they are divided by the columns. The
columns separate respondents into those who believe the statement is delivered (5,
6, or 7 on the 7-point delivery scale) from those who believe it is not delivered (1, 2,
3, or 4 on the delivery scale). The 850/o of Californians who appear in one of these
four cells (the two red and the two green cells) divide into two groups: 220/o who
believe it is not delivered (summing the two red cells) and 630/o who believe it is.
delivered (summing the two green cells).
The risk in using only the plot in Table 9 to select the best messages is that those
who consider a statement a priority might be different respondents from those who
believe it is delivered. Considering only the average ratings (as is done in Table 9)
can conceal this risk. The plot does, however, help to narrow the list of statements
to consider. This second level of analysis shows that among those who prioritize this
statement (the 85%) the portion who believe it is delivered (63%) outnumber those
who believe it is not delivered (22%) about 3 to 1. Good messages should not only
be important but should also be credible. Here, most who prioritize this statement
would find its use in communications to be credible.
Let's look at pairings for another statement: Table lOb - Pairings Ratings for Statement'lq":
Provide p/aces & activities during non- schoo/ hours for chi/dren & teens in your
community that are safe, healthy and fun
Not
Delivered Delivered
Highest Priority (7) 34%
Other Priorities (5-6) 48%
Non Priorities (I-4) V 19%
49% 52%
In Table 10b the sum of the two red boxes is 360/o and the two green boxes is 460/o, for a
total of 82%. So, even though 820/o believe this is a priority, with so many of these believing
that it is not currently delivered, to "claim" it in communications would not be credible.
After reviewing these charts for the 13 statements that appear in the upper right quadrant
of the plot in Table 9, the list can be further prioritized into three tiers. Top tier statements
have higher ratios of those who consider a statement delivered, among those who prioritize
it. Tier Two and Three have some factor such as this ratio, or a risky number of Californians
who do not prioritize it, or an imbalance toward "other" versus "highesY" priority that justify
a slightly lower rank.
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Tier One - Highest Priority Messaging Planks
k. Provide places where children are free to play & be active
g. Provide parks, facilities & trails where you can exercise on your own
f. Provide parks & facilities nearby where you and your friends, neighbors, or family can
gettoaether
z. Provide the athletic fields, gyms, pools and other facilities where qroup and individual
sports and activities can be held
Tier Two
c. Provide open spaces (greenbelts, flowers, landscapes) among the housing & commercial
areas to help beautify your community
h. Ensure access to calm, quiet, natural settings away from tasks & chores
a. Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to assure they are there
for future generations
d. Provide nearby settings where you can see, hear, touch & smell nature
i. Provide access to awe-inspiring places of natural beauty
Tier Three
b. Preserve land in its original, natural state and protect wildlife to reduce human impacts
on our environment such as global warming
v. Make your community a better place to live, now and in the future
q. Provide places & activities during non-school hours for children & teens in your
community that are safe, healthy and fun
In the end, however, all three tiers are quite useful in constructing a messaging strategy.
The general categories covered by the statements falling into Quadrant B include:
? Children: play, be active; non-school activities
? Personal exercise
? Nature: aesthetic, access, escape, awe-inspiring, protect, preserve, stewardship
? Sports facilities
? Better place to live
The emphasis is on nature, having outdoor spaces (and facilities) for exercise and for play in
the company of friends and kids.
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Buiiding Initiative
Respondent Demographics
In total, 848 respondents returned an Internet questionnaire. Their demographics are as
fol lows.
Residence Locality
? Of those, 45% resided in urban areas, while 55% did not.
? Nearly one-third, 31% were from a large town, with 19% in a small town, and
4% in a rural area.
Table 11 - Locality Type
y ' 'g4'~ifi
Base 848
Urban 45%
Lar e Town 31%
Small Town 190
Rural / An unincor orated area 4%
Marital Status
? Most, or two thirds of the respondents are married or in a domestic partnership.
Table 12 - Marital Status
MM s ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,~~a~= ~ •
~ 7 ~ ~
~U8 ~-~~~'~e.'~%,~"i "z: G ~ ,~j
17..~xx ~
Base 848
Married Domestic Partner 67%
Unmarried 31%
Refuse 2%
Children Living at Home
? Fewer than one-half, or 40% of the respondents have children living at home.
Table 13 - Children at Home
..fi:.,..~~'~ '04
Base 848
Yes 40%
No 59%
Refuse 1 %
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Country of Birth
? The vast majority, 83% were born in the United States.
Table 14 - Birth Country
'Totai ,
Base 848
U.S. 83%
China 2%
Asia Other 2%
Phili ines 2%
En land/UK 1%
Euro e Other 1%
Canada 1%
Count in Central America 1%
Taiwan 1 %
India 1%
Ja an 1%
Refuse 3%
Ethnicity/Race
? Most, or two thirds of the respondents are Caucasian with 19% Pacific Islander.
Note a fairly high percentage (38%) refuse to state.
Table 15 - Ethnicity/Race
ya°y
S:Ed9~~l~~ q
Base 848
Caucasian 66%
Asian/Pacific islander 19%
His anic 9%
African-American 3%
American Indian 2%
Other 4%
Refuse q%
Caucasians & Asian/Pacific Islanders are overrepresented as a share of the state
population and Hispanics & Africa n-Ameri cans are underrepresented. An analysis
was performed between these groups to identify any significant differences with the
results as follows. Note that the top rated priority statements were not statistically
different by ethnicity.
Lauren Schlau Consulting and HINER & Partners Page 24
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Based on mean and top 2 box ratings, differences in priorities do not vary
much by ethnicity with the exception of a few statements
African-Americans, Hispanics and Asian/Pacific Islanders share a higher interest in:
f2. Provide opportunities (parks and activities) where you might meet new people
n. Provide opportunities for peop/e of diverse types to learn how to live together
v. Make your community a better place to live, now and in the fuYure
African-Americans & Hispanics share a higher interest in:
r. Help to reduce juvenile crime by providing positive, a/ternative activities, life
skills development & an opportunity to meet role models during non-school hours
After widening the search for differences to include comparisons of the Highest
Priority (7) and Other Priorities (5 or 6) a few other differences are suggested.
These statements are somewhat more important to the ethnicities indicated:
e. Provide p/aces where you might have new & different experiences away from your
home (Hispanics)
l) Organize activities that he/p you and your neighbors meet & get to know each
other (Asian/Pacific Islanders)
s) Promote persona/ hea/th for people at every stage of life (Asian/Pacific Islanders)
t. Organize fun activities for your family, neighbors and people of all types in your
area(Hispanics & Africa n-America ns)
u. Deve%p parks & recreation programs to increase property values and, over time,
the overall wea/th of the community (Hispanics)
aa. Provide the facilities, such as community, teen and senior centers, where
programs activities, events and gatherings can be held (Hispanics)
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2009 Report on Market Research to Support CPRS Brand Building Initiative
Household Income
? The overall mean household income was $95,663, well above the state mean.
Table 16 - Household Income
'A
Dta1 Base 84$
Under 25 000 2%
25 000 to under 50 000 13%
50 000 to under 75 000 17%
75 000 to under 100 000 19%
100 000 to under 125 000 13%
125 000 to under 150 000 8%
150 000 or more 14%
Refuse 14%
Mean 95 663
Employment Status
? Most or 60% of the respondents are employed full time.
Table 17 - Employment Status
o-
1.
V
Base 84$
Em lo ed full time 59%
Em lo ed art time 10%
Self Em lo ed il%
A homemaker 12%
A student 8%
Retired 9%
Disabled 2%
Tem oraril Not Workin 3%
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Age Group
? Just about one-half or 510/o are between ages 30 and 49 years old.
Table 18 - Age
T E7'1`otai'-;
Base 848
18-29 15%
30-39 27%
40-49 24%
50-59 21%
60+ 12%
Mean 43.3
Gender
? Slightly more who responded, 540/o were female versus 46% who were male.
Table 19 - Gender akft
e ~
t i^9i_ E 't F ,..fiae.P'~ ~i'tmys.AK: $ a ~ ii _
'Mt Base 848
Male 45%
Female 54%
Lauren Schlau Consulting and HINER & Partners Page 27