In an recent poll from HunterSurvey and AnglerSurvey, sportsmen and women were asked how color, particularly pink, factors into the market for purchasing angling and hunting supplies such as fishing rods and reels, firearms, binoculars, coolers, and other similar outdoor equipment.

For hunters and target shooters, taken from nearly 3,700 sportsmen and women, the most popular colors for purchase of supplies were camouflage, where 62 percent of males and 60 percent females prefer this color. The popular colors included black, green and brown. The lowest preference for both male and females included brighter colors — white, yellow and multicolored. And 15.4 percent of women preferred pink, unrelated to breast cancer causes. Overall, 20 percent of men and women did not care about color in purchasing supplies.

Anglers reported similar results, based on responses from 2,523 males and 148 females. Again, the most popular color was black, with 52 percent of males and 38 percent of females. Sixteen percent of women preferred pink and the lowest preference was still reflected in orange, yellow and brighter shades.

Thirty percent overall did not factor color into purchasing.

Factoring color into the decision-making of purchasing equipment did not present a significant difference in men and women. Among hunters and target shooters, 57 percent of men said color was important, and 47 percent of women deemed color important. Anglers showed an even slighter difference, with 53 percent men and 56 percent women who considered color an important factor in purchasing decisions.

Males are more likely to expect pink to boost purchases by women. When asked if women are likely to purchase outdoor equipment goods in pink unrelated to breast cancer awareness, 53 percent of male hunters agreed but only 41 percent of female hunters agreed. Among anglers, 50 percent males and 40 percent females agreed pink boosts such sales.

With a smaller percentage of women, in comparison to men, agreeing that women are likely to purchase pink — just for the sake of pink, rather than for breast cancer — brings to mind the question of whether or not selling pink equipment unrelated to breast cancer is a condescending way to market that audience. Among hunters, 42 percent of men believed it was condescending, and 47 percent women reported it was condescending, or less than half. Responses were similar among anglers with 46 percent males and 50 percent females believed it to be condescending.

On another note, the discrepancy between pink for the color and pink for breast cancer awareness was significant. Among all hunters and anglers, 72 percent and 74 percent respectively, regardless of gender, believed selling pink equipment to promote breast cancer awareness would promote sales. Eighty seven percent of female hunters agreed that pink equipment would sell better if intended to promote awareness, along with 88 percent of female anglers.

Generally for both men and women, marketing better quality outdoor equipment in darker or more neutral shades is preferred; however, unless produced for the awareness of breast cancer or a general cause, producing pink, or feminine colors is not the major concern for women purchasing equipment- in fact, they would prefer black, green, or brown over pink. Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, agrees, "Overall, the differences between mens' and womens' responses were minor. It shows that there isn't a great market to capture among women just by using a specific color." Tammy Sapp of The Womens' Outdoor Wire, www.womensoutdoorwire.com, wrote on women's favoring of pink and also concluded "that color alone may not woo women who are shopping for equipment" and that "pink is effective when used to help support finding a cure for breast cancer but may not be important otherwise."

Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com helps the outdoor equipment industry, government wildlife and fisheries officials, and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data that is available from the complete survey results. The results are scientifically analyzed to reflect all U.S. anglers and hunters. Find out how a subscription to the complete survey data can help your business, government agency, or organization.