NBC’s The Great American Road Trip
Recently, I have been posting news stories about the recently aired NBC show The Great American Road Trip. This is a new reality show which features seven American families traveling in RVs and competing in challenges.
According to the show’s Web site, one family has already been eliminated with six still in the competition. I have yet to see the show, but would like to get some feedback from viewers.
Most of the industry views this show as a boost for the RV industry. I believe that overall this show helps promote the RVing lifestyle but I want to see if a reality show is the best means to accomplish that goal. If you have seen the show, please feel free to comment on what has happened thus far. Is the show engaging? Does it do a good job of promoting the RVing lifestyle? What advice would you give to the remaining families? If a second season were to happen, how could the show be improved? Let’s hear your thoughts.
August 2nd, 2010 at 8:43 pm
It would probably be a great idea if they compete with an even tighter challenges. To get everyone hooked on it.
July 22nd, 2010 at 7:07 am
I watched the show it was good but too lengthy.
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angelina
June 6th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
That’s the long range benefit and that’s a good thing. Problem is, we need a shot in the fanny now, not 5 - 10 years down the road. We’ll need buisness then too but right now it’s a matter of survival so that we can be in business 5 years from now.
May 25th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Thanks for sharing you guys. You are soo cool. i learnt a lot from you.
April 1st, 2010 at 10:39 am
great idea, as this will promote rv camping and will put a good impact at rv industry.keep it up
February 15th, 2010 at 7:37 am
Unfortunately I only caught one episode of the show. Being a full time rver I found it interesting and funny. Probably not very “real life” realistic for rving, but it’s all about creating your own adventure!
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:32 am
I wrote about this show on the http://www.rvingplanet.com/rv/blog earlier this year. I think that it is great that RV’s are at least making it into TV shows and movies now, even if these shows and movies don’t portray RVing how most would like it to be portrayed. Has any one seen any studies out as to whether these shows have helped the RV industry? I haven’t seen any statistics.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:18 am
a great idea to promote rv camping, and it will increase camping in texas too and thus the interaction of people with nature
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:08 pm
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July 20th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Silvio DiSalvatore needs to wip out the Black Cougar outfit and kick some butt………..
July 14th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I watched it last night and what I saw was family time on the road in the RV, however when one family won the prize of staying in the Best Western Motel instead of their luxury RV I thought that they were taking away from the lifestyle as if the RV was a compromise when in fact it really was not, it was very nice. The show was quite amusing and the family time depicted was valuable, the rest of it has to be the way it is to entertain the general public.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I’m in agreement with Aaron - sort of. There is a counter point to his logic. If the focus is on the entry level, affordable RV, don’t we run the risk of loosing the folks who want a little more? The Boomers that don’t have kids, have saved and want a little more comfort and convenience? Then, what about the luxury end of the scale? How about the very sucessful who want the very best? Do we just abandon the top rung?
There is no question that potential buyers for entry level product far outnumber buyers for more expensive units, thus, the long range benefits weigh heavily in favor of Aarons argument. Once people get into RV’s they are likely to continue to own one from then on. That’s the long range benefit and that’s a good thing. Problem is, we need a shot in the fanny now, not 5 - 10 years down the road. We’ll need buisness then too but right now it’s a matter of survival so that we can be in business 5 years from now.
Like Jackie, I have not seen the show either but it’s my guess that the type units being used has alot more to do with accomodating the TV show camera’s than the price range of the units. There’s probably a pretty good chance that the producers would have used cheaper units if they could have filmed the contestants in them as they traveled down the road. To do that, well you have to be in a motorized unit.
I guess the ideal situation for our industry would be to have about two dozen units in the show that give a representation of all RV’s but I’m thinking that this particular show is not about the RV lifestyle so much as it just INCLUDES the lifestyle as part and parcel of the reality show.
Maybe the Go RVing folks should take a hint from Aaron and spend our money to produce a show ABOUT the RV life.
He’s also right about the Vette.
July 13th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
The key to promoting the RVing lifestyle to people is to focus on promoting entry level. Class A motorhomes are not the way to do it.
I’d love for the Go RVing campaign to get this. I don’t care that Kenny Wallace loves his RV. I can’t afford it. I laugh at Robin Williams with his but I can’t afford it. For people who have never been exposed to RVing this is how they view our industry. One full of overpriced motorhomes that they can never afford.
We need to focus on showing them the affordable alternatives and bring them into the lifestyle. The go RVing campaign is a waste of our money for this reason. And shows like this don’t do any better for the same reason. People don’t think it can be them. They place RVs in a category like fancy cars. Something they would consider if they won the lotto.
Anyone can own an RV just like anyone can own a Corvette. But both have a perception among the lower and middle class of being expensive. That works for the Corvette. It doesn’t work for us.