Were you among the Colorado crowds that helped The Hunger Games: Catching Fire haul in a record $161.1 million in its opening weekend? If you weren鈥檛 late to the theater then maybe you also caught the ad imploring you to 鈥淕et in the game 鈥� explore your passion for archery.鈥�
In contrast to 2012 when the first Hunger Games installment came out, the archery industry is better equipped with ads and campaigns to capitalize on the boom provided by the movie.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife鈥檚 ad depict a female archer, a la the movie鈥檚 lead character Katniss Everdeen, and is specifically looking to recruit more youth into the sport.
At the national level, USA Archery is also looking to recruit more youth to the sport, organizing a 鈥溾€� campaign.
鈥淭he first [Hunger Games movie] hit us as a surprise,鈥� said Denise Parker, CEO of USA Archery. It鈥檚 a surprise that has seen a 105 percent increase in membership since November 2011.
Parker says the whole industry came together to launch the 鈥淩elease Your Wild鈥� Campaign in early November before Catching Fire hit cineplexes. The Archery Trade Organization has also launched the companion web site,, to compliment the campaign.
鈥淭he Hunger Games has changed who comes into archery shops and clubs,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not necessarily yet committed to coming in and buying all this equipment and shooting for competition. They just want to shoot for fun.鈥�
Will that translate into equipment sales and lifelong archers? Only time, and the fact that there are two more movies to follow in the franchise, will tell.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great, great time in our sport,鈥� said Parker, who adds she鈥檚 excited about children picking up Recurve bows 鈥� the type of bow used in the Olympics. 鈥淲hen we talk about the potential athletic talent in our pool, it鈥檚 a big deal to us and a big opportunity.鈥�
