THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
#RVLife has nearly two billion views on TikTok. Camping World’s Senior Community Relations Manager, Melanie Richtman, explained on The Social Standard Podcast that RV Life content creators don’t fit the image of the stereotypical RV’er: they’re young, adventurous, and aspirational.
It’s not just RV companies like Camping World that can benefit from influencer marketing to connect with new consumers. The trend is opening the doors wide for brands hoping to gain awareness with outdoor-loving and travel-hungry customers.
Though the digital nomad trend is nothing new, the mainstream popularity of RV and van-based influencers can be traced squarely back to the early days of the pandemic. As remote work became a long-term reality for many — and as traditional methods of travel remained risky — more and more Millenials and Zoomers turned to tricked out Sprinter Vans and RVs as a way to safely tap into the spirit of adventure.
Early adopters of RV Life then began to share their experiences on platforms like TikTok, which served their content to millions of adventure-hungry consumers stuck at home. As Melanie explains, “[TikTok is] a perfect format for this sort of RV lifestyle content. But I think the biggest plus for TikTok is that it’s conditioned you to see content from people that you’re not normally following.”
This feature of TikTok’s algorithm has allowed RV Life to move beyond a niche lifestyle into a mainstream trend — and one which brands of all stripes can tap into. This is, in part, due to the type of content RV influencers excel at creating: aspirational adventure content & edutainment.
Aspirational Adventures. One of the biggest perks of RV or van life is the ability to travel to breathtaking and far-flung parts of the country. Though this type of content obviously appeals to audiences that are primed to make the leap into RV ownership, the real opportunity here is to tap into the wanderlust that these roadtripping influencers inspire. Brands can work with influencers to create campaigns shot in remote locations like Glacier National Park or the California redwoods as a way to align their product with the spirit of fun and adventure.
Edutainment. Though some RV influencers focus on creating content that only shows off the postcard-worthy side of RV life, most are dedicated to educating their audiences on the ins and outs of living life on the road. This may look like a “real” day-in-the-life vlog showing RV maintenance, meal prep, and (of course) adventuring. It could also look like videos dedicated to teaching viewers how to make their small spaces more comfortable or how to cook the perfect steak on a camp stove.
Though RV brands like Camping World are a natural fit to take advantage of the RV Life trend, there are plenty of ways for brands across industries to create compelling content and reach new customers by partnering with RV loving influencers. Here are a few examples of how brands in various industries can partner with influencers in the #RVLife space:
Outdoor: Partnering with an RV-based influencer is an obvious fit for outdoor brands like REI, Teva, Camelback, Coleman, and more. Activating influencers not only allows outdoor companies to generate content shot in FOMO-inducing locations, it also allows them to reach audiences interested in both RV life, camping, and general travel. Working with a TikToker dedicated to testing camp-friendly products and providing reviews like @baileygoesoutside (89.2K TikTok) — who partnered with electric cooler brand NewAir and Brooklyn Bedding — can be a great way for these brands to expand their reach.
CPG: Grab-and-go food, beverage, and household brands are another natural fit for tapping into the #RVlife trend. These campaigns perform best when brands work with influencers to align their product with the natural excitement and adventure that comes with RV life. For example, startup laundry detergent brand Clearalif partnered with @wearedanandsam (278.8K TikTok) to promote their laundry detergent sheets, while on Instagram, Method partnered with @offthegridwithakid (29.6K Instagram) to promote Method’s limited-edition National Park hand soap.
Travel & Tourism: It should come as no surprise that RV influencers do an excellent job of putting all the beauty and adventure that can be found within the United States on full display. That means weaving in a campaign with a state or local tourism board to generate brand awareness for a specific destination is a no-brainer for most influencers. Travel booking platforms like AAA, Groupon, and more are also in a great position to partner with RV influencers to further align their services with a spirit of adventure, and to reach younger audiences hungry for new experiences. For example, campground booking website Hipcamp recently partnered with @family.of.nomads (1.5M TikTok, 154K Instagram), to show off the unique campsites available on the platform.
Auto Maintenance and Repair: RV and van life influencers are in a unique position to make some some of the more mundane aspects of owning a vehicle — like regular maintenance — aspirational. Maintenance brands like Pennzoil or nationwide stores like PepBoys can leverage these influencers to create how-to content that reaches audiences outside of the usual auto-enthusiast crowd.
Pet: Most RVing influencers are traveling with a full-house in tow — and their audiences are always curious to know more about how they take care of their pets while crisscrossing the country. For example, Pet GPS brand Tractive recently partnered with @wandering.routes (1.1M TikTok, 96.3K Instagram) on a TikTok campaign showing how their GPS collar allows them to keep their dog Piper safe while traveling.
When it comes to cashing in on the #RVLife trend, it pays to be strategic. These influencers are all about authenticity, and their audiences can sniff out a misaligned partnership in an instant. Working with a full-service influencer agency like The Social Standard can help you identify the strategy, talent, and campaigns you need to chart new roads into the space.
We’re driven by setting the standard for the influencer marketing industry, and then reaching even higher. Our team is obsessed with finding the right influencers for our partners. But we are way more than just matchmakers. We are strategists that develop effective campaigns to delight, inspire, entertain and hit business goals. From concept to seamless execution, we work with clients such as Hinge, Adobe, FiatChrysler, L’Oreal, Motorola and others, positioning them as pioneers in innovative influencer marketing and helping talent thrive in the creator economy. Want to learn more about our agency’s work? Shoot us an email at partner@sostandard.com. We’d love to collaborate.
