More theme camps recruiting?

[Jovankat]

Not sure if this is the right place for this conversation, or if it's really even worth having the conversation.

Does it seem like there are a lot more camps soliciting for new members than there are folks looking to join a camp this year than there were last year? Or is that my imagination/it's still too early?

If you do agree there seems to have been a shift any theories on why?

I'm really not sure the trend I'm noticing isn't just all in my head so I'd like to hear if anyone else has noticed it too.

[torrey.smith]

Sextant gains a few and loses a few each year.

I estimate that less than 10% of burners are really suited for Sextant. It takes a particular brand of crazy

That said, we are open to fresh faces.

[Madgirl]

Jovankat, I've sort of noticed the same trend, especially compared to last year. It seems like there are a lot more virgins striking out on their own this year rather than wanting to join a camp...I think that's why the camps that are recruiting stand out more.

[Elderberry]

Seems that there might me more than last year, though I haven't paid close attention.

We had to turn people away and we did no advertising or recruiting.

[tamarakay]

I haven't received as many emails as usual, but those tend to hit more in early August. Those last minute oh shit I'm in over my head types.

[trilobyte]

I don't know, to me it seems like there are a lot more seeking camp posters this year than in years past, and fewer camps that are actively recruiting. It also seems like the camps that do open enrollment started posting about it later this year.

In the greater community-at-large, though, I'm seeing more camp-spam on sites like FB. I don't know that it has to do with more camps recruiting or having open enrollment as it does Facebook making their 'promoted post' more consumer-oriented and enticing to people. More camps are using that paid advertising service than ever before, and my general feeling is that everything FB tends to get more spammy and promotional over time. A couple years ago, there was shock and outrage in the community because the Christina MV had an ad on FB promoting their camp's page... now people use it to promote their camps, MV's, and playa events.

In my own camp, it seems we got more unsolicited emails from people seeking camps this year than ever before. It's never really very high, we don't offer open enrollment... but probably twice as many people reaching out. It's still only July, there's another month's worth of seeking camp posts to come...

[mudpuppy000]

Our three camps filled up quite a while ago. Shortly after the main sale I think it was. I've been seeing more FB postings for high $$ camps looking for campers though.

[Hope-a-Lope]

Maybe because, same number of burners, more theme camps than ever?

At least, that's what Placement told us when we were not given placement. womp womp.

[Token]

10% build and run the place.

The rest wear costumes.

With 90% of the place reserved for theme camps and villages, looks like a new trend.

C O N F O R M

B E L I E V E

O B A Y

[gaminwench]

I think it's a combination of 1)more theme camps and 2)theme camp build crews not getting tickets.

It seems as though there are more "Come help us build/strike our theme camp" posts this year.

[digital]

Confirmation bias? Maybe because you are looking for new people you happen to notice more when others look for new people.

Other than a shortage of tickets I see no major trends that didn't emerge last year nor the year before it.

[Jovankat]

That's exactly why I posted the thread to ask. I did have a look at least year's threads and it did seem like there were a lot more "camp wanted" threads last year. The theads being sorted by last posted in rather than originally posted made it hard to control for the fact what we're still a month out though.

[trilobyte]

@Hope-a-lope - more camps requesting placement. I think this year hit a high water mark in the number of applications. They placed more camps too, but that's partly because they're also placing art support and staff camps too.

@jovankat - I think the seeking camp threads have been way the fuck out of control for longer than you've been going. This year seems worse than last, but since we're still in the thick of it it's hard to tell. Scanning the boards, last year we had 40-some seeking camp threads for the whole season, but a big chunk of those come in the last 4 weeks. This year we're already around 25, but we haven't yet had those last 4 weeks.

I did do some scanning through the last 5-6 years though, and one thing I can say is there are a lot fewer camps posting recruiting threads than we used to have. And camps used to start posting much, much sooner. I don't believe for a minute that it's because camps are less prepared, less awesome, or there are fewer of them... I think it has to do with scarcity. Before that first sellout in July 2011, camps could post about their plans at any time, knowing full well that once their core members got off their asses or scraped their money together they'd be able to buy their ticket. Now, with demand much higher than supply, it seems more camps are waiting until they have their core needs met, or achieved enough critical mass of ticketed members before posting. Perhaps what you're seeing is that now as people are getting their tickets and camps are stepping forward, it seems bigger than it is?