Mega-Brand Quest
Vicious Brings New, But Proven Model To Fishing

Photo: VIcious Fishing

What Mossy Oak did was take a proven business model – the licensing agreement – and move it into the outdoors realm. Now, Glen Cunningham – a former Mossy Oak executive – heads up the national sales effort for JBS Fishing Line and its new Vicious Fishing brand. And not surprising, the Vicious business model is based at least in part on the success of the Mossy Oak licensing strategy.

To start, Vicious already offers fishing line. That's because its parent company, JBS Fishing Line, has deep roots in the category. Its plant in Pell City, Ala. manufactured and spooled monofilament line for major national brands through the 1980s and '90s. So the first products to bear the Vicious name are logically its Ultimate, Offshore and fluorocarbon lines.

Reaching Out

Beyond line, Vicious is actively negotiating license deals with other fishing companies. In summary, a company can choose to license the Vicious name and sell its products as Vicious-branded products. That way, the licensee can take advantage of Vicious distribution channels, and sell products under what will be a recognized consumer brand.

In simpler terms, let's say a high-end rod company creates new technology to build intermediate-level rods. That company may not want to launch a new rod line at the intermediate level, since it's known as a "premium" rod company. Instead, it can now brand its intermediate rods as Vicious rods, but still reap the sales benefits.

For another example, imagine a small bait company that has a strong tackle suite, but lacks the means to reach a national customer base. It can license the Vicious name, and get its products onto national store shelves as Vicious baits, and again reap the sales benefits.

The goal behind the effort is to create the first "mega-brand" in fishing – a blanket of products in almost every imaginable category that anglers come to trust. And that trust, the company hopes, will result in those same anglers wanting to purchase future Vicious products – regardless of the manufacturer behind them.

Companies are already signing up. The first company to ink a major licensing agreement with Vicious is Choo Choo Lures of Tennessee. And more companies are on the way. Expect to see Vicious rods, reels, terminal tackle, even boats.

Photo: Vicious Fishing Vicious sales director Glen Cunningham plans to build the Vicious brand through licensing, and proprietary manufacturing.

Build A Trusted Brand

Cunningham said Vicious has a single, primary goal. "We want the consumer – when he or she looks at a Vicious fishing product – to recognize it as something they can depend on, but also as something where they're getting more value for their dollar spent."

Chris Dutton, who works with Vicious in a number of capacities, and oversees its pro staff, noted: "We want to become the first 'mega brand' in the industry. There are companies out there who own several different companies. They'll come in and buy a soft-plastics company, but the name never changes.

"At Vicious, we're doing our own products, and offering licensing – similar to the Mossy Oak business style – all branded under Vicious. And the more we build up the brand name, the more all the products themselves will benefit from that branding."

Count Choo Choo Lures owner Ed Ricklefs as a believer. His was the first third-party company to sign a licensing deal with Vicious. Why'd he join up? A number of reasons. First, he wanted his 5-year-old company to reach the next level – meaning, national sales. Also, he wanted headway into markets with his new ideas, before other competing manufacturers saw them.

"The reason I pursued this is I had the opportunity to meet with the team director, Brent Brady," Ricklefs said. "He and I have had a good relationship for probably 20 years now. And I spoke with some of their individuals, and Glen (Cunningham) came out and visited. When they sat down and presented their program, they were real forward-thinking with their ideas on this venture.

"I was impressed with that," Ricklefs added. "I see it as a great opportunity not only for the Vicious line of products, but also for the Choo Choo line of lures. I'd been in business 5 years, and I'd pretty much been looking for the opportunity to break into the next level of marketing and promoting my product line. This is the kind of door that only opens once in a while, and you need to be prepared to walk through when it does."

Although Ricklefs' products will be labeled Vicious, he noted the Choo Choo logo will have a "footprint" somewhere on the packaging, which will help build the Choo Choo name as well.

Spring Blitz

Dutton said that BassFans will likely see the Vicious brand begin to mature sometime this spring. The pro staff has taken shape with four key signings – Jason Quinn, Jeff Reynolds, Russ Lane and Pete Ponds. And the company plans to begin advertising and marketing heavily during the main lure-buying season.

To help reach the fishing public, advertisements are planned for magazines, websites and newspapers. And Vicious is already involved in tournament sponsorship at selective levels. It sponsors big-bass awards in a number of regional trails, including the Illini Team Trail, Ignition Bass and BassMaxx, as a few examples. It's also a contingency sponsor of the Skeeter BassFan Army.

Additionally, Vicious is currently accepting applications for its field staff and tournament team. This avenue is open to tournament anglers, or fishing enthusiasts, interested in becoming representatives of the Vicious brand (Note: Visit www.Vicious-Fishing.com and click on "Field Staff" or "Join Our Team!" for more information.)

Where To Find

In terms of retail sales, Cunningham noted Vicious intends to cover the spectrum, from online and catalog sales, to brick-and-mortar marts, to mom-and-pop tackle shops. But selection will differ. Some stores will carry just line, baits, and eyewear, as a possible example. Other stores will be "master Vicious dealers" with the full Vicious product line for sale.

Photo: Vicious FIshing

And again, Cunningham said that the market won't be swamped with a sudden storm of Vicious-branded products. The march toward a future objective is more slow-and-steady, where Vicious chooses to create partnerships that work for both parties.

"Obviously, too much (licensing) will dilute what you're trying to do. So will we license everything? No. But we will license things that makes sense and fit. A lot of things are going to vary based on different markets. You have a different following from a redfish guy, from a walleye guy, from a saltwater big-game guy, from a bass fisherman.

"Each angler would use different tackle, and things that are unique to each species. So we have no desire at this point to go out and license a trailer company for Vicious just because it's a trailer company.

"Obviously the goal is to have everything from baits to boats that makes sense under the Vicious brand," Cunningham added. "But I don't think we have a set goal of 10 or 100 licensees. I think our biggest market objective right away is to find the licensing partners that make the most sense – that can establish and support the brand with high consumer recognition as well as high consumer use.

"That way, you can establish the credibility within the brand for durability, quality and value for every dollar spent."

Notable

> On the difference between this venture and licensing popular media like sports and movies, Cunningham said: "Licensing within the outdoor industry is a lot different than within sports or entertainment – like when you're trying to license the NFL or Disney. Outdoor consumers aren't just going to a store to buy a cartoon DVD or a numbered jersey. They're more concerned with durability and value. They have to touch it – feel it – and word-of-mouth from consumer to consumer is much more important in what we do."

> Ricklefs noted that, although much of his Choo Choo Lures business has grown through word-of-mouth, that method comes with certain difficulties. "When guys down here get on a good product, they put it in their pocket and don't talk about it. So even with good products, it's hard to break into the marketplace."

> For more information about Vicious, visit www.Vicious-Fishing.com.