By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor


This week, there are roughly 434 booths set up inside the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center for the 56th edition of the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST.

Some occupy a 100-square-foot space with a table or two, a backdrop, some catalogs and a couple of chairs. Others don't even qualify as booths as the elaborate and vibrant displays sprawl across a couple thousand square feet of floor space complete with plush couches, coffee tables and temporary meeting rooms that required one, if not more, 18-wheelers to transport.

Regardless of the size and scope of the displays, they're all built with one purpose: To get your attention and invite you in.

For industry people, ICAST is Christmas in July as the show offers companies an annual opportunity to showcase the fruits of the previous year's labor as they unveil new rods, reels, baits, apparel and other equipment to thousands of buyers and media thirsty to touch, twist, flex or otherwise see the latest innovations.

Ultimately, ICAST is a place where hundreds of companies can gather under one roof and set the course of their business for the coming year. That aspect of the show hasn't changed, nor has all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the product design, testing and building of a marketing strategy for each new product launch.

However, like most modern trade shows, ICAST has undergone an evolution in terms of the media exposure it receives. In years past, consumers had to wait a couple of months to read magazine articles about what new lures or clever pieces of terminal tackle were introduced at the show. In turn, the pressure on manufacturers to bring those new products to the retail market as quickly as possible wasn't nearly as intense as it these days.

For a show that's closed to the public, the consumers are now given a front-row seat, thanks to social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – every major brand in the business has some form of presence in social media – as well as a growing segment of fishing-centric websites and bloggers covering the show.

Some brands utilized their social media presence to whet fans' appetites by posting glimpses (Quantum and Pinnacle, for example) or videos (Berkley's Back Slide) of new products in advance of ICAST. Other companies put new products in the hands of media members months ahead of the show in order to create some pre-show buzz through time-sensitive coverage.

There are two sides to the increased media coverage, however. While an average of 500 media badges are issued for ICAST and consumers are getting a virtual real-time look at the goings on at the show, a majority of the new products they see for the first time in July won't be available for purchase until September at the earliest.



Alan McGuckin
Photo: Alan McGuckin

John Kushnerick recalls a time when he had a waterfall feature in the Zebco booth at ICAST. Now, marketing budgets are spent more wisely.

As a result of the increased media attention and the anticipated demand for new product, companies need to have their manufacturing partners on board in order to meet that demand in a timely manner. Not many companies are able to deliver pallets of new products within days or weeks of ICAST, although some will.

For instance, Pure Fishing, which has brands like Abu Garcia and Berkley under its umbrella, provided samples of their new 2014 products to media several weeks before ICAST. Some of those products are already available at the retail level.

There's no question that ICAST has become a show that's much more media-driven than it was even 10 years ago. Pro staffers, who grow more media savvy every year, and product development specialists are now on hand to explain the hows and whys of each new product in front of a camera if the need arises.

Recently, BassFan spoke with a few industry insiders to get their take on how the show has evolved into the spectacle it is today. Following are their thoughts on the show's direction.

John Kushnerick, director of marketing services at Zebco Brands
When asked point blank how ICAST has changed in his eyes, John Kushnerick, who's been on hand for at least 15 shows and has served on various ASA committees, said without hesitation that it's a media-driven event now more than anything.

"Five years ago, some people were complaining that anybody with a cell phone could come in and post videos and take pictures," he said. "Five years ago, these companies wanted to control the distribution of mainstream press in the fall season. It was probably about 3 years ago when it really turned into people shooting videos and posting them immediately, direct to consumers.

"First and foremost, ICAST has always been a trade show for our wholesale customers and some felt it was unfair for consumers to know about products in advance of wholesalers."

But it seems a happy medium has been struck for the most part. He also says the need to keep pace with consumer demand for information has made it more valuable to have pro staffers on hand to deliver video content because "the web is driving everything 24/7."

In addition, rather than waiting until the new products are shipped in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, company websites for several brands under the Zebco umbrella (Zebco, Quantum and Fin-Nor) have already been updated to showcase the products that were unveiled this week. The product catalogs for 2014 are also available for viewing online.

"Typically, we transition out the old product and change over to the new stuff on the website around October 1," he said. "Now, because of ICAST and all the videos that are done, we're transitioning the site to coincide with the show. If someone sees something you want to be able to give them the specs and details even though the product itself might not yet be available."

This year marks the 60th anniversary for a landmark product in the industry – the Zebco 33 reel – and Zebco went all out in redesigning the timeless reel with modern appointments and technology and will offer it in a variety of models and combo packages. Because of its universal appeal, the 33 became the focal point of Zebco's ICAST push.

"You have to focus on what has the greatest potential to grab the most media attention," he said. "With the 60th anniversary, that's the big thrust in the booth this year."

As weird as it sounds, Zebco even entered the revamped 33 in various New Product Showcase categories this year, something Quantum didn't do a couple years ago with its revolutionary EXO reels.

"We came into ICAST quiet about (the EXO)," he said. "We invited media to a luncheon to unveil it. It wasn't even entered in new product showcase because that meant we had to expose it the night before we wanted to introduce it. It was a case where we wanted to control the message because it was more important than winning the new product showcase."

Scott Petersen, media coordinator for SPRO, Big Bite Baits, Gamakatsu, Sunline
As an industry veteran who works closely with media partners on marketing initiatives, Scott Petersen has definitely seen the impact of the ramped-up coverage of ICAST.

American Sportfishing Association
Photo: American Sportfishing Association

Things have changed immensely since the first ICAST, then known as the Associated Fishing Tackle Manfacturers Tackle and Trade Show.

"I don't think it's been so much an evolution, but I've seen more and more coverage from websites that are there covering what's happening," he said. "Where I've really seen it turn heads is with the bass heads and hardcore guys who are glued to the web all week to see what's coming out."

A native Minnesotan, he also noted the media attention ICAST gets now has diminished somewhat the product buzz once the sport show season gets underway in the late fall. He cited the Northwest Sportshow in Minneapolis/St. Paul as an example.

"Years ago, people would come there to see what's new," he said. "They don't have to do that now. They know what's new in July and by the time the sport shows roll around, they're asking, 'When can we get our hands on the stuff?' That's a credit to the media covering ICAST."

For several years, Petersen has organized a writer's outing prior to ICAST as a way to introduce new products of the companies he represents.

"It's always been our thinking that it's important to get things into the media's hands as soon as possible and let them talk to the pros about them, like how does Dean Rojas fish the Bronzeye Shad or how does John Crews fish the Baby Fat John," he said. "It's our goal to get that information out early before ICAST comes around.

"What we try to do with the writer's conference is get media the information and access to pros to lay the foundation for what they want to do and also to light the fire and create some buzz heading into ICAST. I've been on both sides: Should we introduce everything at the writer's conference or hold things back? Sometimes, you run the risk of releasing information too soon and competitors can get a look at what's coming. We're pretty much of the attitude of put it out there and let it speak for itself."

Kelly Brockpahler, marketing director at Rapala VMC
A veteran of eight ICAST shows now, Kelly Brockpahler has had a busy year already. If you recall, it was Rapala that made the big splash at the Bassmaster Classic with the introduction of the Scatter Rap line of hardbaits.

Brockpahler headed up the marketing strategy for that release, which bucked the traditional trend of waiting until the summer to make a big-splash release.

"We followed the model as we do for ICAST," she said. "We announced it internally, but it was ready to go then and we went for it. It was really fun to see because it was a non-traditional time for marketing a new product and to see all of the marketing leading up to it and then to launch it and promote and have it available at the Classic was a lot of fun for us. We learned a lot from it."

Not only did the company unveil it, a select quantity was available for purchase by those in attendance at the Classic Expo through Dick's Sporting Goods.

BassFan
Photo: BassFan

Pro staff members are valuable tools at shows like ICAST where new product lines are the focus.

"It was perfect timing, too, because there wasn't anything else new and revolutionary coming out and we knew it was a lure that was revolutionary," she added. "Once we knew it was ready and it was a cool, revolutionary thing, we didn't want to hold onto it."

In terms of ICAST, the notable changes she's noticed have been in the distribution and dissemination of new product info.

"The first few shows I did, we printed out press releases about the new products and handed them out and the media would take them back and write about them," she said. "About 6 years ago, we put all of our media assets (releases and photos) on a USB drive so they could take it back to the hotel and write or blog about it right there.

"Everybody is trying to be the first to broadcast what's new from ICAST and from that standpoint, it's changed 100 percent for the better. All of the updated information that the diehards are tuned into is now out there for those who want to know what's new. It is interesting how it's changed so much just in the 8 years I've been coming to the show. It's now a media show. The pro staff didn't used to come. Now, they're here to promote and talk about the products and engage the media."

Ish Monroe, pro angler
When Ish Monroe started his career as a pro angler, he represented only a few companies and his role at ICAST was literally to stand at the booth and shake hands and be a smiling face. How times have changed.

His time at ICAST is accounted for almost down to the minute now as he makes the rounds to all of his sponsors' booths, shooting product videos and explaining new products to media and buyers while helping the companies on the business side.

"I'm a lot more involved now with the companies I work with," he said. "Now, I'm sitting in on meetings with the decision-makers and I have more input and more involvement in terms of video and social media. I feel like the more I'm involved with a company, the more stake I have. It really shows that they appreciate and need me.

"The thing I always tell the younger guys is 'Create a product that they want, they'll pay you. Create a product that they need, they won't get rid of you.'"