FISHING AND OUTDOORS
ABU GARCIA
MEDIA EVENT
ABU GARCIA REVO EXD
CASTING COMPETITION
Event Details
Client: Abu Garcia
Location: Orlando, FL
Date: July 9, 2019
HUNTER SHRYOCK WINS ABU GARCIA CASTING COMPETITION, FEATURING NEW REVO EXD REEL
To celebrate the launch of the new Abu Garcia EXD reel at ICAST, Abu Garcia gathered eight bass anglers from its pro team to compete in an extreme distance casting contest. In a head to
head bracket style competition Abu Garcia pros competed for a prize of $1,000 to their charity of choice.
Round one of the bracket pitted Adrian Avena vs. Justin Lucas, Jordan Lee vs. John Cox, Bobby Lane vs. Justin Atkins and Hunter Shryock vs. Josh Bertrand. Coming out of the first round, Lucas, Cox, Lane and Shryock were able to go the distance and out score their competition. Lucas and Shryock went head to head in a heated battle to claim the championship, and Shryock used the new EXD to play to his strengths and came out the winner.
“Competing against the other guys was a blast and I was able to cast nearly 100 yards with the new EXD reel,” said Hunter Shryock. “The EXD is tremendous when it comes to long distance casting – I’m able to cast further than ever before with unmatched accuracy.”
Designed to provide anglers with maximum casting capabilities with any bait in their arsenal, the Abu Garcia Revo EXD Baitcasting Reels deliver unmatched casting distance. The EXD has a total of eleven high-performance bearings, including two custom EXD bearings on the spool shaft, along with an extremely lightweight machined EXD finesse spool providing low start up inertia making it easier to cast lighter weight baits.
The anglers competed against one another aiming at floating targets positioned at 60-, 75- and 80-yards. Shryock took the championship and won $1,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Event Summary
Media attendance goal met and resulted in over 1.5 million impressions in coverage placements.
Role: Wrote and pitched event recap, collaborated on event ideation, planning & execution. Media relations surrounding the event.
Agency: Gunpowder, Inc.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2019
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Abu Garcia® blends its iconic features with custom rod grips by Winn® to bring an improved grip and comfort to the new LTD Program rods and combos. The Vendetta® LTD and Veritas® LTD standalone rods, as well as the Revo® X LTD and Revo® S LTD spinning and casting combos, provide exceptional durability and a comfortable, and well-controlled grip to suit any angler’s needs.
“The new Abu Garcia Winn LTD Program rods and combos are a marriage of expertise,” said Andrew Wheeler, director of global brands for Abu Garcia. “Combining Abu’s iconic features and designs with the impressive grip quality of Winn grips, we’ve crafted rods, without compromising other features, that anglers won’t want to put down.”
The Abu Garcia Vendetta rods feature IntraCarbon™ technology that creates a lightweight barrier, improving durability without adding weight. The Abu Garcia Veritas rods include Sublayer™ Armor with high strength fibers that outfit the rods with superior hoop strength and durability. Modeled with lightweight, 30-ton graphite designs, the Vendetta LTD and Veritas LTD rods are available in a wide variety of colors. The Vendetta LTD rods retail for $99.95, while the Veritas LTD retail for $119.95 – both are available in stores now.
The Abu Garcia Revo X LTD and Revo S LTD combos come in both spinning and casting models, all with stainless steel bearing systems. Constructed with a 24 ton graphite rod blank and stainless steel guides with titanium oxide inserts, the new combos are built to be smooth yet powerful. The Revo X LTD Combos are available in silver, blue and seafoam, while the Revo S LTD combos are available in white. The Revo X LTD casting and spinning combos retail for $149.95 and are currently available in stores. The Revo S LTD combos are also available and retail for $169.95 price.
For more information visit www.AbuGarcia.com.
About Pure Fishing, Inc.
Pure Fishing, Inc. is a leading global provider of fishing tackle, lures, rods and reels with a portfolio of brands that includes Abu Garcia®, All Star®, Berkley®, Chub™, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Hardy & Greys™, Hodgman®, Johnson™, Mitchell®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Sébile®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, Trilene® and Ugly Stik®. Additional information can be found at www.purefishing.com.
Media Contacts:
Heather Miller, (864) 607-7922, heatherm@gunpowderinc.com
Courtney Vander Veen Mich, (414) 305-2588, courtney@gunpowderinc.com
Role: Wrote and distributed the press release
Agency: Gunpowder, Inc.
TERMINAL TACKLE TAKEN BY STORM
Sept. 12, 2019
Berkley Expands its Proven Fusion19 Line of Terminal Tackle with Newly-Designed Hooks and Jigheads
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Over the last several years, Berkley® has taken the terminal tackle category by storm with the continued performance of its super-sharp Fusion19™ hooks. In 2019, the company delivers more products that give anglers access to the hooking power of Fusion19 in a variety of applications.
The new terminal tackle offering from Berkley consists largely of on-trend tackle that anglers are depending on today in recreational and tournament angling. Combining soft-plastics with the action only available from the Snap Jig, the expanded lineup includes new larger Snap Jig sizes for deeper water applications in combination with larger-profile soft plastics. In addition, there are several new jigheads including a Football Head, Swimbait Jighead, Shakey Head, Swing Head, Tube Jig, Under Spin and Weighted Wacky Head. There are also two new Treble Hook offerings – EWG Treble Hooks and Medium Shank EWG Treble Hooks.
“Fusion19 terminal tackle has been widely embraced by everyone from novice anglers to tournament pros,” said Kevin Malone, Berkley brand manager. “We take nothing for granted in our design of every piece of tackle. Ultimately, it’s the hook that gets the job done and we work just as hard testing our terminal tackle for durability and performance as anything else we make.”
The Fusion19 Snap Jig has found a home in tackle boxes from northern waters, where it is used to target a mixed bag of gamefish like lake trout and walleye, to southern bass waters, where it has produced big bags of largemouth and spotted bass. The bait will now be even more versatile thanks to new weights and hook sizes. The bait is now available in 3/16, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4-ounce sizes and with hook sizes ranging from 1/0 to 6/0 to accommodate larger soft plastics. Each weight-size will be available in two hook sizes to allow for versatility in rigging. The Snap Jigs will be $6.99 for a two-pack.
Anglers familiar with Berkley’s popular Flicker series will appreciate the new upgraded Fusion19 treble hooks, now available for all high-action, small profile crankbaits. The new medium shank EWG treble hooks feature a shorter shank with wider gaps for increased hookups and the ability to up-size hook sizing without hang-ups. The new treble hooks will both come in black nickel and red.
All of the new jigheads benefit from intricate design features that make them best-in-class. From recessed line-ties to recurved heads that allow for a more snug fit when rigging soft plastics, each jighead is carefully and thoughtfully designed to deliver performance and value.
The 2019 lineup of new Berkley Fusion19 Terminal Tackle will be available in retail stores nationwide in September 2019.
About Pure Fishing, Inc.
Pure Fishing, Inc. is a leading global provider of fishing tackle, lures, rods and reels with a portfolio of brands that includes Abu Garcia®, All Star®, Berkley®, Chub™, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Hardy & Greys™, Hodgman®, Johnson™, Mitchell®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Sébile®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, Trilene® and Ugly Stik®. Additional information can be found at www.purefishing.com.
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Media Contacts:
Heather Miller, (864) 607-7922, heatherm@gunpowderinc.com
Courtney Vander Veen Mich, (414) 305-2588, courtney@gunpowderinc.com
Role: Wrote and distributed press release
Agency: Gunpowder, Inc.
Dec. 12, 2019
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Berkley's® Cast for Cash will expand in 2020, bringing the successful tournament contingency program to even more anglers and more tournament circuits. On the heels of its successful 2019 launch, the Cast for Cast program will add nearly 300 new tournaments across 13 different tournament trails, including bass, walleye and bass kayaking competitions. Cash rewards for semi-professional and loyal weekend tournament anglers will be awarded to the top two finishers at each qualifying tournament.
To participate, anglers must be a member of the Berkley Cast for Cash program. Memberships for 2020 are $29.99 and come with an exclusive 2020 Berkley Pro Pack valued at $50. The Pro Packs include Berkley hard and soft baits, as well as a 2020 Cast for Cash hat and boat decal.
Prizes ranging from $100 to $1,000, depending on the tournament, will be awarded to the two top finishers at each Berkley Cast for Cash-eligible event, regardless of their place of finish. There is no cap as to how many times one can win.
"We recognize the pass for tournament fishing and want to do our part to reward anglers who put their trust in the science behind Berkley baits to help them catch more fish," said Jon Schlosser, Berkley VP of Marketing. "We saw success during the 2019 tournament season and, we are excited to expand the program for the 2020 tournament season.”
Partner tournament trails include Alabama Bass Trail, American Bass Anglers, American Bass Association, Bass Champs, BASSMASTER, Best Bass Tournaments, Competitive Sport Fishing League, Fishers of Men, FLW, KBF, Masters Walleye Circuit, AIM Walleye Series, and the Montana Walleye Circuit. A full list of sanctioned tournaments within these trails can be found on the Berkley website.
For more information on the Berkley Cast for Cash bait contingency program, and to become a member, visit www.berkley-fishing.com/CastforCash.
About Pure Fishing, Inc.
Pure Fishing, Inc. is a leading global provider of fishing tackle, lures, rods and reels with a portfolio of brands that includes Abu Garcia®, Berkley®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Hardy®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, Trilene® and Ugly Stik®. Additional information can be found at www.purefishing.com.
Media Contacts:
Josh Ward, (405) 802-7045, joshw@gunpowderinc.com
Courtney Vander Veen Mich, (414) 305-2588, courtney@gunpowderinc.com
ACADEMY SPORTS + OUTDOORS MEDIA EVENT
Event Details
Client: Academy Sports + Outdoors
Location: Lake Norman, NC
Date: June 29, 2019
ON THE WATER EVENT
My team provided event management and PR support for Academy’s On the Water event designed to drive brand awareness and engagement around the importance of boating safety while highlighting Academy’s commitment to providing the tools and equipment for everyone to be confident and safe on the water. The team, along with law enforcement and Carolina Panther Greg Olsen, surprised boaters in Mooresville, NC with Onyx PFDs and Academy gift cards on June 29 – aligning with National Safety Month.
Event Deliverables Included:
• Event planning and management
• Partner support and contract negotiations
• Key message development and spokesperson media training
• Local and national media relations
• Video production and seeding
• Social media strategy
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EVENT SUMMARY
• Media relations efforts resulted in over 5.3 million earned impressions
• Media attendance exceeded goal over 50%
• Handled local and national media outreach – leading up to, day of and following the event
• Managed on-site event activation – set up, tear down, brand ambassadorship and community relations
ROLE: DIRECTED & PRODUCED RECAP VIDEO AND BROLL, WROTE SOCIAL
STRATEGY AND ASSISTED IN MEDIA RELATIONS.
PARTNER: DOP/EDITING, RYAN REEVE
AGENCY: GUNPOWDER, INC.