Media influences on your tackle / equipment purchases

[oldboot]

I have to agree with previous posts that it isnt the product placement or the shamless plugs that are anoying and devalue both the presentation and its advertising value it is the lack of meaningfull content.

Now i'm not one that can afford to buy all the latests brand name stuff, but if there is some good content on method, I can translate that to my much lesser tackle and ability.

I am surprised that the producers and sponsors of these shows don't realise that if there is no value or content in their show, people won't watch.

I watched ET's show the other day for the first time......I wont bother again.

I supose it comes down to the age old concept of sifting the wheat from the chaff.

One thing I find funny... on a certain sindicated programe, ( particularly the repeats) they often seem to be having an audio problem when the presenter is spruking up the various endorsements.......I am sure the truth of the matter is, that particular sponsor has ceased to cough up, so the endorsement is...gone like last weeks pay

cheers

[Grumpah]

If anyone has seen an ad or the front cover for the 2 Dans new DVD have a close look at the Dan on the right and how he is holding the Snapper, very bad photoshop and there the average joe is thinking, "Geez these guys have got 2 cracking fish in the boat, they must really know what they r doing.

Bad form I think.

Cheer's Pete.

I got one of their DVDs FREE on a magazine a month or so back. I was so disgusted with the quality and cr*p content (only my opinion ) that I nearly returned it to the magazine and asked for my viewing time back. Everytime I see one in a shop now I move two shelves down in case their content has leaked out and affected the nearby DVDs.

Seriously, I think most advertisers are reasonably genuine these days but there are still plenty of cheats and a lot of very misleading stuff out there. Any hint of that sort of thing and the brand is wiped from my shopping list.

Graeme C

[SeekingBarradise]

Hi Chris you have a great thread going on here. It covers conversations that usually go on at all barra dams and trips etc. How much sponsorship can a guy have until we stop believing him or her? I think that is one of the big questions.
Another question: Are they giving us good info or bad info?

Good people could probably have lots of sponsors yet deliver honest reports. But how many people are good, so good that you would invite them to your place for a bbq with your family and friends over a lifetime etc. Or do they only make contact with you when they need publicity for their product. Do these people take the time to chat with you on the net, in camp, boat ramp or tackle shop?

Do they not talk to you when some high rollers in the fishing scene are in town then all of a sudden you are not as important and are brushed aside. etc etc.

The challenge; The buyer wants to get the best knowledge and product they can, at the best value.

Confusion: Who do they believe? Where do they get good info from that will provide a base to improve their fishing over the course of their life, with a few top ups added along the way?

Food for thought: In a lot of the answers i've seen i see a lot of advertising already winning that battle with a glaring omission with regards to the sourcing of knowledge.

Any ideas on what the omission is? If this same question was asked 5-10 years ago the omission would have been one of the first things reported on.

Well done to everyone who has added interesting replies on this thread. Greame you have given us a bit more of an insight in to this industry, thankyou.

There is a saying i've used in my work. Usually when someone is lost or dragging their ass a bit.

"Ask yourself this: What is your goal & How much do you really want it?". Once this question is answered all the ducks can be lined up to achieve the goal.
( A Plan etc).

I think once everyone knows what they want out of fishing, things including finding good and bad info can be sorted out a little clearer.

Cheers Lyndon.

[NAGG]

Hi Lyndon ...... Yeh its one of those topics that gets raised occasionally over a camp fire & several beers ........ mostly ignored & rarely raises its head on a forum like this
We know it happens ........ but to what extent ( it's massive).
These days I find that the waters are too muddied ..... be it print or visual media ( everyone has either their hand out ...... or stuff is thrown at them) - then there has to be a payback!!!!!
These days it is rare to read a fishing article & not read or see product being mentioned .......... without a level of bias ..... Would it not be refreshing to read a story where the writer chops & changes from his Shimano / egrel spin combo to his daiwa / loomis combo ......... while changing from slick rigs to hollowbellies ........... Yeh right!!!



Chris

[Jungle Jim]

I wasn’t going to comment further on this thread because i was convinced all that i could say had already been said. Then Lyndon provides a very useful post.

Thanks for that. a good read and it got me thinking

Your opening paragraph (about how much sponsourship does one have before we stop respecting them ...) got me immediately thinking though...
Is some of this annoyance with the personalities and production style perhaps a case of tall poppies.?.?.?

Some guys do well -then have their names plastered to all sorts of rubbish from car seat covers to camp chairs.

Perhaps i do laugh off or rubbish these endorsements sub consciously because of a tall poppy mentality.
I don’t know whether i do it on purpose but i don’t believe i am immune to thinking that way either.

Maybe i do have a bit of the green eyed monster in the poppy fields....


JIM

[SeekingBarradise]

Hi Chris yep the chopping and changing from one rod to a different reel como is being done a bit by non sponsored dudes. Have you spotted where?

Jim yep i'm well aware of the tall poppy thing and think about it a lot, from the sports side of things where i come from etc. To say something or to say nothing is a tough question. If people stay quiet anybody can get away with anything, yet if it's raised like Nagg did then eventually word will get back to people as feedback. If we don't get feedback we are untouchable - and a tall poppy i guess.

The industry has changed from Mags, Annuals and going to the Tackle shop for info, to jumping on the net 24 hours a day even at work to get up to the minute reports which link, state,country and the globe. Reports that were 6 weeks old to a year in some mags are pitted against 6 second old reports on the net. This has given the majority of anglers the opportunity to have their say in the industry instead of maybe 100 writers. The new pool of info in massive with 20 000 members alone on here i think?

With regards to Barra in 2008 the amount of info that was on the net was amazing, well and truly massive compared to what was in mags etc. 2008 was a year where in my opinion the net led the way for lake barra info. I now see articles in mags follow thought provoking chats on the net.

In some cases you have to wait for a writer to die to get a gig etc. The net has opened up more feedback than ever before and not many are used to feedback that isn't 100% positive. That's a big change that i have seen, and in some ways it was needed. There are also bad things with the net.

Whether that feedback is taken on board or not i'm not sure.

I agree some people you just like, and others you don't right from the first second you meet them. Personalities aside, if the info they provide is good that's great, and it's ok for them to make a dollar etc.

However if the info provided e.g. this is the plastic i use (brand X), yet in comps they really use 10 other types, or in personal fishing they use a whole heap of imported U.S.A stuff to catch fish, well then the line is blurred. Is this brand X now the 125th best plastic in their real collection, yet we are being told it's number 1? A boat check before comps or filming to get rid of all other plastic brands would be interesting LOL. How much info would we find then?

That's a line in the sand, for me it's where bad information starts and it's hard to believe anything else this person will say in the future. If it was a mate of mine or family member i'd say " pull ya head in mate". And go about it that way, but that would be seen as having a go at someone you don't know etc. So most people will just stay quiet resulting in them (brand x) doing the same type of reporting for the rest of their life. If they get away with it they will keep doing it, like kids not being able to resist stealing a biscuit out of the biccy jar.

Marketing Strategy: If brand X gets the majority of people using their product, what brand will pop up in a good % of fishing reports? Many people that want to be sheep will then do what everyone else is doing and buy brand X, so the problem gets worse. Smart legal advertising. And does it work, crikey it does.

So the number 1 goal of brand X is to get hype, every season, every year. The trick for us it to see through it. Hard work for those with limited time & limited info pathways.


People being sponsored is ok. As long as they are not having a lend of us, as it will cost us money etc. There is some awesome cutting edge info out there, it's just not widely advertised, so it gets put on the back seat due to the hype of silver bullet products like lures and plastics which dominate a much higher % of chats than they should.

Cheers Lyndon.

[NAGG]

Hi Chris yep the chopping and changing from one rod to a different reel como is being done a bit by non sponsored dudes. Have you spotted where?


Cheers Lyndon.

I think one of your co collaborators falls into that category.

& of coarse the majority of us that fish for fun & buy our own gear Some of the best advice comes from fishoes who are competent & out of the limelight.

Chris

[SeekingBarradise]

I will just add that for sport to stay as it is today we need sponsors across the board. Without sponsors there are not many comps that would survive, let alone mags and tv shows. No stress there, that's just business.

Yes Chris the bare foot man with shorts, shirt and a dusty old hat does provide great content in all his work without sponsors, yet is he mad not to take the many grands in the hand that he could get each year for doing nothing more than what he is already doing. This would really be free money basically. Will not being sponsored sell stacks more dvd's? And give him more work etc? Probably not at all when you think about it. Most people don't care that much. You could say things are almost upside down. Hype will get more sales than true blue. There isn't really much reward for not being sponsored.

Sure people might say "That guy is a good bloke for not being sponsored."
And more people will probably believe more of what he says because he isn't sponsored, but does that put a roof over your head and food on the table in a profession that's hard to make a living? Looking at it this way shows how hard a choice it really is in the real world. A big sacrifice that could pay a house off over a career or a few houses - or none at all.

If good people sharing good info are sponsored - good luck to em. There are sponsored people that are great writers and presenters.

Food for thought anyway, this is an interesting thread guys, one of the better ones i've seen. Nobody having a go, just everyone sharing a yarn. I can't wait for those fireplace yarns at Mondy starting tomorrow.

Cheers Lyndon.

[NAGG]

Lyndon ...... you are right about the barefoot one & I'm sure sponsorship would come easily
The trouble is once you accept sponsorship , you would be required to promote their product in one way or another ........ & that wouldn't sit well with some ( I believe that the sleeveless one up Awoonga way is a bit that way too)
But to be perfectly honest ...... both examples are not mainstream enough & are too specialised to really attract the cash & product of others ........... I might be wrong but I see it the same way a music ( brilliant bands are ignored because they are not mainstream ...... but usually develop a cult / loyal followers)

So yeh ...... If we read or watch fishing articles / programs - we just accept that we will be bombarded.

Here is one thing though ...... The best products need little in the way of advertising or endorsements - performance sells

Chris

[Obes]

Performance may sell normally, but a lot of fishing folk seem cagey about sharing their successes, other then a bunch of photos of an esky.

[Steve B]

Performance may sell normally, but a lot of fishing folk seem cagey about sharing their successes, other then a bunch of photos of an esky.

Obes, I know where your coming from mate. 'secret squirrel' stuff is alive and well. Each person has their own reasons I spose. But there is still plenty of fishing folk who are willing to share quality info for all, and I think thats on the increase too!
I know in the fresh section they are pretty open with advice.

cheers steve

[Hardb8]

If we are talking of the same Barefooted one.....If I'm not mistaken,He is sponsored by a least two companies,Unless in the meantime he has withdrawn?

I had the pleasure of meeting this man briefly.And not once during our three hour conversation did he try and sell me something.He answered all my questions,And we chatted freely about fishing in general.In this meeting he had earned my admiration as a person,And a fisherman...His ability with a rod I have seen nothing like .

Watching him knock over my lighter with direct hits from a casting plug consistantly at 20 yards,Was a lesson in just how proficient you can become.

If we are talking of the same man,And he took to the limelight and comps.I reckon he'd be right up there for sure on his ability to cast within a two inch square of his intended target to get bit.

To this day.....I haven't seen anyone who would hold a candle to his skill.

SECRET SQUIRREL

Personally I will talk honestly and freely on everything except location.My reasons for this are pretty simple....

Massive ammounts of research and exploring time are put into finding those elusive honey holes,Too much just to type it up here for thousands to see,Or even P.M. someone you hardly know.I don't post on any of my local haunts for this reason.But my trips afar I do.

Weekend just gone had an awsome session at a place I like to call :-
AREA 51...Can't say no more ...Secret Squirrel is indeed alive and well .

Cheers. B8.

[NAGG]

If we are talking of the same Barefooted one.....If I'm not mistaken,He is sponsored by a least two companies,Unless in the meantime he has withdrawn?

I had the pleasure of meeting this man briefly.And not once during our three hour conversation did he try and sell me something.He answered all my questions,And we chatted freely about fishing in general.In this meeting he had earned my admiration as a person,And a fisherman...His ability with a rod I have seen nothing like .

Watching him knock over my lighter with direct hits from a casting plug consistantly at 20 yards,Was a lesson in just how proficient you can become.

If we are talking of the same man,And he took to the limelight and comps.I reckon he'd be right up there for sure on his ability to cast within a two inch square of his intended target to get bit.

To this day.....I haven't seen anyone who would hold a candle to his skill.

SECRET SQUIRREL

Personally I will talk honestly and freely on everything except location.My reasons for this are pretty simple....

Massive ammounts of research and exploring time are put into finding those elusive honey holes,Too much just to type it up here for thousands to see,Or even P.M. someone you hardly know.I don't post on any of my local haunts for this reason.But my trips afar I do.

Weekend just gone had an awsome session at a place I like to call :-
AREA 51...Can't say no more ...Secret Squirrel is indeed alive and well .

Cheers. B8.

No B8 .... you are thinking of the wrong Barefooted one .... not Hodgy! ...... & yes ... He his a thoroughly decent bloke ( we had a bbq chat with him up at Faust a few years back)
As for limelight ..... he is on the mass media ..... & he does fish competitively ( he did part of the ABT Barra tour last year..... in his green poly)

Chris

[NAGG]

Performance may sell normally, but a lot of fishing folk seem cagey about sharing their successes, other then a bunch of photos of an esky.

You wont get as much info out of people that fish for a feed ...... Yes secret squirrel stuff as they like to protect their patch or method ( Jewie fisherman are notorious for it)
Info is more freely available in the catch & release fraternity ...... As Steve mentioned - Freshwater ... lots of good info shared

Chris

[Nic]

Secret squirrel-wise, I don't think it depends so much on whether you're a catch and release fisher as whether you expect other people will do the same. My colleagues catch and release jacks at their Goldy spots, but they don't expect other people to have the same level of self control when tasty red fish are involved.

I really like the 'Who Shares, Wins' philosophy at the ABT comps. You can learn a lot from some of those guys, sponsored or no... good for noobs like me.