Wow – Those AEG Guys Know How to Market
- This topic has 31 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated Apr 7, 2008 at 6:48 pm by
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Their adds are very good, but their kitt leave a bit to be desired… although it is getting better… and these types of inovations will bring them to where they shoul be.
But them maybe I am just old school??? 😉
Lugan…
I have been thinking about this for a while now.
Are we becoming extreme anglers?? Is it a marketing ploy by the fly fishing specific manufacturers’?? Do we, the end user, get dragged into their game, so to say??
We all buy the best we can afford, right? We spend big money on going to these exotic locations? And then when we get there we want the best fish available. So we brave the elements, we try new tactics, we think the fish are smarter than before, and thus we need new ways to catch them.
I am off on a little trip next week, 10 days of fishing bliss, but my mate who lives there tells me, it hasn’t stopped raining, so what’s the first thing that goes though my mind?? “I will fish in the rain, I paid good money for this serious rain jacket, it will be working hard for me, and if no one else wants to fish in the rain, I will fish by myself…” I had to take a step back and think, what the hell!!! That is insane, what I should have thought was, “Great, that will give me some time in the pub, with my mates…”
And that, I believe is where it is coming from… they sell us indestructible reels, ultra water proof breathable rain jackets and show us pictures of guys fishing these thing in the harshest of environments. We, the idiots with the gold cards, buy every cent of it.
My 2 Zimbabwe Cents… (go research that for a laugh)
even Zach can be acussed of doing it…
Personally, I don’t think it’s all that different now.
I compare pictures like that with the old pulp sporting mag covers showing the deer hunter who left his gun in a tree stand holding a pocket knife and about to be eaten by a grizzly.
Hey Mike –
We were fishing, in that picture, in the snow and crud because that’s when that particular river fishes best.
Even though I was making fun of these guys and how ‘tough’ they are trying to look, I will openly accept the image that these guys are trying to portray.
Product advertising appeals to the wannabes and weak-minded, always has, always will. I certainly don’t need ads to tell me that fly fishing kicks ass but then I don’t pay much attention to that stuff anyway so it doesn’t really bother me either.
This is a fascinating topic, and one that affects many sports.
At hand is the issue of cost: performance versus accessibility.
I spend a great deal of time outdoors. I enjoy fishing, racing sailboats, and a variety of winter sports. There is no question that quality gear will make you more comfortable, which in borderline conditions can make the difference between having a good time or not. Spend some time on a boat in a squall
This new ‘Ultimate, Extreme, Adventure, Fly Fishing Video Journalism’ is no less ridiculous than any kind of ‘Upstream Dry, Scotch Sipping, Cigar Smoking, Bamboo Toting Fraternity of Fly Fishing ‘.
It’s fishing, it’s not extreme in any way.
This is going to be rambly.
There’s just such a gap between the kind of “EXTREME!” fishing (or other sports) advertised in a lot of media and the kind of “extreme” fishing most of us really do.
Is it extreme to go fishing in 20 degree temps, with ice in the guides, 2″ of snow on your shoulders, and 8 miles of trail behind you? Yeah, I certainly think it is; at least, that’s extreme for me! On the other hand, that kind of fishing is still a far cry from floating a river in Mongolia with no support, even by air, (especially were you to get hurt), after a three-week’s trip via decommissioned Russian six-wheel.
I have to give the AEG guys props, because I honestly believe the conditions they put themselves in are as billed. They don’t have a support team like that Bear Grils guy on Discovery Channel. They are really sleeping in yurts and under their transportation, whatever it may be. That’s worthy of respect.
The disconnect comes, I think, when marketing people attempt to sell the AEG image, as a lifestyle, to people who live in the cities in America. Realistically, what I was doing with Caesar Stair and Lauren in the photo Mike posted above is about as “extreme” as you can get in the American Southeast (at least as far as coldweather stuff goes). We were never in any personal danger, though.
Would I like to go on an expedition with Frank Smethhurst to Baja or with the AEG guys to NZ or Mongolia? Hell yes. But the fact remains that I, like most people, have chosen a lot tamer path. I will never do what they are doing; what the marketers do is tap into my dream that someday, somehow I still might.
So I guess my point is that marketing really, for the most part, just sells a fantasy, whether it be the ‘I’m-a-Scottish-Lord-hey-ghillie-get-me-my-whiskey’ or ‘I-had-nothing-to-drink-but-bongwater-and-yak-piss-last-night-hand-me-my- streamer-rod.’ The fantasies are custom tailored to the market demographic, but they’re no more realistic for either the old guys or the young guys.
Zach
That’s right, it filets, it chops
It dices, slices, never stops
lasts a lifetime, mows your lawn
And it mows your lawn
and it picks up the kids from school
It gets rid of unwanted facial hair
it gets rid of embarrassing age spots
It delivers a pizza
and it lengthens, and it strengthens
And it finds that slipper that’s been at large
under the chaise lounge for several weeks
And it plays a mean Rhythm Master
It makes excuses for unwanted lipstick on your collar
And it’s only a dollar, step right up
it’s only a dollar, step right upMore Tom Waits lyrics
AEG has gotten a lot of mileage out of that photo. I think the composite cork grip looks cheap.
I like the new “hardcore extreme gen-X” influence on fly fishing, I put together my own videos using indy rock, post regularly on The Drake and such. But in the end, it is still “fishing” and “fishing” is a very hard thing to make ‘hip’ and ‘cool’ by its nature. Most seasoned fly anglers don’t fish in crowds, at least not in these parts, so what use is high fashion apart from catching your eye in a catalog? I’m a gen-x’r, but I like a good mix…I’ll wear my Beck t-shirt under my traditional looking vest (I hate Star Wars stormtrooper vests & packs myself), fish my foam chernobyl ant with a partridge & orange dropper on my bamboo rod matched with large arbor reel – for carp. In the end, I’m going out to catch a fish in the most comfortable, fun and efficient means, not make a statement.
I’m out on adventure angling videos for the most part though. There’s a disconnect. I’m a middle class angler, catching 7″ westslope brookies in Colorado is more appealing and more of a realistic desire for me than catching exotic fish in exotic locations at an even more exotic pricetag.
I wish Bill was still with us.
(not safe for work if you aren’t using headphones)
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