TOTAL LICENSING AUSTRALIA
A Brand
born from
Obsession
The Mad Keen brand, licensed by Blue of Mad Keen is a sentiment best exposure and a small advertising cam-
Chip Brands Pty Ltd, was created in summed up by the brand slogan that paign, by the year 2000 Mad Keen was
1997 by a young Brisbane-based an- sits beneath the logo - ‘Fishing Comes stocked by a significant number of lei-
gler named Nick Ikonomou. When First’. This simple thought is a very sure fishing retailers across the State.
he wasn’t out ‘wetting a line’, Nick real insight to customer’s mindset. “It’s Soon enough, a strong web-based
worked his day-job in an advertising the reason so many anglers love our store was also trading well, allowing
agency, where he developed cam- unique personality-packed products, more customers to taste the Mad
paigns for clients’ brands. It wasn’t explained Anthony Harvey of Blue Keen spirit. The brand’s momentum
long before his mind began searching Chip Brands. “It’s one of the secrets was starting to build.
for opportunities to create a brand of to our success.” 2003 marked the most important de-
his own. In Australia, the term ‘Mad Keen’ is velopment in the history of Mad Keen,
From the very beginning Nick wanted commonly used to describe anyone as two new business partners came
to create a brand with a big audi- with an extreme passion for pretty onboard.
ence - something with the potential much anything. For example, ‘Jack is With them they brought the essential
to go global. Fortunately, his beloved mad keen on motorbikes’, ‘Helen is ingredients for further success and
pastime of fishing fell right into this mad keen on cooking’, or in this case, expansion - financial capital, expertise
category. ‘We’re mad keen on fishing!’ and a fresh passion for the brand. This
When launching a new brand into the Here’s another way of looking at it. At was exactly what Mad Keen needed to
market, generally speaking, a name is first, a person might try a new activity launch into the next phase of growth
just a name. That’s why even before and like it. Then, over time, they might
the words ‘Mad Keen’ were devel- grow to love the pastime. Eventually,
oped, there was a clear idea in mind when true obsession and dedication
defining exactly what this new brand kicks in, they become ‘Mad Keen’.
would stand for, and what would set Fortunately, nobody had previously
it apart. made a move to trademark the words
Put simply, the objective was to cre- ‘Mad Keen’ and turn them into a truly
ate a new brand dedicated to people marketable brand. Obviously the term
obsessed with fishing. “It’s not just a ‘Mad Keen’ is not as commonly used
brand of ‘fishing gear’ - it’s a brand of all around the world, as it is in Austra-
‘fishing attitude’; It’s a brand that be- lia. That’s why the logo was designed
lieves nothing should get in the way of to incorporate an obvious fish-shaped
an opportunity to go fishing - includ- silhouette to accompany the words
ing your job, your partner, your kids, ‘Mad Keen’. A brand slogan – Fishing
the weather, sharks, money problems, Comes First was also developed.
your wedding day, whatever!” The first public launch of Mad Keen
The unique attitude and passion was a fairly cautious affair consisting
throughout Australia.
of a small display stand at a local fish-
The next 2 years saw the business ex-
ing trade show in Brisbane, Australia.
pand rapidly with a range of over 60
Armed with just three boxes of Mad
new products and widespread take-
Keen slogan shirts and a will to suc-
up by retailers in every State across
ceed, the brand was born. The public’s
the country. The new product range
response was overwhelming, as 200
included many different clothing and
slogan shirts baring unique designs
novelty items for all seasons, includ-
were quickly snapped-up. Following
ing dozens of new and totally unique
that first show, moves were promptly
slogan shirts.
made to expand production and dis-
The Mad Keen range was also ex-
tribution.
panded to appeal to a broader fishing
With the support of local television
audience, with something on offer for
TLA 44
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