Brood X:
Design and Campaign
Brood X is a periodical cicada that hatches every 13-17 years. They come out in droves. Billions will emerge in order to overwhelm predators like birds and fish. This is an amazing opportunity for fly fishers to catch just about every species of fish on a surface fly.
TCO Fly Shop wanted to create a design and marketing campaign around selling the designs on t-shirts, selling the cicada flies, and sell fly fishing gear.
Client Overview
TCO Fly Shop stands as the premier fly fishing outfitter on the East Coast, renowned for its extensive offerings and top-notch service. Their name, TCO (Tulpehocken Creek Outfitters), pays tribute to the esteemed Tulpehocken Creek, one of the finest tailwater fisheries in the East.
With an impressive network of 4 retail locations and a thriving eCommerce business, TCO brings you the widest selection of premium products in the Fly Fishing industry. Their unwavering commitment to superior customer service ensures that each client receives an exceptional experience, whether shopping online, visiting their stores, exploring the streams with their expert guides, or participating in their enlightening educational events. their continuous growth is fueled by a winning mix of quality products, unparalleled service, and an unwavering passion for education.
To expand their online presence and enrich your fly fishing journey, they employ dedicated customer service and actively engage with their audience through informative blog posts, weekly email campaigns, and captivating social media content.
Project Overview
Overview: TCO Fly Shops’ dynamic online email campaigns encompass a diverse range of subjects, from product-specific emails like “The Simms G3 Waders” to sale-specific emails like “Patagonia Sale 40% Off Select Products.” Additionally, TCO showcases branded events and products, such as “TCO Connected Blog: The White Fly Hatch.” The Brood X hatch falls into this category, serving as a unique opportunity to fish with an unusual fly available for purchase both in-store and online. This event aimed to excite new fishers, especially those who started during the COVID-19 pandemic, fostering a genuine passion for the sport. Moreover, the Brood X Hatch served as an ideal launch for TCO’s revived logowear program featuring TCO branded merchandise like stickers, t-shirts, and hats.
Project Process:
1. Research: We conducted thorough research, watching videos on the Brood X hatch and sketching images of cicadas. This knowledge positioned TCO as a credible fishing store. We created vector outlines of the cicada as a key element and style influence for the entire campaign, drawing inspiration from George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” to craft multiple logos for the marketing effort.
2. Client Approval and Revisions: Presenting four versions of the Brood X design, we actively collaborated with the client to refine the project’s impact on their audience. Several revisions ensued, ensuring the final designs resonated effectively.
3. Implementation: Following final approval, we brought the design to life, creating two shirt designs, one hat design, and stickers for all designs. We also crafted several email campaigns, featuring custom-designed products, in-store offerings like rods and reels, and individual in-store flies for sale. These emails were strategically dispatched at different times throughout the summer.
Results: The Brood X campaign achieved outstanding results across various parameters:
- Design: The design was enthusiastically received by the fly fishing community, with the first print of the Summer of the Brood X T-Shirt selling out shortly after its launch.
- Brand Awareness: The campaign effectively promoted TCO Fly Shops’ local knowledge and ability to provide customers with up-to-date information about the area, bolstering brand awareness.
- Profit: The marketing campaign yielded over $4000 in sales from custom-designed products alone, contributing to an overall profit of approximately $10,000 when factoring in cicada flies and sales of other products at the store.
Our work with TCO Fly Shops exemplified our dedication to impactful graphic design solutions that resonate with target audiences and drive tangible results. Explore more of our case studies to discover our diverse range of creative projects.
Services Provided
• Illustrative Flourishes: Cicada Themed illustration for email usage
• T-Shirt Design: 2 T-Shirt Designs
• Email Campaigns: 4 email campaigns with Brood X Designs and Product Focused
• Website Banner: 4 web banners for home page
• Website Headers: 4 website headers for the Brood X Collections
• Product Imagery: Photography of the Final Products